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Old 06-09-2022, 12:53 PM   #1
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2016 23' Flying Cloud
Fanwood , New Jersey
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Does anyone tow with a van?

Does anyone tow with a van?

We have 2016FC23D, and we tow it with GMC Sierra (1/2 ton). Are there any vans with which we can expect similar towing experience?
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Old 06-09-2022, 01:03 PM   #2
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We used to tow with a 1999 Chevrolet Express 2500 (3/4 ton) extended van with the 5.7L (350CID) engine. We really liked that van! The long wheelbase made towing our relatively long trailer quite nice. We could get lots of kids and stuff in that van. We did do a few upgrades to aid in towing: 4.10:1 rear gears, additional transmission oil cooler, additional engine oil cooler, gauge for monitoring transmission oil temperature. With the 4-speed transmission (4L80E) and relatively low power engine (compared to today), made towing our 8 to 9,000 pound trailers (the Airstream we have now and SOBs prior to that) a challenge, especially on steep hills.
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Old 06-09-2022, 01:25 PM   #3
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We towed a 28’ SOB for 15 years with aFord E350 with the 7.5 l V8. There was no place we couldn’t go with the trailer attached (with the exception of one steep sandy campground in Michigan) but solo that thing would slip on snot. That’s why our empty nest years have featured 4WD pickup trucks.
We did many twelve passenger movie nights and could haul an astounding amount of stuff with the seats removed.
For long distance trips with kids, it is hard to beat a capable van.
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Old 06-09-2022, 01:48 PM   #4
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Lots of people tow with vans. They can be excellent towing vehicles if configured properly - much more capable than a 1/2 ton truck. If you have a big family and/or lots of gear, the van is a great option.
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Old 06-09-2022, 04:16 PM   #5
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We use a Nissan NV3500 and love it.
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Old 06-09-2022, 04:50 PM   #6
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1982 27' Excella
Harrisburg , Oregon
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I saw someone towing an old Airstream single-axle trailer last summer with a pimped-out Mercedes overlanding 4x4 van. It puzzled me because either the Airstream or the overlander should suffice for camping, but they had both for some reason.


Scott
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Old 06-10-2022, 08:55 AM   #7
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Towing with a Van

Yep, we tow with a van. We tow our 2019 FC 25 RBT with a 2013 Ford E150 XLT Premium Passenger van. This is a rare find van as it has an 8600 LB GVWR and a 2530 LB payload capacity. Clearly in the 3/4 ton rated pickup truck arena. This is a highly optioned fully loaded van with all the factory goodies.

If you want a new van to tow your AS look at the new/newer Chevy Express/GMC Savana 2500 or 3500 Passenger vans. They come in a regular wheelbase or long wheelbase. Very capable old school haulers that will take a beating and ask for more. The newest models have the 6.6 gas engine. The older models had the 6.0 gas engine. Either will do the job. If you go to the Chevy or GMC website and do a build/price exercise you will be amazed at all the great equipment you can order and come in at well under $50k for a brand new van. If going used the Nissan NV3500 SL is a towing beast. They ended production of these last July and the ones on the used market are going for gold $$$$. You will have to order a new one as most dealers do not stock Passenger vans. If you order you get it exactly as you want it. Have at it!
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Old 06-10-2022, 09:30 AM   #8
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We launched full time with a Ford 1 ton van with a big gas V10. While plenty of power and room, but the ride was terrible, handled poorly and was in general uncomfortable. After 6 months, we dumped it for a new GMC 1 ton dually Duramax, which rides like a car, and pulls 30' Classic like a dream.
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Old 06-10-2022, 11:29 AM   #9
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A van is a great tow vehicle. Lots of storage, even for e-bikes or motorcycles.
Just be sure you put a barrier in because in an accident you don't want a 150 pound generator flying at your head. Delivery vans have been doing this for decades.

