Too much trailer?

[ednjenn]

Just purchased a new Jayco 32tsbh. It's bigger than our old trailer by a stretch, and it will be over 9000 lbs loaded. We're towing with a 2002 e350 extended length 12 passenger van with the 7.3 l power stroke diesel. As we speak my transmission is being rebuilt and beefed up with a cooler and a banks billet torque converter. Should this tow vehicle be alright? I am limited due to having 8 kids. Hence the need for the big trailer. Thanks I value your opinions.

Blessings,

Ed

[Tvov]

ednjenn wrote:
Thanks everyone, I'll be doing as advised when I get my hands on it.

Regards,

I like the DRW conversion concept. Just need to find a place around here that can do it, as I lack the skill.

Ed

Those dually "kits" are literally just bolt on. Buy the parts and put them together. If you want someone else to do it, any local garage can easily do the wheel part for you, and if you want the fender flares to look nice any body shop can put them on for you.

[jmtandem]

Wow.... my Chevy Express 3500 (15-passenger) is limited to GCVWR of 14,000 lbs. so I'm envious. I have a gaggle of kids (eight) and tow a Keystone Bullet 272BH (about 5500 lbs.) and once we are loaded for the trip I'm right at the 14K limit.

I went shopping for my trailer with known capacities in hand. It fits us just fine but we spend most of our camping time outside the trailer. It is mainly used for sleeping and watching the tube.

The OP's challenge will not be that his E350 cannot tow up to 10,000 pounds, it will be the payload of the van. He has a fairly large family and will have a tongue weight with hitch of a little less than 1500 pounds. That does not leave a lot of payload capacity for other stuff.

[kevperro]

Wow.... my Chevy Express 3500 (15-passenger) is limited to GCVWR of 14,000 lbs. so I'm envious. I have a gaggle of kids (eight) and tow a Keystone Bullet 272BH (about 5500 lbs.) and once we are loaded for the trip I'm right at the 14K limit.

I went shopping for my trailer with known capacities in hand. It fits us just fine but we spend most of our camping time outside the trailer. It is mainly used for sleeping and watching the tube.

[jmtandem]

What about keeping the current trailer and putting the oldest kids in tents?

"Just purchased a new Jayco...."

It appears they already purchased the new trailer.

[IndyCamp]

Ivylog wrote:
I doubt anyone is going to make a 180 turn at speed like in the video with a trailer on the back.

Of course not, but it speaks to the stability and integrity of the TV, and when you get out in some of the windy western states, TV stability is paramount.

[Ivylog]

I doubt anyone is going to make a 180 turn at speed like in the video with a trailer on the back. It was not until the end of the 180 before it went over... not a real world situation. Sure a wider track will increase stability, but unless you are selling that, I'll pass.

OP spend your money on individual air shocks and better/wider tires on the back... even wider rims.

[LarryJM]

I've got the same van as the OP only it's a regular box and has the 4.10s and is a 2001. It's GVWR is 9500, GCWR 20,000 and max tow of 10,000 and it was purchased as a Cargo Van which I customized. I've now got just over 95K total miles with close to 60K of that towing with a GCW of between 16.5 and 17.5K. I get between 10 and 11.5 interstate towing and I run a mild 60HP tuner. It's a fantastic TV with plenty of power with the only limitation is with even a mild tuner you are EGT limited because of the lack of an intercooler and the crammed engine compartment. The 7.3L vans were rated at 20K with the 4.10 and 16K IIRC with the 3.55 which were the only two rears normally found.

Larry

[noteven]

Ivylog wrote:
I was told to get the back seat of one at a defensive driving school... making the above staged video a joke. Unbelievable what a trained driver could do with 12 adults on board. We even got pretty good at scaring those in the back BUT these were not stock SRW E350s.
I would do it but only after upgrading your chassis and weighing loaded up. You do not need 1500 lbs of tongue weight so how/where you load the trailer will help.

Not sure the point you are making?

So at driving school you were taught increasing the track width by a dual wheel set does not increase the roll stability of a passenger van with 2400lbs of people and some baggage on board in an emergency avoidance or sharp turn?

What about "untrained" drivers?

[icanon]

Campfire Time wrote:
What about keeping the current trailer and putting the oldest kids in tents?

Or get a Hybrid TT.

[Campfire_Time]

What about keeping the current trailer and putting the oldest kids in tents?

[Redterpos3]

Mine is a 12 pass, non-extended, weighs in at 6300 with seats in, but no stuff. My GCVWR is 15,000, but I have the V-10, 3.73 ratio. Yours sounds like it should have higher ratings, but need to find out how high. I've been towing a 8,000 lb trailer and I'm just at my GCVWR when loaded up. I've enjoyed it as a TV!

[jmtandem]

It may indeed be a 15 passenger just with no rear bench.... It was listed as a 12 passenger and it has a huge trunk area which we basically can all stand in and fit. Right now the kids are little and such. We ride with 4 car seats in! The likelihood of me plus 8 of them at adult weights is non-existent since my teenager is going to be off by the time any of the littles can weigh in as an adult.

Thanks for all the tips! Keep them coming! Is a sway bar/ active suspension a good move? Does it help that much?

Ed

This has been an excellent discussion and heavy duty vans can make for good tow vehicles. I would check to be sure the receiver is up to the tongue weight and upgrade to after market if needed. Also, there are others on RV.net that tow with vans and maybe touch bases with them. At least one has a dually van conversion and towed a heavy Weekend Warrior toy hauler that was probably in the 13,000 gross weight category. If yours is the extended van it is likely the 15 passenger model with a row of seats taken out. Go to the Ford towing guides and try to get into their archives to look at the model year you have and check their tow ratings with the diesel and extended 15 passenger model. That should give you some good information.

[ednjenn]

It may indeed be a 15 passenger just with no rear bench.... It was listed as a 12 passenger and it has a huge trunk area which we basically can all stand in and fit. Right now the kids are little and such. We ride with 4 car seats in! The likelihood of me plus 8 of them at adult weights is non-existent since my teenager is going to be off by the time any of the littles can weigh in as an adult.

Thanks for all the tips! Keep them coming! Is a sway bar/ active suspension a good move? Does it help that much?

Ed

[icanon]

One other thing not mentioned here is the fact kids grow up so as time goes by 8 kids will gain weight. Also, try to limit the mount of stuff loaded in TV to reduce weight.