E250 as tow vehicle?

[Agamble5]

Hello all,

There are several used E250 vans for sale in my area. Approximately 10-12,000 miles for appx. $20-22K.

I was thinking of getting a half or 3/4 ton truck to use as a DD and tow vehicle but I don't really want to trade my 3-series away, it's so nice to drive.

I have places to keep it, so storage is no problem, but how do they tow and are they better or worst then a truck to go to the track with. The trailer will be a standard 20 box trailer. Total weight of trailer would be 5-6000 lbs.

Any experiences would be appreciated!

[TimH]

Go for it.

But why such a heavy trailer?

[Ken Lawrence]

I have used a '83 and a '97 E250 for years, no problems and lots of room for gear. Currently using a Nissan NV3500, best yet.

[Shelly Sadwin]

Towing with an E350. Tows but fuel mileage is 10 to 14 depending on hi speed runs

[provamo]

WTF is an E350? a Merc???

[Steve Demeter]

one ton ford full size van.

Also a merc, but would not use one to tow with

[provamo]

anybody ever tow a small bore formula car on an open trailer with a Chevy Malibu Max?

[Purple Frog]

I have a '08 E350, which has been fantastic.
My 20' box trailer weighed ~5400 lbs loaded with everything including Zuma scooter.
I kept tongue weight at 600 lb. by planning load placement.

[Shelly Sadwin]

In days gone by i towed a caldwell D9 on a light weight trailer behind a VW Rabbit. No problems

[H_Mode]

Long time ago, F440 behind a 83 Malibu. Two wheel open trailer, back seat full of gear.

Did blow a upper radiator hose on a long hill and have an engine fire tho'... That is when I learned that anti freeze can burn.

[Sully]

Are we talking Diesel or Gas engines in these E250 / E350's?

[Shelly Sadwin]

Gas

[SEComposites]

I use an E350 7.3ltr Diesel passenger van and can't imagine using anything else. Good (ish) fuel economy and pulls like a train.

[beachguy12]

anybody ever tow a small bore formula car on an open trailer with a Chevy Malibu Max?

I used an Acura TL for a long time to tow a Crossle 32 over the Grapevine on I5 in CA. Now I use the small Hyundai Santa Fe. No problems with either.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

I used an Acura TL for a long time to tow a Crossle 32 over the Grapevine on I5 in CA. Now I use the small Hyundai Santa Fe. No problems with either.

Is there room for all your "stuff"

I'm towing my FC with a Tundra on an open trailer and I just don't have enough room (the bed has a flat lid).....

[Purple Frog]

My E350 is a gasser. It was a 12 passenger rental. I bought it used with 15K miles for a song. (like $15k) Now have 100,000 with no service issues. I drive it daily with my business trailer behind it. So those are 100,000 towing miles.
Without the all the rear seats it is very spacious. Because it was a passenger model the rear walls/ceiling are upholstered, with overhead lighting, and it has a rear A/C unit. Because it has dark tinted windows all around it doesn't look like a trade van.
The load range E tires are another plus. And the rear end is for a real truck not your neighbors dinky F150.

Everything in a pickup either gets wet or stolen...

[provamo]

I used an Acura TL for a long time to tow a Crossle 32 over the Grapevine on I5 in CA. Now I use the small Hyundai Santa Fe. No problems with either.

HOLY COW over the Grapvine....i am impressed!

[Daryl DeArman]

This topic is akin to bench racin' mixed in with so much subjectivity as to what's acceptable and/or required.

Cajon/Grapevine/Baker and Cuesta grades are all large grades that folks towing into/out of southern California to tracks in our area have to deal with.

There are vehicles used as tow vehicles that can't get up those grades at the speed limit when they aren't towing anything. 20MPH below speed limit while towing is acceptable to some, while others aren't okay if they can't do the speed limit up every grade in the Country.

A 3/4 ton gasser is going to be well within it's maximum tow rating with a trailer such as you are contemplating. Engine/trans/rear end is going to determine just how capable it is. Tires and cooling system is going to determine how stress free it is.

Vans have some advantages (as mentioned above) but they also have disadvantages. You and those traveling with you okay with the smells and noise of everything in that van with you as you travel to/from the track? In an accident I'd much rather have a bunch of stuff in the bed of the truck than the rear of the van I'm driving.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

In an accident I'd much rather have a bunch of stuff in the bed of the truck than the rear of the van I'm driving.

