Ranger - Bronco OR build current truck, opinions or advice???

shauniscndn

Adventurer
Alright guys & Gals please let me know what you think.. I currently own an 88 f250 4x4 ext long box 460 BB 5spd truck Mint condition with really low KMS. The gas mileage is roughly 8 mpg. My Girlfriend likes my truck. We bought it to tow a Jayco Baja (7500 lbs) trailer with quad/dirtbikes and for general 4x4 exploring & be my DD.

I live in British Columbia where trails can be tight/technical but the main idea is to have an all around-do all truck/rig. This isnt my 1st 4x4 but was wondering a couple things and just wanted to get some opinions/advice

Should I

A- Build current truck into DD/trail and tow rig with mild lift 35"/37" tires and call it done(gas mileage would really blow with 460 and 35's)

B - Buy a Bronco when funds permit and Build it into same as Its smaller for trails in BC and still would be able to tow trailer

C- Buy a Ranger when funds permit and Build it into same as Its smaller for trails in BC, would a 5.0 swap be able to make a Ranger a decent tow vehicle??

I love Rangers as they would be the perfect platform just unsure of tow rating..

Thanks
Shaun
 

RedF

Adventurer
If towing is a major part of you plan, you need to stick with a fullsize, preferably 3/4 ton. Your current truck fits the bill, but I can see why it's low mileage when it returns 8~ MPG! Seriously consider a Cummins swap for your truck if it's in that nice of shape. Leave the tight/technical trails to the quads/bikes.

A (fullsize) Bronco could probably tow your trailer, but it won't be ideal. They were pretty short on power, even with the 351.

I wouldn't be planning on pulling 7500 lbs with a Ranger in any configuration. That's about 2000 lbs more than the max tow rating of any Ranger.
 

82fb

Adventurer
Neither the bronco, nor the ranger will be happy towing a 7500 pound trailer. I have towed about 5500 pounds(fj40 on car trailer) before and I think that was about the safe limit with a 87 bronco, 5.0, automatic. If the trailer is a must, then build the f250. Custom short flatbed, cab width and it won't be too bad on the trails. Save money on other stuff to pay for the gas!
 

shauniscndn

Adventurer
Thanks for the advice guys... still deciding on right route to take, My truck is mint. i guess $$$ is the biggest factor of them all

Cheers
Shaun
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
option1: Keep your truck. Put on mild tires, say 285/75 r17.

option2: Pull your trucks engine and install a small block Ford.

option3: diesel swap

option4: buy a more modern F250 with a Diesel or 5.4L

Options 2 and 3 will most likely cost more than any fuel saving they'll ever offer. Poor fuel mileage stinks, but 9/10 people that swap vehicles for fuel economy, never actually save a dime.

Towing with a Bronco or Ranger with agressiveish tires and suspension? Bwaw hahahaha. Thanks for the laugh.
 
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Madmaxwell87

Observer
The issue with the bronco is the wheelbase. It's a very stout vehicle and with the 351 would probably be able to do it. Will it last long doing it? Probably not and you'd probably end up with worse mileage than the F250. The Ranger isn't even in towing ball park as mentioned earlier. I'd say run 33's on the F250. Regear to 4.10 or even 4.56 if it sees more trail than highway, and then hop up the 460. It's very restricted in the intake and exhaust from the factory and there are plenty of other things you can do to it. It might get you into the teens mileage wise but still be able to do everything it does now. If you're worried about the body being too nice you need to save up and get a trail toy, otherwise bob the bed to the rear leaf spring hangers, boatside the cab and get some steel bumpers front and rear and have an awesome all around rig that can run trails without major damage and still be a dd/tow pig.
 

elmo_4_vt

Explorer
First off... I'd like to see a pick of your F250...

Secondly, the heaviest I'd tow with my Bronco for more than just around town is 5000 even though I think the rating is 6800. My current trailer is right around 3500 loaded while it does that weight pretty well, I think I would feel like I was beating up the truck with much more than that. With my config, 35s, SAS, 351, MAF, 4.56:1, I get about 14-15 not towing and 9-11 towing. Hills will KILL any kind of gas mileage while towing because I have to keep out of overdrive keep the engine trans happy.

