Towing with a Conversion Van?

Being an E350 they usually have between a 2-3k lb payload! so a nice hightop conv. will still leave some room for a good payload with a trailer. either way that is a very solidly built conv. van on a very strong chassis. if it is the standard length van then I wouldn`t think twice. if it is the ext. van then you have to be careful of the axle to hitch distance, if you don`t have everything setup perfect that one would be a handful!

We had a 1993 Chevy Hightop Conversion Van. 2500, 350 engine. We towed a 1964 26' Airstream with bunks several tens of thousands of miles while our family was growing up.

We had a weight distribution hitch. LOVED it! It would slow down some in BIG hills.

You are looking at a bigger trailer, but have a heavier built van too, so I think you will be OK.

We still have the van, although the kids are gone, and we now have a Bluebird MH. It has 296,000 miles on it. Neither the engine nor the tranny has been touched!

Go for it!

I would bet the front is 5000, rear is 6000-6800 or so from a rating standpoint.

Empty is probably around 7-8000 lbs.

That high top is nothing to really worry about. I've seen some that are another 1-2' taller yet!

Pulling power is NOT the issue with that motor. It is PAYLOAD!!! that has nothing to do with the will or will it not pull what you want to pull. IT WILL pull whatever you want! Will the van have the suspension etc to do what you want is another issue. More than likely it does. but weigh it at a local scale, be it having independent axel weight ability or not. Even ones without independent pads for axels, you can get close by looking at scale with just the front or rear on the big pad, then subtract from total to get close enough to know if it will work or not.

Marty

I just looked at the ad... Pretty cherry unit! I agree that is the extended overhang version.
Keep in mind, that truck probably weighs about 6,500-7000 pounds empty. Too bad they didn't include pic of the door sticker, maybe ask the seller

It's a 350, and from the pics, looks to be an extended.

Here is the listing we were looking at, in case there is anything glaringly obvious I am missing.
http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/5180641344.html

Based on Ford Fleet's numbers for 2001, the GVWR is 10000, GRAWR is 5000.

Hopefully, we can take it to a weigh station close by before we think on buying it. I would hate to find a vehicle that can't pull what we need it to.

As noted, look at door sticker to figure out max gvwr or gawr's, ie grawr and gfawr. Make sure you will not be over the latter two for sure. Or close to rear. Try to stay at least 10-15% below the max. If for example the rear is rated to 6000 lbs, try to stay 5400 or lower on that axel. The front is frankly, not as important. I've generally speaking for vans and pickups, find them to be 200-400 lbs below max, no matter how I am loaded. But a rear with a rating of 6000, as little as 2200 empty to 5500 or so loaded, is not an issue.

So yes, load up with kids, spouse, see what the van weighs. Reduce this from max gvwr you then have the max trailer hitch wt you can load up to, Divide that number by HW% you will have, you now have max total trailer wt.
Example
van with peops etc, is 8000 lbs. GVWR is 9000, you have 1000 lbs for HW. HW divided by .1(10%) is 10,000 lbs of max trailer. 1000/ .15(15%) max is 6667 lbs of trailer. supposid std of 12.5% is 8000 lbs of trailer.

Simple math for the most part, just knowing what numbers to apply where in the calculations.

Note, ALL my numbers are examples, not what I would expect the van to weigh or not.

marty

First of all is the high top van a 150, 250, or 350... And extended rear overhang or standard?
Weigh front and rear axles seperately and compare to the sticker at drivers door that lists max vehicle weight (GVWR) as well as front and rear axle max weights (FAWR and RAWR)
Only then can you see if the additional tounge weight will be an issue.
As far as the gas mileage, a full size van plus TT behind it won't be affected too much by high top.

blt2ski wrote:
Only issue with conversions, is due to AlL the bells and whistles included, you may not have any payload for the trailer you "could" tow based on the motor and axel and trans. Then add a few people, you may or may not be at max gvwr before adding the hitch wt of a trailer. This is really true when it comes to the 15 and 25 series vans. The 35, hard to say frankly, again, depending upon the bells and whistles added.

Otherwise, I doubt you would have any issues with it, depending upon the top design. I drive an MB van daily with the factory high top, I'm 9.5' tall, really do not have any more or less wind issues than shorter vans or rigs built like it.

I would try to get an empty wt of the van before buying it tho, just to verify the payload, and if you have the "1000" lbs for the HW if that is what the trailer you are looking for will have, or whatever the total is, be it 500 or 1500 for that matter.

Marty

And this is where I get lost, being new to the tow world. So ideally, we would need to have a fill tank, load the kids up, and weigh it, and then combine that with the weight of the trailer to make sure we are good? And, any idea on how to find out what the payload is? I haven't come across HW- I'm assuming hitch weight? Any good resources for explaining this would be great!

Only issue with conversions, is due to AlL the bells and whistles included, you may not have any payload for the trailer you "could" tow based on the motor and axel and trans. Then add a few people, you may or may not be at max gvwr before adding the hitch wt of a trailer. This is really true when it comes to the 15 and 25 series vans. The 35, hard to say frankly, again, depending upon the bells and whistles added.

Otherwise, I doubt you would have any issues with it, depending upon the top design. I drive an MB van daily with the factory high top, I'm 9.5' tall, really do not have any more or less wind issues than shorter vans or rigs built like it.

I would try to get an empty wt of the van before buying it tho, just to verify the payload, and if you have the "1000" lbs for the HW if that is what the trailer you are looking for will have, or whatever the total is, be it 500 or 1500 for that matter.

Marty