So I've been doing researching like mad and trying to figure all my weight limits before we purchase our first TT. We are headed to Hershey in two weeks, to their big RV show, and I want to be as prepared as possible. After much reading, I am very cautious about being the highway ahole that overloads his vehicle and puts his family, and others on the road, in danger.We were going get something in the small ultra light class to tow with our Honda Pilot, and then I figured I should just get my second TT now and just skip the tiny one I'd probably sell in two years anyway.I also have a Ford e250 van. These are the specs:GVWR ........... 8600Curb Wt......... 5336GVW............. 6336?**Max Payload..... 3264Towing Cap...... 6600GCWR............ 12000GAWR f ......... 3800GAWR r ......... 5520Rear Tire load . 3042eaI currently only have a step bumper hitch on the van (500lb TW) but will be installing a new Class III/IV hitch to accommodate as needed TW.**Guessing TV may have 1000 lbs in passenger and cargo.I have done a few online calculators but get different numbers from different sites.So, what TT GVWR should I top out at to be safe?

Load the van like your going camping and get it weighed. Subtract that from the GVWR. Thats how much room you have left over for ancillery stuff and hitch weight.

"Max Payload..... 3264"With this payload you will have lots of TT options.

If you want to get real nit picky you can do the math on every possible scenario. And then ASSUME you can take everything to the limit. To be simpler and to maintain a degree of safety, may I suggest you leave yourself a cushion of 10% on the most basic numbers.Tow Capacity on van of 6600Consider that 6000 for a loaded weight and your golden on that catagory. Cargo cap,,, You said nothing on family size and weights but if we start with a typical family of 4, 550-700lbs will cover most (not all) scenarios. Adjust as needed for your situation. Add for tongue weight 900lbs to be safe, another 125 for the hitch, and you have a total of 1725lbs, again well within the vans limits. Try to find a TT with a loaded weight under 6000 and have a blast.

wanderingaimlessly wrote:Try to find a TT with a loaded weight under 6000 and have a blast.Thanks.Thats kind of where I was leaning.Was looking online into TT in low 5k's GVW.wanderingaimlessly wrote:You said nothing on family size and weights but if we start with a typical family of 4, 550-700lbs will cover most (not all) scenarios. Adjust as needed for your situation. Add for tongue weight 900lbs to be safe, another 125 for the hitch, and you have a total of 1725lbs, again well within the vans limits. Right now my van is a commercial work van with no back seats. We have several campsites within an hour drive. So, the plan is keeping it local and having wife, kid & the fat arse Labrador Retriever following in the Pilot with the bicycles & kayak. Prob have firewood, chairs, beer, and a few miscellaneous things (like extra beer) in the van.In a year or two I will get a king cab pickup 250 or 350.Don't want to buy a new TT and TV all in one shot ;)

With a cargo cap of 3264, and being a prudent man you have DW and kids in another vehicle, you should have about 2100 lbs available for the INITIAL beer load, your on your own after that. HEY,,,, this is a 3 day weekend.

First timer and a "how much weight" question? | Good Sam Community

burningman
Explorer II
Sep 04, 2017
When you do eventually get yourself a pickup truck, do like you're doing with the trailer: skip the small first one that you'll want to sell soon and go straight to a one ton (350/3500).
For now, you ought to be able to handle a 6000 pound trailer just fine, depending on the quantity of beer in the back of the van.
jaycocamprs
Explorer
Sep 05, 2017
brianosaur wrote:

I also have a Ford e250 van. These are the specs:

GVWR ........... 8600
Curb Wt......... 5336
GVW............. 6336?**
Max Payload..... 3264
Towing Cap...... 6600
GCWR............ 12000
GAWR f ......... 3800
GAWR r ......... 5520
Rear Tire load . 3042ea

**Guessing TV may have 1000 lbs in passenger and cargo.

With gas powered 250/2500 trucks the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is most often the limiting factor, the van should be the same. You state a Curb Wt of 5336 lbs, if this is actual scale weight and you add 1000 lbs. of stuff to a 6000lb trailer you will be slightly over. If you can keep the loaded trailer weight around 5500 then your good. With the E250 if you stay within the 12K GCWR the rest should be alright. The van will handle it just fine, it’s the pulling power you are lacking. How bad this will be depends on where you are. Flat land you will be fine, mountains not so fine. And yes put the biggest transmission cooler you can get on it, it will be cheaper in the long haul.
brianosaur
Explorer
Sep 06, 2017
Grit dog wrote:
Need to know more so, what year van. Engine, trans, rear gears?

All I know is its a 2006 4.6L V8 with 87k miles on it.

...where would I find the other info you requested?
atwowheelguy
Explorer
Sep 07, 2017
brianosaur wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
Need to know more so, what year van. Engine, trans, rear gears?

All I know is its a 2006 4.6L V8 with 87k miles on it.

...where would I find the other info you requested?

Uh oh.

11,500 GCWR - 5336 curb wt. - 1000 passengers and cargo = 5164 trailer would put it at its limit

Some suggest to keep the GCW in the 80-85% of GCWR for happy towing.

That would be (11,500 x 0.85) - 5336 - 1000 = 3439 trailer

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