New Ranger towing and fuel report
Submitted: Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 16:47
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Rockape
Have just done a trial run form Mackay to
Yeppoon to see how it would tow.
The vehicle has only done 3500k so it will still have a tight engine.
The trip took a fair bit of time which ended up being 5 1/2 hours due to roadworks and a B-double accident (how he kept it up right I will never know). Of that time the engine was running for 5 hours so idling would have used some fuel as well.
The total K's with the vehicle and van fully loaded was 390K and it used 55 1/2 litres or 14.25l/h. I gave the auto it's head and let it decide on what gear it required. It changed down perfectly when it needed to so I will be leaving it do all the work and not trying to out guess it.
Speed was between 93 and 100 k/h with no wdh as ford says no don't use one. Van tracked well with no pulling or pitching at all.
Although only a short run we are pretty happy with the result.
Will take a run up to
Byfield tomorrow and go across to 5 rocks to try her out on the sand tracks up there.
Reply By: Member - ken m4 - Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 17:08
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 17:08
Rockape
We have used our Ranger and Van for about 5000 Km and got about the same at times with a top of 16 Km/ l from
Winton to
Hughenden on a hot day last October. Happy with her so far, and agree on letting the Auto work in auto.
15 L/Km Mackay to
Bowen then 14.3
Bowen to
Townsville January this year. These readings by the on-board fuel usage gauge, which have been a bit below fill-up litres but still fairly close .
On a different note if you see any of the locals at
Stockyard point I would be interested to see how Col Ryan is. Haven't been there for ages but worked with him in Moura years ago
Ken Mills
AnswerID:
509266
Follow Up By: Rockape - Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 18:27
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 18:27
Ken,
Yes the litres/hundred read out on the dash is a useful as tits on a bull.
Mine is hopeless with a reading of 11.9 for the trip. It could catch people out big time if they relied on it. I knew the readout was bad before the trip and this is one of the reasons we took it for a run to see what K's we could get out of a tank.
It will be a little hard to come back to around 800k safe max with the 132k aftermarket tank when I had a 230 litre capacity in the Troopy.
You also may have been pushing a head wind from
Winton to
Hughenden. I know you probably went straight to
Hughenden from
Winton but every time I go from the Isa to
Townsville the main man orders some very big head winds for me.
I laugh when I read the Ranger forums when people state their rangers are using 8 L/h around town or even on the highway. I think they have
If we come across Col I will give regards. We have been across before in the Troopy, so I have something to gauge the vehicle against.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - ken m4 - Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 18:33
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 18:33
I expect the road into 5 rocks will be somewhat better than when we went in 81 and 85. Will be interested on a possible test of your
hill descent with the van. We tow 3200 Kg approx. Are you pulling your van into there
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 19:40
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 at 19:40
The tracks have been closed due to washouts and I believe the stockyard one has just been reopened and the locals can now get in and out.
No won't be towing as ours is an on road van. Staying at the causeway. Always like it there with the view over the water.
Did use the
hill decent on the old
Eungella logging track but gee all those noises from the rear end scared the hell out of me. It does work though. I don't know with a van on the back as it isn't going to control the van.
Went up to
Sandy point today and straight away realised the road was maintained by Mackay council, I could tell by the depth of the potholes and the number per square metre.
FollowupID:
787073
Follow Up By: Rockape - Saturday, Apr 20, 2013 at 07:50
Saturday, Apr 20, 2013 at 07:50
Ken,
We couldn't get to
stockyard point but did get within a 1k of it. track was closed.
Made it through to 5 rocks beach and 9 mile beach.
Ranger did it easily and again I let the auto do the work except on the steeper descents where I just selected bog cog.
Got a ding in the passenger door from a stick that flew up of the tyre. Such is life.
Unless you are the Gal boys and have you own van repair
shop you would do a lot of damage to a van. If towing a camper trailer you would want to be able to back it well due to meets other vehicles.
The track is worse than when we were there last time. They are also rebuilding all the facilities at Water Park Ck.
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