Hi, experts, My wife and I are trying to decide between a Class C and a travel trailer. The key question is will our 2001 Ford E-150 van tow a travel trailer comfortably? Our van has a 5.4L V8 engine with a 3:55 gear ratio. It is rated at 12,000 pounds GCWR and has towing capacity of 7,000 pounds. We are looking at the Rockwood Mini Lite 2509S with a dry weight of 5,170 pounds. I have a weight distributing hitch installed on the van with a max gross trailer weight of 10,000 pounds and a max tongue weight of 1,000 pounds. The van has rear air shocks. I would buy a sway bar hitch and a transmission cooler.It seems like the van will tow the trailer on paper but what kind of experience will I have towing it up a mountain for example? I don't want to strain the van engine, etc. Thanks for your advice.

What is the payload capacity of the van?

Towing capacity for a truck/ van is more often limited by the carrying capacity than the tow 'capacity' or the GCWR.Your van should have a max payload number on the door sticker. Take that weight, subtract the following:1 - Weight of a full tank of fuel2 - Weight of all the people who will be traveling in the vehicle3 - Weight of any clothing or personal items they will carry in the vehicle4 - Weight of any tools in the vehicle5 - Weight of any camping gear, toys, etc you will put in the vehicle6 - Weight of the vehicle weight distribution hitchThe number left is the amount of carrying capacity you have for the tongue weight of the trailer. Many times vans end up with a negative carrying capacity even before the trailer tongue weight is added.One thing which helps tremendously is if the transmission has a "Tow/Haul" mode that can be engaged. That does shifting on a different basis than regular travel. It makes a significant difference on wear and tear on the engine and transmission.

As others have noted, it's not a simple tow capacity compared to trailer weight. Payload (AKA "max occupant / cargo weight") is what the tow vehicle is rated to carry. Trailer tongue weight, along with the weight of a weight distributing hitch, is counted as cargo weight on the tow vehicle.Advertised tow capacity, does not include passengers or cargo in the tow vehicle. As you add weight (people, pets, cargo, etc) to the tow vehicle, it's available payload and tow capacity are going down, pound for pound.Here's a link to a calculator that may help.

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:Towing capacity for a truck/ van is more often limited by the carrying capacity than the tow 'capacity' or the GCWR.Your van should have a max payload number on the door sticker. Take that weight, subtract the following:1 - Weight of a full tank of fuel2 - Weight of all the people who will be traveling in the vehicle3 - Weight of any clothing or personal items they will carry in the vehicle4 - Weight of any tools in the vehicle5 - Weight of any camping gear, toys, etc you will put in the vehicle6 - Weight of the vehicle weight distribution hitchThe number left is the amount of carrying capacity you have for the tongue weight of the trailer. Many times vans end up with a negative carrying capacity even before the trailer tongue weight is added.One thing which helps tremendously is if the transmission has a "Tow/Haul" mode that can be engaged. That does shifting on a different basis than regular travel. It makes a significant difference on wear and tear on the engine and transmission.Payload sticker already accounts for a full tank of fuel. You do not need to subtract that.

Were there yellow payload stickers back in 2001?

Towing capacity question | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

troubledwaters
Nomad
Feb 09, 2018
PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
Towing capacity for a truck/ van is more often limited by the carrying capacity than the tow 'capacity' or the GCWR.

Your van should have a max payload number on the door sticker. Take that weight, subtract the following:
1 - Weight of a full tank of fuel
2 - Weight of all the people who will be traveling in the vehicle
3 - Weight of any clothing or personal items they will carry in the vehicle
4 - Weight of any tools in the vehicle
5 - Weight of any camping gear, toys, etc you will put in the vehicle
6 - Weight of the vehicle weight distribution hitch

The number left is the amount of carrying capacity you have for the tongue weight of the trailer.

Many times vans end up with a negative carrying capacity even before the trailer tongue weight is added.

One thing which helps tremendously is if the transmission has a "Tow/Haul" mode that can be engaged. That does shifting on a different basis than regular travel. It makes a significant difference on wear and tear on the engine and transmission.
Payload sticker already accounts for a full tank of fuel. You do not need to subtract that.
handye9
Explorer II
Feb 09, 2018
As others have noted, it's not a simple tow capacity compared to trailer weight.

Payload (AKA "max occupant / cargo weight") is what the tow vehicle is rated to carry. Trailer tongue weight, along with the weight of a weight distributing hitch, is counted as cargo weight on the tow vehicle.

Advertised tow capacity, does not include passengers or cargo in the tow vehicle. As you add weight (people, pets, cargo, etc) to the tow vehicle, it's available payload and tow capacity are going down, pound for pound.

Here's a link to a calculator that may help.
PawPaw_n_Gram
Explorer
Feb 09, 2018
Towing capacity for a truck/ van is more often limited by the carrying capacity than the tow 'capacity' or the GCWR.

Your van should have a max payload number on the door sticker. Take that weight, subtract the following:
1 - Weight of a full tank of fuel
2 - Weight of all the people who will be traveling in the vehicle
3 - Weight of any clothing or personal items they will carry in the vehicle
4 - Weight of any tools in the vehicle
5 - Weight of any camping gear, toys, etc you will put in the vehicle
6 - Weight of the vehicle weight distribution hitch

The number left is the amount of carrying capacity you have for the tongue weight of the trailer.

Many times vans end up with a negative carrying capacity even before the trailer tongue weight is added.

One thing which helps tremendously is if the transmission has a "Tow/Haul" mode that can be engaged. That does shifting on a different basis than regular travel. It makes a significant difference on wear and tear on the engine and transmission.
Bobbo
Explorer III
Feb 09, 2018
What is the payload capacity of the van?

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Towing capacity question

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