Picking a Tow Vehicle for Large Family

[MolinuWanderer]

We are looking at taking our four children on the road for a 6-12 month trip while we road school/travel nurse. We also have a dog, plus all our gear, so your typical 3/4 ton pickup just doesn't fit our needs.

We will likely be pulling a TT with a bunkhouse set up, maybe 29-36 feet roughly. The trailers we have looked at have GVWR of 5500-8000 lbs, roughly.

We are currently considering a few different vehicles, after reviewing to capacities, etc. We are looking for a vehicle with the tow package, and will be getting a weight distribution hitch. Here are the options of what we he looked at (approx years 2005-2010, can't afford new!)

Ford Excursion
Chevy Suburban 2500
GMC Yukon XL
Ford E350, 12 or 15 passenger set up

Any opinions on real life travel with these vehicles? Things to look out for or consider? Looking for personal experience with traveling with a large(r) family and towing a trailer. We are looking at touring most of the USA. We will be in mountainous terrain at times (crossing the Rockies, etc), but are planning on avoiding those areas, and snow and traveling in winter weather at all costs!

Thanks for any insight you have.

[comanche38]

We have a 2011 Chevrolet Express 3500 LT 15 passenger van with the 6.0L v8. We removed the rear 4 seat bench and put a homemade bike rack and firewood holder in it's place. This gives us a lot of seating options and the bikes and wood out of the elements (and not on the back of a trailer). We tow an Outback 301BQ and it tows it great! Plenty of power, great ride and plenty of room. We put Bilstein shocks front and rear, as the stock shocks are terrible and use a 12,000 pound Equalizer hitch/weight distribution/sway control. Given our family size, it works great!

[colliehauler]

valhalla360 wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
I like the idea of the van, except when I see that you are looking to do this for 12 months. A full size van towing a TT with the potentail of snow would scare me. If you will be traveling in the south during the winter months, go with the van. If you think you will be traveling in the snow, I would try to find a 2500 Burb or Excursion.

What's wrong with using a van in snow that you wouldn't have with a pickup?

I grew up driving my Dad's van and my pickups in Michigan. Empty, they were both pretty similar handling in the snow.

I had a full size van for work a few years back. Even with studded snow tires it was WAY worse on the snow than a 4x4 pickup.

You are likely right if you are comparing it to a 2wd truck. But you see very few of those in my part of the country.

Living most of my life in Michigan, most of the trucks in the ditch have a sticker on the back quarter panel. It usually reads something along the lines of "4x4"

I've only been stuck 3 times in the last 30 odd years and only once would 4wd have helped.

My Aunt and Uncle lived in Sioux Lookout Canada into their 90's and never owned a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

[valhalla360]

Bionic Man wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
I like the idea of the van, except when I see that you are looking to do this for 12 months. A full size van towing a TT with the potentail of snow would scare me. If you will be traveling in the south during the winter months, go with the van. If you think you will be traveling in the snow, I would try to find a 2500 Burb or Excursion.

What's wrong with using a van in snow that you wouldn't have with a pickup?

I grew up driving my Dad's van and my pickups in Michigan. Empty, they were both pretty similar handling in the snow.

I had a full size van for work a few years back. Even with studded snow tires it was WAY worse on the snow than a 4x4 pickup.

You are likely right if you are comparing it to a 2wd truck. But you see very few of those in my part of the country.

Living most of my life in Michigan, most of the trucks in the ditch have a sticker on the back quarter panel. It usually reads something along the lines of "4x4"

I've only been stuck 3 times in the last 30 odd years and only once would 4wd have helped.

[RVman3252]

My son-in-law and daughter just bought a new Nissan NV3500. What a great vehicle! and easy to drive.... There are a zillion seat configurations which makes it great for people / cargo set ups... If I were in your situation, I certainly would look at this vehicle...

RVman / John

[Procrastinator]

Slowmover wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

Slowmover wrote:
One ton van. Short rear overhang. Pro Pride hitch. Bilstein shocks plus larger front anti roll bar and a new rear anti roll bar installed. Michelin LTX or Bridgestone Duravis tires on TV.

Excursion worst TV of past quarter century. Serious deficiencies in handling and brakng. See test results for your self. Better choices out there. Steering control really matters.

Your kidding right!? yes the springs are a bit soft, but a set of air bags or different springs (everyone does it with just about any TV) will make it handle very well! My X will haul anything I put into it. I`ve had 4 adults and 3 kids in my X with the trailer hooked up and it tows and handles (and brakes) very well! the X is very underrated from Ford. they put soft springs under it to make the mommy`s like it, that`s why it has a low CCC. give it the proper springs and their is no reason it can`t handle a 10k lb GVWR.

Worst braking. Worst time through the slalom. Etc. Brand new when tested. Read for yourself. Basically, take the worst design of pickup spec and make it worse again. Yes, that makes the worst TV. That's an Excursion.

You want the worst, help yourself

I guess I wanted the worst and I made it the best.

I have towed all over the county with a couple of Ram 3500 dually's. For family reasons I sold a perfectly good dually and bought the worst tow vehicle. Now, I have never kept a vehicle stock even my brand new dually, and I knew what I was getting in to when I bought it. I have upgraded everything you have condemned. I have upgraded all my springs, added an aftermarket sway bar, upgraded shocks and brakes, and although it didn't need it I wanted air bags. My vehicle is an outstanding tow vehicle that is more than capable to tow over its 11,000 lbs rating+. I tow all kinds of trailers alot and I will not hesitate to tow with this. I have yet to find another vehicle that has 4 wheel drive, allows me to recline my middle row seats, place two Great Danes in air conditioned comfort, and tow this much. Now I could have gotten and E350 and converted it to 4 wheel drive, but wife hates the looks and leg room of vans. I have gotten to used to driving diesel and not sure I am ready to drive gas again.