Quote:
Originally Posted by skucera View Post
I saw someone towing an old Airstream single-axle trailer last summer with a pimped-out Mercedes overlanding 4x4 van. It puzzled me because either the Airstream or the overlander should suffice for camping, but they had both for some reason.
Kids?
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Old 06-12-2022, 07:37 AM   #10
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2007 27' Safari FB SE
Waterloo , Ontario
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Minivan

I'm familiar enough the the arguments pro and con (been reading here for years) and don't want to start another argument.
For a few years, we towed with hitch-reinforced Dodge SXT stow n go minivan. Turned a lot of heads, worked reasonably well, but ultimately switched because:
- front wheel drive was mostly fine. There were I think 2 situations in which going uphill, on gravel causes the front wheels to slip. You'd have the same thing without towing, just happens sooner with towing.
- fuel economy was not great ...
- there were a few places where a few more Hp would have been nice.
- our life situation changed, and we no longer need the minivan for other purposes.
Never won any races (but didn't as a kid either, so I was used to that). Comparing myself to dump trucks and loaded semi's was healthy for my self esteem.
Incidentally, I eventually sold the minivan to an ex-mechanic who was very familiar with the model and wanted it to tow a small SOB. He specifically checked the transmission and was pleased. Frankly, the capability of that minivan impressed me.
Here's a Honda version, well documented: https://www.toadsoftowedhaul.com/
Of course, OP was asking about full-size vans ... and thats a totally different beast. Thought this edge-case would be helpful framing.
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Old 06-12-2022, 10:41 AM   #11
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We towed our new to us 25' Classic for 3 yrs (50K) with a V6 Dodge Caravan-6 spd transmission. Certainly not the fastest on the road but the storage was incredible especially with a young family. Only once a problem towing uphill on grass to dump. Front wheel drive and the tires were almost done. Currently approaching 180K with the same AS and subsequent TV's..V6 Ford Flex and now a V6 Dodge Durango. We occasionally off road but nothing crazy. Single vehicle family and very practical and obviously easy to drive. This may stir up the hornets nest re: tow vehicles but c'est la vie.
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Old 06-15-2022, 09:42 AM   #12
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We tow our 2018 FC 23FB with a 2013 E150 XLT Premium with towing package, too. Like URALJOHN, with a 8600 LB GVWR and 2569 LB payload capacity. 5.4 L with 3.73 rear axle ratio. We replaced the mirrors with the pull-out tow mirrors. Go figure why Ford's towing package didn't include the tow mirrors. We love those vans and disappointed that they have been discontinued...have been buying them since 1985. The Transit doesn't have nearly the towing capacity. Hoping our 2013 lasts us for quite a while longer! We've been towing Airstreams with it since 2014, first with a 2013 FC 20FB and now the 23. At least one long 5-6 week, 4000-6000 miles road trip per year!
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Old 06-15-2022, 09:44 AM   #13
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1960 22' Caravanner
Taylors , South Carolina
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Vans work fine

You should be good with any full-sized van having a strong engine and a good tow package. A stabilized hitch (sway damper) is a very good idea since vans are more affected by cross winds than pickup trucks. Vans are versatile vehicles since they can carry both passengers and freight.


I tow my classic 1960 22' tandem axle with a Chevy Astro and the 4.2 liter V-6 but this is the only mini-van which should be considered as a tow vehicle even for a small trailer. I think it is the only one with a half-ton rating.


Mike
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Old 06-15-2022, 09:58 AM   #14
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2022 30' Flying Cloud
Kent , Ohio
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Van, yes!

We have an NV3500SL, and it's great. Granted, we are still fairly new to this but we did a trip from Ohio to the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee in March and it worked well!

We intended to get a truck, but we have 4 kids. We figured we could make that work, especially since our oldest is in college and another is a teen, so we don't have all of them for every trip. We actually ordered a lovely big truck, but with the production issues, it wasn't going to arrive in time, if ever, so we pivoted to what was available when we needed it to pick up the Airstream.

I don't know how stock is now, but it was really limited last fall. Expanding our search to vans as well as trucks led us to a slightly used NV3500, and it's great.

There are only a few vans that work for towing. The GMC Savanah and the Chevy Express (basically the same van), and the NV3500. With the GMC and Chevy models, you'll want the 3500 probably. In the NV3500, you need to have the SL for towing. And, as others mentioned, the Nissan has been discontinued, but recently enough that you should be able to find a used one in good shape.

There are a few caveats though. Payload and towing capacity are a big one. Run the numbers, and pay special attention to the payload. When we tow, we remove seats. We don't overload the van with everything we can possibly pack into it. We pay attention to how our load is distributed. I know you probably know all of these things, but you do have to actively think about it since you can go outside the margins of safety a lot easier than with a maxed out super truck. This works for us. It may not work for you. When in doubt, use a scale.

The ground clearance is lower in the van, especially after we added steps so those of us who aren't super tall can get in and out more easily.

We've not done huge mountains. It worked fine for Tennesee/Kentucky/North Carolina. I've never driven in the Rockies.

