New travel trailer for my daughter..
Top of the morning all- My daughter and husband are looking at buying a travel trailer with bunks for their 7 kids. Does anyone knows what brand name light T.T. that sleeps 9? Her husband likes...
Forum Discussion
Ford and Chevy 3/4 and 1-ton passenger vans are usually GVWR just under 10,000 pounds, and at least 8600 (there are different GVWR options to meet licensing quirks of different states). A 12 passenger, not extended, is usually about 5800-6200 pounds empty, so there is typically 3000 pounds load carrying to cover passengers, gear, and hitch weight.
The advertised "tow rating" is a bit tricker because both manufacturers come up with that one as something on the order of GCWR - Empty Weight. So what you are carrying can cut into what you can tow. E.G. 10,000 pound tow rating might be from a 16,000 GCWR; thus if one loads the van to 9000 pounds, then it can tow only 7000, not 10,000.
My 12 passenger E-350 as an example. 5.4 V-8, GCWR is 13,000 and tow rating is advertised at 6700 pounds. Empty weight is just over 6200 pounds (a bit less now that I've taken out the back seat). GVWR is 9600. That means I can carry 3300 pounds, or tow 6700 pounds, but I can't do both at the same time. If the van is fully loaded (including tongue weight) what it can tow is down to 13,000 - 9600, or 3400 pounds. That's a heavy pop-up or a really lightweight small TT. The latter is what I intend to tow.
It has been a while since I have checked the numbers on the Express van, but I think that GCWR is 16,000 with the 6.0, 13,000 with the 4.8. That lets the (5200 pounds empty) cargo van have a 10,000 pound rating, but the Express passenger van with seats and rear air conditioning will be about a thousand pounds heavier, empty. If it is the long wheelbase van, add another 400-500 pounds to the empty weight.
The advertised "tow rating" is a bit tricker because both manufacturers come up with that one as something on the order of GCWR - Empty Weight. So what you are carrying can cut into what you can tow. E.G. 10,000 pound tow rating might be from a 16,000 GCWR; thus if one loads the van to 9000 pounds, then it can tow only 7000, not 10,000.
My 12 passenger E-350 as an example. 5.4 V-8, GCWR is 13,000 and tow rating is advertised at 6700 pounds. Empty weight is just over 6200 pounds (a bit less now that I've taken out the back seat). GVWR is 9600. That means I can carry 3300 pounds, or tow 6700 pounds, but I can't do both at the same time. If the van is fully loaded (including tongue weight) what it can tow is down to 13,000 - 9600, or 3400 pounds. That's a heavy pop-up or a really lightweight small TT. The latter is what I intend to tow.
It has been a while since I have checked the numbers on the Express van, but I think that GCWR is 16,000 with the 6.0, 13,000 with the 4.8. That lets the (5200 pounds empty) cargo van have a 10,000 pound rating, but the Express passenger van with seats and rear air conditioning will be about a thousand pounds heavier, empty. If it is the long wheelbase van, add another 400-500 pounds to the empty weight.
