New to towing

I guess I am not up to date on my ford engines! Thanks for the clarification.

Claybe wrote:
Oops. Yes you are correct. It is the 5.4 351.

Its not a 351 and not related to the old 351 Windsor or Cleveland series in any way. It is an overhead camshaft engine with aluminum heads, totally new and different design. 5.4L works out to about 330 cubic inches, but this engine has never been expressed or rated in Cu.In by Ford.

Best to call it what it is, 5.4L Triton V8, less confusion to the readers.

Charles

tatest wrote:
Find the GCWR for the chassis, subtract the loaded weight of the RV, that is what you can tow, if the hitch is rated for it.

I'd look it up for you, except I'm confused about how you found a 2004 Class C with a 5.8 V8. Since 1997 Ford has been putting 4.6 and 5.4 Triton V-8s (and 6.8 V-10) in their vans and pickups. E-350 with the 5.4 V8 has GCWR of 13,000 pounds, with 4.10 rear axle. I can at most guess than a 1996 or earlier with the 5.8 Windsor V-8 was rated somewhere around 12,000 pounds, to be competitive with the concurrent Chevy.

GCWR for all the available chassis options should be in the chassis owners manual.

CruiseAmerica might have put a light hitch on it, if they put one on at all. The "standard" 2" hitch from most suppliers is 6000 pounds (because that was a typical "maximum towing capacity" for Ford and Chevy vans of the era) but Curt makes hitches up to 12,000 pounds, and DrawTite has a 15,000 pound Class V.

Oops. Yes you are correct. It is the 5.4 351.

Find the GCWR for the chassis, subtract the loaded weight of the RV, that is what you can tow, if the hitch is rated for it.

I'd look it up for you, except I'm confused about how you found a 2004 Class C with a 5.8 V8. Since 1997 Ford has been putting 4.6 and 5.4 Triton V-8s (and 6.8 V-10) in their vans and pickups. E-350 with the 5.4 V8 has GCWR of 13,000 pounds, with 4.10 rear axle. I can at most guess than a 1996 or earlier with the 5.8 Windsor V-8 was rated somewhere around 12,000 pounds, to be competitive with the concurrent Chevy.

GCWR for all the available chassis options should be in the chassis owners manual.

CruiseAmerica might have put a light hitch on it, if they put one on at all. The "standard" 2" hitch from most suppliers is 6000 pounds (because that was a typical "maximum towing capacity" for Ford and Chevy vans of the era) but Curt makes hitches up to 12,000 pounds, and DrawTite has a 15,000 pound Class V.

A Jeep Wrangler can not be towed on a dolly. Read the Owners Manual.
Of course, you can remove the rear drive shaft after you get it on the dolly, then you can tow it.
As for brakes on a four down towed, very few if any states require such brakes, although it is a "good idea". The "lists of towing laws" that one can find on the internet usually quote TRAILER brake laws. In many states a towed motor vehicle does NOT meet the legal definition of a TRAILER!
However, most states (and the FMVSS, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) do have braking performance laws. You must be able to stop in a certain distance (usually 40 or 45 feet for a "combination of vehicles") from a certain speed (usually 20 MPH) on a level, clean, dry, hard surface. If your rig can do that, you meet the requirements of the law.
If I were to buy an auxiliary braking system for a towed motor vehicle, it would be the Ready Brute Elite towbar/braking system from NSA. I would not buy any electronic gadgetry, ever!
Many people have towed many different vehicles for thousands of miles without auxiliary braking, with perfect safety.
the choice is yours.
Good luck.

Google says a 1999 Jeep Wrangler weighs between 3045 to 3247 lbs. I am looking at a stock one this weekend to tow. Would this also need electronic brakes? May be time to look at towing with a dolly???

As mentioned check your hitch capacity, my 2008 weighs almost 4K. Brakes on the toad unless you like thrills.

Yes it's the small block 351. Fuel injected 2004.

5.8L -- Is that the small block "351" engine? Is it carbureted or fuel injected?

Looking at where you live, a carbureted small block will labor with a 3500-or-so, probably -more, Jeep behind it. Would it work for weekend outings, sure. Lots of longer trips, I think you'd be disappointed.

I used to have a 29 foot 1995 Tioga Class C on the E350 chassis, with the 460 V8.
I towed a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited behind it, no problems. We went over the Continental Divide several times.
I did, however, have a local well-qualified welder reinforce the 3500 lb. hitch. He also inspected the frame extensions and pronounced them perfectly adequate. I guess he was right, because nothing bent and nothing broke.
No, I have no idea what that slightly modified Jeep weighed.

Disclaimer: This is a statement of what I have done; no more, no less. It is not intended as a recommendation for anyone else to follow. It is merely saying "This is what I have successfully done."