We did also have to install a brake controller. It has a tow package with the 7way connector, but there is not a factory installed brake controller.

However, for seating our crew, it works great. We might even be able to take the dog. And it is fantastic in terms of being able to put a few things in the back of the van and actually get to them. Its a really comfortable ride, too.

Good luck!
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Old 06-15-2022, 10:15 AM   #15
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My in-laws don’t tow a travel trailer, but have a big pontoon party boat that has to be quite heavy. They have a Chevy Express 2500 conversion van with the 6.6 Duramax diesel. It pulls the big boat without any difficulty whatsoever and is spacious and quite comfy inside for long trips.
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Old 06-15-2022, 10:31 AM   #16
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2016 28' Flying Cloud
Dover , Pennsylvania
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This question comes up once or twice a year. It allows me to post a picture of our awesome tow vehicle. 2016 Chevy Express 3500 with Quigley 4x4 conversion. It works wonderfully as a tow vehicle / toy hauler. Ours has the gas 6.0 which is adequate. I would love to have the newer 6.6 motor for the greater hp and torque.[IMG][url=https://flic.kr/p/2kC535j]
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Old 06-15-2022, 11:25 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ahillring View Post
We tow our 2018 FC 23FB with a 2013 E150 XLT Premium with towing package, too. Like URALJOHN, with a 8600 LB GVWR and 2569 LB payload capacity. 5.4 L with 3.73 rear axle ratio. We replaced the mirrors with the pull-out tow mirrors. Go figure why Ford's towing package didn't include the tow mirrors. We love those vans and disappointed that they have been discontinued...have been buying them since 1985. The Transit doesn't have nearly the towing capacity. Hoping our 2013 lasts us for quite a while longer! We've been towing Airstreams with it since 2014, first with a 2013 FC 20FB and now the 23. At least one long 5-6 week, 4000-6000 miles road trip per year!
Wow! You may have a twin to our van. Ours is loaded with I think every option ford offered. We even have a special extra cost color, Steel Blue Metallic. Ours has the tow mirrors from the factory. They were on the window sticker as a stand alone option. We started out with a 2017 International 23D. After 2 years we went to the 2019 FC 25 RBT. Tows great. I am always on the lookout for an exact copy of our van but with the V 10 engine. They made them until 2014. I did find one a while back but the guy wanted $40k for it! I passed. Great to hear someone else towing with a similar van. Happy travels.
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Old 06-15-2022, 11:44 AM   #18
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Yes, many folks do with very good results.

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But not this one with the excessively long overhang.
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Old 06-16-2022, 10:04 AM   #19
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Hello, URALJOHN - ours is steel blue metallic also! Definitely twins. :-) We have a place in Franklin, NC, and go to Asheville frequently, so we'll keep a look out for you up in the mountains. Happy travels to you as well!
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Old 06-16-2022, 01:42 PM   #20
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1981 25' Excella II
Burlington , Ontario
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Wink No Hornets . . .

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aprilrivet View Post
We towed our new to us 25' Classic for 3 yrs (50K) with a V6 Dodge Caravan-6 spd transmission. Certainly not the fastest on the road but the storage was incredible especially with a young family. Only once a problem towing uphill on grass to dump. Front wheel drive and the tires were almost done. Currently approaching 180K with the same AS and subsequent TV's..V6 Ford Flex and now a V6 Dodge Durango. We occasionally off road but nothing crazy. Single vehicle family and very practical and obviously easy to drive. This may stir up the hornets nest re: tow vehicles but c'est la vie.
No hornets here. My Dad pulled a 20' AS Argosy with the 4.3L GMC Safari to Nova Scotia, half the time forgetting the trailer was there. The new Chrysler Pacifica has some good specs. Take the Tow Rating with a pinch of salt as it is based on a Class II hitch configuration NOT with a Weight Distribution setup. The SAE never bases their ratings on a full hitch setup.
I have a 2007 Impala SS (exact same platform as the Acadia) pulling a 1981 AS Excella II 25FK (4500#). The Acadia is rated at 5000# and the Impala is rated at 1000#!?! No logic.
The newer Caravans & Journeys are great tow vehicles and, with V6's now putting out over 300hp, there are more choices than ever. Besides, like the new Pacifica, most vans are more aerodynamic than a massive brick 2 1/2 feet off the ground. Kinda defeats the whole aerodynamics & low centre of gravity Airstream is known for.
So, do your research then buy a van.
Cheers, Paul
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