[gmw_photos]

ok, so you got my curiosity up, since in the 2002 time period typically the Ford F250 sold more units than GM and Dodge combined in that class.
You state:

"Basically, take the worst design of pickup spec and make it worse again."

......so I went and looked up and old review of the truck be NADA online, and found this quote:

"The F-250 feels smaller than it is, almost like a big luxury car. Steering is precise. Handling by big truck standards is crisp. Body roll is noticeably limited in the corners. And the ride quality is reasonably good, thanks to a compliant suspension. The chassis is quite rigid, which allows Ford engineers to tune the suspension for more car-like ride and handling.
Four-wheel antilock disc brakes, which are standard, provide excellent driver feedback. Braking performance is impressive with smooth, undramatic stops."

Hmmm. Sounds like a pretty good basis for a tow vehicle to me.

EDIT: from another test from back when the EX was new:

"It is supremely stable; it feels safe and secure on the open highway. Whether you have a lot of cargo to carry, a bunch of people to transport, a big trailer to pull or all of the above, the Excursion is ready for whatever you throw its way."

"Cruising along in a 2002 Ford Excursion gives you a secure feeling. It's smooth and quiet. "

"The Excursion is rock solid at 97 mph where a governor keeps you from going any faster."

"At high speeds, the Excursion is stable. Strong crosswinds and an 18-wheeler going in the opposite direction had little effect. "

Above quotes from this test:

http://www.autoblog.com/buy/2002-Ford-Excursion/expert-review/

[Slowmover]

dodge guy wrote:

Slowmover wrote:
One ton van. Short rear overhang. Pro Pride hitch. Bilstein shocks plus larger front anti roll bar and a new rear anti roll bar installed. Michelin LTX or Bridgestone Duravis tires on TV.

Excursion worst TV of past quarter century. Serious deficiencies in handling and brakng. See test results for your self. Better choices out there. Steering control really matters.

Your kidding right!? yes the springs are a bit soft, but a set of air bags or different springs (everyone does it with just about any TV) will make it handle very well! My X will haul anything I put into it. I`ve had 4 adults and 3 kids in my X with the trailer hooked up and it tows and handles (and brakes) very well! the X is very underrated from Ford. they put soft springs under it to make the mommy`s like it, that`s why it has a low CCC. give it the proper springs and their is no reason it can`t handle a 10k lb GVWR.

Worst braking. Worst time through the slalom. Etc. Brand new when tested. Read for yourself. Basically, take the worst design of pickup spec and make it worse again. Yes, that makes the worst TV. That's an Excursion.

You want the worst, help yourself

[APT]

$10-12k can get you a 2010+ GM 1-ton passenger van. It comes with the dead reliable 6.0L V8, 6-spd trans and 10k pound towing standard. A similar 3/4 ton SUV like our Suburban would fetch at least double that, same as a 3/4+ ton pickup.

[oughtsix]

Here you go! Has the good Ford diesel (7.3), rebuilt tranny (Tranny is always the weak link), and a bunch of work done. Put some chairs in there, wall off a section in the back for a porta-potty!

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/5062248302.html

[Elbert]

never mind...don't see how to delete

[45Ricochet]

Bionic Man wrote:

I had a full size van for work a few years back. Even with studded snow tires it was WAY worse on the snow than a 4x4 pickup.

You are likely right if you are comparing it to a 2wd truck. But you see very few of those in my part of the country.

What is a 2wd anyway :W

[Bionic_Man]

valhalla360 wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
I like the idea of the van, except when I see that you are looking to do this for 12 months. A full size van towing a TT with the potentail of snow would scare me. If you will be traveling in the south during the winter months, go with the van. If you think you will be traveling in the snow, I would try to find a 2500 Burb or Excursion.

What's wrong with using a van in snow that you wouldn't have with a pickup?

I grew up driving my Dad's van and my pickups in Michigan. Empty, they were both pretty similar handling in the snow.

I had a full size van for work a few years back. Even with studded snow tires it was WAY worse on the snow than a 4x4 pickup.

You are likely right if you are comparing it to a 2wd truck. But you see very few of those in my part of the country.

[krobbe]

Here is a link to search for:
2500 Suburban or YukonXL with the 8.1L engine
The 8.1 was only available in the 3/4 ton versions which will tow an 8000# TT with ease and carry your family. Getting to the third row car seat will be a hassle, but certainly doable. Fuel mileage is 9mpg towing and 11 not.

[eluwak]

An early 2000's 2500 Suburban or X would be a good choice IMO. I wanted an E350 or 2500 GM van, but the reality was that DW hated the front legroom and I had an impossible time trying to locate a passenger van still in decent shape. In the end I got the Suburban in the sig for $3300 and spent another $2000 fixing all the odds and ends to become a reliable TV. There are a few things I still want/need to do (tires, shocks, dually conversion, paint eventually, seat surfaces), but I'm so glad I bought this instead of the van or another truck. DW has plenty of room and the kids are spread out to not terrorize each other as easily.