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.

[gmw_photos]

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.

Neighbor used to have a V10 Excursion. I drove it on a trip one time loaded with people with a fair sized horse trailer hooked to the back. It seemed fine to me as a tow vehicle. Not as stable as my F350 dually pickup, but then I wouldn't expect it to be. The EX is based on a F250 super duty, and was designed with towing in mind. It used a lot of gas ( we were in something of a hurry ), but got the job done.

[noteven]

A 350/3500 series van in nice shape, with an Arrowcraft dual wheel conversion, and a roof rack for canoes/excursion luggage:



Arrowcraft

[Lantley]

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.

X2
I could not have said it better myself

[crcr]

ib516 wrote:
A full sized v10 e350 van would be my suggestion.

x2

[dodge_guy]

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.

[LarryJM]

MolinuWanderer wrote:
For us, having a vehicle towed behind a MH is not an option. Kids are aged 1, 3, 5, and 9- so we deal with car seats nearly all around. Not legal, and dangerous to having kids out and about, unrestrained. So yes- having a vehicle that can seat each person is imperative!

We will be gone 6-12 months, leaving in January from FL. We plan to hang on the lower 48, headed west to CA through March. Spend spring on the West Coast. Don't even attempt to cross the rockies until May-June, and travel across the northern US from Jun-Aug or Sept, then make our way down the eastern side of the US from Sept on, back to FL. No driving in snow- purposely planning for that.

The E350's tow capacity from even 2010-2012 that I saw were 11-12k pounds. Smaller passengers, 70 lb dog, so I think we should get away with it then! The reason we were considering a 15 passenger would be to remove that last row and have more cargo space. I didn't think about the longer overhang affecting the tow handling. The more you know! Thanks for the insight, all.

Especially with that many young children and the car seat thrown in IMO the ONLY OPTION is a full sized Van with individual captain type chairs for each passenger. One critical item is that for extended traveling the non driving parent is going to need to move around and attend to the younger children while moving and that will only be possible with a passenger based Van with captain chairs with asile access to the various rows of seats.

Think long and hard on how you will use this for that extended time both day wise and time during a single day.

You might have to buy a passenger Van then mod it for the captain chairs and it might be tough to do all that for your 10 to 12K budget.

I made multiple trips coast to coast towing with a full sized Van with pets and only two children so I know what you are going to face with this access consideration while on the road.

Just stopping in inclement weather and moving all those young passengers out of a vehicle is going to be a Chinese fire drill that you want to at least get prepared to do out of the weather and not standing outside in the pouring rain with a door open fiddling with seat belts, rain coast and umbrellas.

Larry

[valhalla360]

rjstractor wrote:

carringb wrote:
Ford Transit 2500, Long wheelbase, mid-roof with the EcoBoost would make an ideal family hauler and have power to spare.

With a GCWR of only 12,600 pounds it would be difficult to pull the trailer he wants without exceeding that figure. I don't know why the Ecoboost's GCWR is so much lower in the van as opposed to the pickup. (other than the lower power rating) Even so, 310 hp and 400 ft.lb torque is enough to easily move much more than 12,600 pounds. Duty cycle perhaps?

This is common mistake when looking for a tow vehicle. Horsepower is rarely the limiting factor in tow ratings with modern trucks. the "ecoboost" is likely just as capable but the rest of the truck isn't.

My guess is the frame (or lack there off) and suspension aren't up to the heavier loads.

Given the OP's price range, a used body on frame 3/4 or 1 ton should be available and a good option. Look it over good and you should be able to get a nice reliable truck for that price.

[valhalla360]

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.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

I have another solution. :B



And it's within your budget!! 🙂

A new 8.1 or a 12 valve and new paint and you would be stylin!

[rjstractor]

carringb wrote:
Ford Transit 2500, Long wheelbase, mid-roof with the EcoBoost would make an ideal family hauler and have power to spare.

With a GCWR of only 12,600 pounds it would be difficult to pull the trailer he wants without exceeding that figure. I don't know why the Ecoboost's GCWR is so much lower in the van as opposed to the pickup. (other than the lower power rating) Even so, 310 hp and 400 ft.lb torque is enough to easily move much more than 12,600 pounds. Duty cycle perhaps?

[oughtsix]

Why I like SUV's better than vans: For me every van I have driven is very uncomfortable because of lack of leg room on the drivers side. The passenger side usually has even worse leg room and is usually even more uncomfortable.

I like to maintain my own vehicles. Working on a engine through the dog house of the van is miserable! Having a real hood like an SUV or pickup is infinitely easier for maintenance. A mid sized truck with a flip open engine cover is even better.

If you can live with the leg room and engine access then the person and cargo space in a van is almost impossible to beat.

A van van with a Diesel engine would have a lot of appeal to me... Mercedes Sprinter or Chevy Duramax.... but they aren't cheap!

[captnjack]

I agree that it's getting more and more difficult to find the older Suburbans and Excursions that are in decent shape.

I did find (in metro NY of all places) a 2002 Suburban 2500 with the 8.1 engine. Paid 10K and put about $2500 (mechanic not me) in to it. Then went from NY to MT to AZ and back home with no problems (9000 miles total). This was last summer. Towed great and very comfortable. You even get some storage behind the 3rd row seats.

I think your plan is doable.

[RadZone]

For what it is worth, I bough a 2000 Excursion V10, 4x4, 4.30, 95K miles, new Michelin LTX E-rated tires, good paint, and a very good cloth interior 2 years ago for $5,500. I spend another $2,500 (shop price) to service everything, plus replaced a front ball joint, speed sensor, and a coil on plug.

I've put 15K miles on it in two years driving weekends and trips pulling my little 3,500 lb trailer like nothing is back there. My experience with the Excursion has been very good, does what I want and my fuel milage calculations are very simple... 10 mpg always no matter how I drive or what I pull.

[jerem0621]

45Ricochet wrote:
10-12k max isn't going to get you a very dependable vehicle. Ford v10 van would be my best guess. Not sure their that cheap though.

May look at the possibility of driving an older cargo Van with a 1st gen V10 in it. Circa 1997-2000 ish... Spend about 4-6k on it...get it as nice as you can... remember... this is a CARGO van. Your chances of finding a V10 or a PSD are GREATER with a Cargo van.

Spend the other 4-8k on building it and making it into a tow vehicle like what you want.

You could get a lower miles van,(150k ish) service/rebuild the transmission. Add a class IV transmission cooler if needed, replace the cooling system if needed, tune the motor up...install 4.56 gears and you would have a dandy tow vehicle.

Depending on budget and how nice a van you score you can get the AC serviced, install rear air, add some RV windows to the area where the passengers are going to sit, install nice captains chairs and seat belts where the first two rows would go. In your cargo area, you could frame out a divider wall to keep cargo and passenger area's separate. and customize the interior to your hearts desire. Install some nice LT tires for your new van... don't forget to upgrade the receiver... if you have enough $$ left over (depending on sweat equity) you can install timbrens for load handling and possibly install a dually kit. :B

Now you would be outside the scope of the OEM ratings but you would have a CUSTOM TV that could pull nearly anything SAFELY

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[45Ricochet]

10-12k max isn't going to get you a very dependable vehicle. Ford v10 van would be my best guess. Not sure their that cheap though.