Hi all,I have been happily camping after all the great advice I got on her back in 2006. Sadly our 2006 Chevrolet 2500HD is needing to be replaced and we are having a hard time coming up with a replacement that works for our much larger family. We have been taking a mini van and towing with the truck on all our vacations for some time now and would like to put us all in one vehicle.I am looking for options for 6 people to ride comfortably and tow a 2007 Sunnybrook Sunset Creek - dry weight 6615 - length 33' and we always drive with no water on board.I searched for a used 2500 Suburban but no luck in finding anything with lower mileage that was in the budget.We are considering a 2016 Chevy Express 2500 and converting the second row of seats to bucket seats. Will this still pull the trailer adequately? While the tow rating is 10,000 I know that is usually super misleading.I am open to any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Consider the payload first as you will run out of that before reaching the tow rating. Depending on the weight of the family and tongue weight, you may need the payload of a 3500.

So if the maximum payload is 2705, I have to subtract the hitch weight of 875 to get the amount left for people?

Ford E350 or Chevy 3500 series vans make great family camping vehicles. Easy to drive, lots of seating for family, plus reasonable towing capacity. On top of that, probably cheaper than a crew cab truck. You should also check out the Sprinter or Ram vans 3500 series. Sprinter 3500 series can be optioned as a equally and diesel is an option. Don't know if they can be equipped as passenger vans or not though.

Yes, but 875 sounds like the "dry" tongue weight, before you put anything in the trailer. It may not even include propane or the battery. After you load everything you will need in the trailer, the tongue weight will be around 1100lbs. Maybe more. So just keep that in mind.The 2705 number is the payload for the van? Watch that might be the payload for an EMPTY van, with no seats. Seats are going to knock 200-300 pounds off your payload capacity depending on how fancy you get.2705 sounds like a lot to begin with but the universal truth of RVing is: YOU ARE ALWAYS HEAVIER THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE. 875lbs becomes 1100lbs+. 2705lbs is reduced to 2455lbs. After all is said and done you're down to 1350bs left for your family of six, plus the dog, plus bicycles, plus ipads and blankies and toys and drinks and diaper bags and whatever else the kids can't live without for a couple hours of travel time.

Check out Nissan's heavy duty van as well. It looks like a bus but it's actually a pretty capable vehicle.

Family of 6 tow vehicle ?? What works? | Good Sam Community

mkirsch
Nomad II
Apr 14, 2016
Yes, but 875 sounds like the "dry" tongue weight, before you put anything in the trailer. It may not even include propane or the battery.

After you load everything you will need in the trailer, the tongue weight will be around 1100lbs. Maybe more. So just keep that in mind.

The 2705 number is the payload for the van? Watch that might be the payload for an EMPTY van, with no seats. Seats are going to knock 200-300 pounds off your payload capacity depending on how fancy you get.

2705 sounds like a lot to begin with but the universal truth of RVing is: YOU ARE ALWAYS HEAVIER THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE. 875lbs becomes 1100lbs+. 2705lbs is reduced to 2455lbs. After all is said and done you're down to 1350bs left for your family of six, plus the dog, plus bicycles, plus ipads and blankies and toys and drinks and diaper bags and whatever else the kids can't live without for a couple hours of travel time.
donn0128
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2016
Ford E350 or Chevy 3500 series vans make great family camping vehicles. Easy to drive, lots of seating for family, plus reasonable towing capacity. On top of that, probably cheaper than a crew cab truck. You should also check out the Sprinter or Ram vans 3500 series. Sprinter 3500 series can be optioned as a equally and diesel is an option. Don't know if they can be equipped as passenger vans or not though.
Oreonut
Explorer
Apr 14, 2016
So if the maximum payload is 2705, I have to subtract the hitch weight of 875 to get the amount left for people?
camp-n-family
Explorer
Apr 14, 2016
Consider the payload first as you will run out of that before reaching the tow rating. Depending on the weight of the family and tongue weight, you may need the payload of a 3500.

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Family of 6 tow vehicle ?? What works?

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