Just assign the job of catching that floor jack to someone not high on your list...

[Jerry Kehoe]

Not sure why you would need an E250 or 350 to tow a trailer with GW of 5-6000 lbs. I have towed for years with a F150 with both the 4.6 and 5.4 V8 with a 20 ft enclosed trailer with a GW of about 5000 lbs with F1 car and spares,tools at full speed limits ( and above ) up and down the Sierras, Rockies and Cascades as well as cross country. The 4.6 is slightly limited in the mountains but the 5.4 has no problems at all. Averages about 11-12 MPG towing.

[Daryl DeArman]

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/02...liter-v-8.html

[Daryl DeArman]

Not sure why you would need an E250 or 350 to tow a trailer with GW of 5-6000 lbs..

It's not a need. It's a safety margin. The less it's working the longer it will last.

[Jerry Kehoe]

Daryl, I've towed over 200,000 miles with these combinations with no issues.

[Agamble5]

The vans in question all have the 4.6 engine which is less then ideal but serviceable.

Looks like I'm going to go with a 24 foot trailer, I found a great deal on a 2 year old race trailer that is all set up with tire racks, workbench, cabinets and an 8000 pound whinch for only a few bucks more then a new 20x8.

Thanks for all the feedback.

[Daryl DeArman]

Daryl, I've towed over 200,000 miles with these combinations with no issues.

Glad to hear you've had good fortune. I don't know how many different vehicles it took to accumulate those 200K mi. I am confident you didn't do it all with the same 1/2 ton truck.

I towed an E-Prod Rx7 on an open trailer (16 x7) from Santa Barbara to Laguna Seca and back with a F150 with 5.0----never again. I felt like Hiro Matsu****a out there on the 101.

I have towed with much, much better suited vehicles. Each of us has our own comfort level of the performance/safety we expect from our tow vehicles. I towed a 4000# trailer with a 20,500# RV on a F550 chassis. It didn't get up any hills in a hurry but I had plenty of brake, suspension, tire and chassis to handle it. I'll save the racing for the track.

[Garey Guzman]

I worked for a guy who bought a new E350 ambulance-ready van to use as a tow vehicle for his fully loaded 24 ft trailer back in about 1990. We brought everything including full upper and lower roller tool box, two full size N2 bottles, 55 gallon drum of fuel, a press, etc. It was ok on the straights but the thing got 6-8 mpg going 70 mph with the gas big block. We went up and down the west coast and to the Runoffs in Road Atlanta in 90 or 91.

Based on that experience, when I could afford a new tow vehicle to replace my 10 year old 4 cylinder Ranger, I bought a 2003 F350 diesel crew cab long bed with a Manual trans. I still have it, almost 80k miles, and it'll tow 70 mph easily without a weight distribution hitch but as fast as I want with one. When I drove from CA to TN, I doubt that I spent 15% of the drive under 80 mph.

IOW, it you're gonna get a tow vehicle, get the best you can afford. Get a used one if it allows you to keep a nice daily driver!

[Agamble5]

I picked up a 2014 E350 for a decent price with 33k on it. It's a passenger model, with dual a/c and lights and the bigger 5.4 motor. Should be a safe combo with lots of room for people and gear.

Any thoughts on the need for a weight distributing hitch?

[Garey Guzman]

Necessary.

[Jerry Kehoe]

Daryl,
You are right it took two vehicles, a 1999 F150 4.6 ltr and a 2009 with the 5.4 ltr to make those 200,000 miles towing the same car & 20' enclosed trailer @ 5000 lbs. But if it makes you feel better maybe you should get an 18 wheeler to tow the RX7. By the way the 2009 now has 132,000 on and has back and forth to RA from the West Coast four times.

[Daryl DeArman]

But if it makes you feel better maybe you should get an 18 wheeler to tow the RX7. By the way the 2009 now has 132,000 on and has back and forth to RA from the West Coast four times.

Nah, that would be overkill....

My F550 based RV with a V10 got the job done with enough safety margin for me. Not winning any drag races or hill climbs with it.

