Ford has given us another glimpse of the 2026 Ford Ranger Super Duty, this time releasing a picture of its heavy-duty eight-stud wheel hub that will enable the mid-sized ute tow up to 4500kg.
In the short clip posted, you might also notice an 18-inch steel wheel that wrapped in a sizeable 33-inch all-terrain tyre.
The new Ranger Super Duty is far more than a simple marketing exercise, with the beefiest Ford mid-sizer ever adopting parts from the full-size F-250 Super Duty, including the eight-stud set-up.
This will allow the Ranger Super Duty to not only tow 4500kg, but also have a 4500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) and an enormous 8000kg gross combination mass (GCM).
Compare those numbers with the standard Ranger XL double-cab 2.0-litre 4x4 automatic which has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, a GVM of 3250kg and a GCM of 6350kg.
Even the full-sized Chevrolet Silverado, RAM 1500, Toyota Tundra and Ford’s own F-150 can’t match all those figures, although most of full-size trucks are artificially limited for our market.
It’s thought the Ranger Super Duty might even have a payload approaching 2000kg.
If that’s not enough, the terrain shown in the short clip suggests the Ranger Super Duty should be one of the most capable Rangers off-road yet, although it’s unlikely to get the Raptor’s coil-sprung rear end.
A range of body styles should also be offered across both single- and dual-cab layouts available from launch, however a dual-wheel rear axle is unlikely to be on the menu, but the heavy-duty ute will come with its own wide body.
“The eight-stud configuration offers a significant advantage in terms of load capacity and ensures an even distribution of weight across the wheel,” Ranger Super Duty engineering chief Drew O’Shannassy said.
“This is important for a vehicle like Ranger Super Duty which will be expected to frequently carry and tow heavy loads.
“The wheel and tyre we’ve selected provide a great combination of strength, grip and reliability that our hard-working customers need.
“Our testing is pushing this vehicle to the limit so that customers can be confident in its capability.”
Despite still being more than a year away from landing in dealerships, Ford is expected to tease yet the Ranger Super Duty in the coming months and reveal the toughest Ford ute yet before the end of 2025.