Truck Repair: Skipping/short burps, fuel line hose, great flow

Question
Van,
 2000 Ford Ranger, 3.0 V-6, automatic, 135K miles. After getting into overdrive and when holding gas pedal at a steady speed (47-60mph) there's a skip/burp/cutting out type of sputter. Some days are worse than others then again some days it's fine. Noticably more especially at 45-50mph uphill when I apply a little more throttle, but not always. Have no Check Engine light on, I also feel a loss of power. Have added Sea Foam, Injector Cleaners, etc.  Have changed the plugs 1k miles ago but not the wires yet. Have flushed transmission fluid at the 60k mile mark but haven't changed tranx fluid/filter yet. Haven't changed pcv or fuel filter.  Do you think if I were to go ahead and change out these things I haven't changed yet that there may a chance my problem would go away or do you think there's more to my problem that I may be overlooking? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and help!!

Answer
Hello Norman,
In your reply, you mentioned replacing the pump.
Not necessarily so.
I had a truck running like that, and in testing the fuel pressure, it was steady at about 10PSI.
PUMP? I thought?
Dropped the tank, pulled the pump assembly, and due to the sound of it, I just decided to try something.
Stuck the pump into a bucket of diesel fuel, and connected it, with the test gauge connected, and it pumped a great flow, and seemed just fine. (Didn't want to mess with electricity and an open bucket of gasoline)
Then I stuck my thumb on the end of the line, and the pressure jumped to 10 PSI, and fuel squirted all over. It wasn't coming from my thumb.
WHAT THE...?? Hmmm.
There is a little rubber hose connecting the pump to the line inside the tank. About an inch or so long.
That hose had a little split in it, and the fuel was coming out there.
I replaced the hose with some fuel line hose, and the pressure jumped right up to the required 14 PSI.
Stuck that thing back in the gas tank, and it has been running great ever since.

I actually had that happen to Dakotas before, but that was my first Chevy.

Good luck,
Van