[Kazis31]

Mercedes Benz 2500 Sprinter .Turbo diesel
Tows up to 5000lbs.
22-24 MPG
18 towing.
will need lighter trailer .......

[cory mcleod]

I towed an E-Prod Rx7 on an open trailer (16 x7) from Santa Barbara to Laguna Seca and back with a F150 with 5.0----never again. I felt like Hiro Matsu****a out there on the 101.

Daryl,

Previously in this thread, you posted a link to a review of a 2011 F150 with the 5.0 engine. The review praised the truck's ability to tow a 9k pound trailer on hills and flat roads. Do you disagree with the review or was your experience with an older 5.0 F150?

Cory

[Chris Elwell]

anybody ever tow a small bore formula car on an open trailer with a Chevy Malibu Max?

I tow a FV with a 2008 Volkswagen GTI. No problems at all and 23-24 mpg while towing.

[Daryl DeArman]

Daryl,

Previously in this thread, you posted a link to a review of a 2011 F150 with the 5.0 engine. The review praised the truck's ability to tow a 9k pound trailer on hills and flat roads. Do you disagree with the review or was your experience with an older 5.0 F150?

Cory

My personal towing experience with a 1/2 ton, gas, small block (5.0) was with a '91 F150. It sucked towing 4000# up the Cuesta Grade to Laguna Seca. Not only was HP/TQ lacking, 1/2 ton trucks generally aren't/weren't geared low enough. Brakes were inadequately sized as is the anti-roll bar.

I don't disagree with the article at all. How could I? I referenced it to illustrate the relative strengths and weaknesses and the performance standard. High praise for a vehicle, with foot to the wood for 3 miles, that barely averages 60mph because that's better than the competition. Some of the grades being mentioned in this thread are longer and steeper than the portion of the grade used in the test. Granted we are talking about 5K trailer not 9K, but don't expect to "hardly know it's back there". If anybody expects to get a half ton truck and tow all over the western mountain ranges at the speed limit, they need to be aware just how hard they'll be flogging that thing and how likely/unlikely that is to happen.

Bench racing, fishing tales, and towing stories usually get embellished just a bit.

[cory mcleod]

My personal towing experience with a 1/2 ton, gas, small block (5.0) was with a '91 F150. It sucked towing 4000# up the Cuesta Grade to Laguna Seca. Not only was HP/TQ lacking, 1/2 ton trucks generally aren't/weren't geared low enough. Brakes were inadequately sized as is the anti-roll bar.

I don't disagree with the article at all. How could I? I referenced it to illustrate the relative strengths and weaknesses and the performance standard. High praise for a vehicle, with foot to the wood for 3 miles, that barely averages 60mph because that's better than the competition. Some of the grades being mentioned in this thread are longer and steeper than the portion of the grade used in the test. Granted we are talking about 5K trailer not 9K, but don't expect to "hardly know it's back there". If anybody expects to get a half ton truck and tow all over the western mountain ranges at the speed limit, they need to be aware just how hard they'll be flogging that thing and how likely/unlikely that is to happen.

Bench racing, fishing tales, and towing stories usually get embellished just a bit.

Thanks. That's helpful. This thread is interesting to me, because I will be replacing my V10 Excursion in the next year, and would rather get a half ton truck if I absolutely don't need a 3/4 ton.

Part of my issue is that I don't know exactly what my trailer weighs fully loaded. I think it's 6,000 - 6,500. Where do people get their trailers weighed when they're loaded, or are most people just trying to add up the weight of the contents and add it to the weight of the empty trailer?

Cory

[Daryl DeArman]

Where do people get their trailers weighed when they're loaded, or are most people just trying to add up the weight of the contents and add it to the weight of the empty trailer?

Cory

http://www.publicscaleslocator.com/charlotte-nc.html

3 easy-ish ways to do it:

Just put trailer axles on scale and add 10% for tongue weight.

Put the whole rig on the scale and then come back and weigh just your tow vehicle and do the math.

Put the trailer axles and tongue jack on the scale and raise trailer until tow vehicle hitch is at the same exact height it is when the trailer is not connected.

[killerken53]

The local scrap yard or grain elevator will have a truck scale plenty big enough to weigh your trailer or entire rig. Should only cost a few bucks for a slip, or nothing if you know the right guy.

[cory mcleod]

Awesome! Thank you Daryl and Ken.