Forum Discussion

camping_fools's avatar
camping_fools
Explorer
Feb 10, 2015

Baffeled by the numbers.

Presently I am towing a 33'coachman toy hauler with my 2009 F150. We Moved from a regular TT to the hauler for wheelchair accessibility for my wife. Before anyone jumps on with you cant tow that with that ,It falls under the GVCWR of the truck although it is close on the payload. However with a set of airlifts in the rear and a Huskey centerline sway control hitch it behaves quite well.
Recently I began looking into a TV that would be wheelchair accessible.So now to the confusion.
My 1/2ton F150 has a 4.6L 3v , 3.55 diff with a GCVWR of 14,900 lb.

A 1 ton E350 5.4L, 3.73 or 4.10 has a GCVWR of 13,000lb and the 6.8L 3.73 /4.10 GCVWR of 15,000/18,500 respectively.

I also looked at the new Transit it maxis out at 12,600 with a 3.5 eco wth 3.73s.
So how is it my 1/2 ton can come out ahead of a 1 ton it doesn't make sense to me.
There seems to be more E350 s around with the 5.4L than the 6.8L . So do I say screw the numbers a E350 must be more capable than my F150.
Also any E350 owners out there can comment on the fuel consumption of the 6.8L opposed to the 5.4L as a daily driver.
I appreciate your input
Thanks
Tow Vehicles
  • carringb's avatar
    carringb
    Explorer
    Feb 12, 2015
    E350's have up to 4,000 pounds of payload. I certainly recommend the v10 for towing. It's only a little thirstier empty but pulls way better. The cams are rated under Ford's medium duty test cycle so that's why they can have lower ratings for the same power train.
  • Gdetrailer's avatar
    Gdetrailer
    Explorer III
    Feb 12, 2015
    DW-gray wrote:
    I understand your dilemma. Firstly, the E350 is a heavier vehicle than your half-ton. Gross vehicle weight (GVW) makes all the difference to the tow ratings.


    THIS is the answer.

    Your F150 weight will easily be 1,500 lbs LIGHTER if not more than a E350 Van.

    I went from a heavy half to a F250, the F250 was 1,100 lbs MORE than the heavy half.

    Vans are considerably heavier yet than a pickup and because of that the payload is much less than a pickup..
  • mountainsam's avatar
    mountainsam
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2015
    I don't have figures for a 350 Ford but I do for a 3500 Ram, they should be very close. The Ram with 5.7 Hemi and 3.73 gears has a GCWR of 18,400 and with 4.10s its 20,400. Add another 1500 to those figures for the 6.4 Hemi. I think your figures are way off on the F350 GCWR.
  • 4x4ord's avatar
    4x4ord
    Explorer III
    Feb 11, 2015
    When I'm not driving I enjoy riding in the fiver. My wife has rode in the back a couple of times but doesn't seem to like it much. Probably not an option eh?:)
  • GWolfe's avatar
    GWolfe
    Explorer
    Feb 10, 2015
    There is a conversion company here that converts pickups to wheelchair accessible ones. I don't know if anything like that is available up there or not or if it would even work for you.

    Just a quick link I picked up off of a Google search. Linky
  • DW-gray's avatar
    DW-gray
    Explorer
    Feb 10, 2015
    I understand your dilemma. Firstly, the E350 is a heavier vehicle than your half-ton. Gross vehicle weight (GVW) makes all the difference to the tow ratings. I raised a special needs daughter and had a van with a chair-lift. I never towed anything with it, back then. There may be a viable option that will allow you to use a van and possibly an ultra-light fifth wheel. If you could find a van with a diesel engine, that would be even better. Read this hands-on review of the Automated Safety Hitch System and see if it may work for you.

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