Are you able to downsize the trailer at all? If not, my suggestion would be in line with everyone else. Keep the truck, especially if it's in good shape. Maybe buy a beater car to drive around as a DD. That's what I do anyway and it works well for me. My buddy just bought a 2001 civic w/ a manual and 150k miles with a small dent down one side for $2k... Gets 36mpg and will drive at 80 all day long and the gas savings will pay for the car in 2 years over his truck, not to mention wear and tear.

Don

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photobucket-1188-1350509664743.jpg
 
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Scott B.

SE Expedition Society
I love my Rangers - I just put a 5.0L in my '93. They are great as DD trucks - small and nimble. They do great on the trails - the long wheelbase requires multiple point turns occasionally, but no big deal.

However, my trucks only weigh about 4300 pounds. Even though the chassis is rated to tow 5000 pounds, the most I've towed was about 3000 - locally. True, that was with no trailer brakes, but I wouldn't want to go very far with that much weight back there.

If your F250 is really mint, do you want to tarnish it off road?

Keep the F250, build a nice Ranger for DD and off road, and either tent camp or build a camping trailer - perhaps a teardrop or a trailer with a RTT?

I know it's easy to spend someone else's money :) but at lease it is food for thought.
 

RU55ELL

Explorer
Keep the truck and bob the bed. I really don't think you are going to deal well with downsizing in the towing category.
 

bfdiesel

Explorer
Take/send your heads to get ported and polished and at least bigger exhaust valves by a shop that knows and loves these motors. Get a good RV cam, mechanical secondary carburetor about the 625 cfm to 650 cfm range anything bigger is a waste of money for a stock to mild built 460 as the exhaust port in the stock heads is too restrictive for much bigger. I would not swap in a smaller gas engine if you live by mountains or plan to be pulling passes a lot, not to pick on flat landers but a lot of them don't realize big blocks reigned in the mountains (before the dawn of turbo diesels) for a very good reason. I have seen many small block engines meet their doom on the passes here in Colorado.


I had an 87 F350 crew cab long bed 460 5 speed with 4.10's that was built to the above that would get 14 mpg on the highway empty and 8-12 depending on how much I towed.
You have quads or dirt bikes for the tight stuff. I would use the truck as a base camp and explore out from there.


A cummins swap would also be sweet, but as said doing it just for economy is not going to pay out very quickly if ever.
 

shauniscndn

Adventurer
My finances arent in the best shape now and with a looming divorce not getting any better lol. I do like my truck a lot. Im not looking at doing hardcore trails and the trailer I have could be downsized. The range of the truck is a bit of a concern as my GF and I like to go exploring a lot and dont want the worry of brutal mileage. I've had a few 4x4s before and woudl condsider the DD & Trail truck but that will be waiting for $$$

Here's a pic of my Current Truck and my old jeep


Thanks again for the advice/opinions folks

Shaun IMG_0201.JPG
 

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1leg

Explorer
Jayco Baja's have a gross weight rate of around 4500 to 5000. Are you sure it's really that heavy?
http://www.jayco.com/products/camping-trailers/baja/floorplans-specs

A full size Bronco with a 351 will pull this easily.

If you are in the middle of a divorces get that taken care of and done before you start any modifications or truck swap. Trust me, Best thing you could do is just take your current rig out and have fun in the areas it will go and save your $$ until the big D is over. Been there done that..
 

shauniscndn

Adventurer
1leg

Ya I was thinking with the added weight of quad/dirtbike and fully loaded... maybe I'm way over estimating. I would think a Bronco would be able to manage it fairly well. As I said Its mostly just for exploring Fsr's etc and to be used as a base camp. Not gonna be hardcore wheeling it. That's what the toys are for :)

As for divorce... Ya no or very lil $$$ for trucks and toys for next lil while lol.. oh well. All good I'm way happier Now than I was before


Shaun
 

RedF

Adventurer
Jayco Baja's have a gross weight rate of around 4500 to 5000. Are you sure it's really that heavy?
http://www.jayco.com/products/camping-trailers/baja/floorplans-specs

A full size Bronco with a 351 will pull this easily.

If you are in the middle of a divorces get that taken care of and done before you start any modifications or truck swap. Trust me, Best thing you could do is just take your current rig out and have fun in the areas it will go and save your $$ until the big D is over. Been there done that..

There is a tandem version that specs out at 7500lbs, I assume this to be the version he has. http://www.roamingtimes.com/rvreports/jayco-baja-camping-trailer.aspx Pretty heavy for a Bronco.
 

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