I want to purchase the Tow Vehicle and Travel Trailer listed below, but before I make the purchase, I want to check other RV’ers for your opinion as to whether or not this Van will do the job that I need it to do. I intend to use this van to pull the Travel Trailer listed below throughout the West (including the U.S., Canada and the Rocky Mountains) as far south as Arizona and as far north as Alaska. I plan on parking the Trailer for 1-2 months in the same location, and take the Van to remote areas where I can camp, hunt and fish. While in these remote areas I will be sleeping in the Van.
NOTE: I already know that a Diesel engine in the van or a combination Pickup/ 5th Wheel is probably a better way to go, but I’ve already ruled them out for personal reasons.<O</O
<O</O

TOW VEHICLE:<O></O>
2011 FORD E-350 SUPER DUTY CARGO VAN (Standard Length Wheelbase 138 inches)<O></O>
Only 2 Seats (driver & passenger)
ENGINE: 6.8L SOHC EFI V10: 305 hp @ 4250 / 420 lb-ft @ 3250
TRANS: TorqShift 5-Speed Auto with Overdrive and Tow/Haul Mode
REAR AXLE: Limited Slip Axle with 4.10 Axle Ratio
HITCH: Class IV Trailer Towing Package with Hitch
MAX. GVWR: 9500
MAX. PAYLOAD: 3840
MAX. GCWR: 18500
MAX. TOW: 10,000
<O></O>
TRAILER SPECS:<O</O
2011 ROCKWOOD SIGNATURE ULTRA-LITE 8317SS (Manuf: Forest River)
LENGTH: 33 feet
DRY WT.: 5872
MAXIMUM LOADED WEIGHT (GVWR): 8273
HITCH WT.: 948
SUSPENSION: Independent Suspension Torsion Axle, 2 Axles, 4 Wheels with Electric Drum Brakes
HITCH: I’m planning on buying a Weight Distribution Hitch with Anti-Sway, but I don’t know which brand is best.

 

The van will pull it without a problem. My pick on hitches is Reese.

 

Good news! I was worried that the V10 might have a problem in the mountains. I'll take a look at Reese. Thanks for your help. Jim

 

my e-250 with headers, and the 2000-up PI setup pulls our 24ft enclosed trailer with a 5000lb truck inside like it's not even back there. apx. 7500lbs and a valley weight dist hitch makes it squat about 1.5in. super sweet setup. its a extended van also.

brakes excellent
accelerates excellent
maintains speed excellent
only downfall is the poor mpg (but $100 diesel oil and fuel filter changes made my stay gas)

 

Hell yes.

Check out carringb on this and other forums, what he does with his V10 is nothing short of amazing. Not sure of his gas milage however.

 

I tow about the same thing with my 08 V-10. It tows fine. Just whatever you do do not get the extended or super van body. The extra overhang makes trailer towing a nightmare. I suffered with one for about 15 years. The new shorter van tows so nice anyone can drive it. Just don't expect to get much over 7-8 mpg towing.

 

I have pulled a trailer with my 03 5.4l E350 for the last 5 years. All I can say is that it is an excellent tow vehicle. The V10 would only make it better.

Mike

 

I have towed my 33 foot sunnybrook 3310 with my extended super duty V10 van for 8 years and 200,000 miles. Everything still runs great and no rebuilds on anything accept alternator. synthetic fluids in everything. 4.10 rear gears. My trailer weighs 9500 lbs loaded and I have been to Denver, New York every year and just bought an 05 V10 with torqushift 5 speed because it was a great deal and a great find. The five speed needs a tuner to keep it out of overdrive or it will change gears too much. I bought the 5 star tuner from Mike and have been very happy with it. Extra power and better shifting. Economy about the same, but all else better. Hensley makes the best hitch and I have towed safely with mine, my wife drives it. I have a motorcycle in my van and lots of sound equipment and the trailer. I run 17,200 lbs all up when i am going down the road and it does fine. I think 4.30's or 4.56 gears would make it tow in overdrive better but then the empty mileage would be horrible. I can do overdrive on flat ground but don't gain any mileage. It prefers to be locked out of overdrive and spinning about 3-3200 rpm at 65-70. It does hills and mountains very well like this and I am happy. The worst mileage I got into a head wind going to Denver running 70 was 6mpg. Most of the time its 7.5 approx at that speed with no great wind. I am 56 feet long all up with the Hensley. Andrew.

 

Andrew. Thank you very much for your post. It cheered me up because I was beginning to think my Van wouldn’t pull the trailer I want. Here is the problem and here are the specs. I was just getting ready to order my new tow vehicle and my new travel trailer when I noticed in the Ford brochure that my receiver was only able to handle a maximum Tongue Weight of 1,000 lbs. WITH a Weight Distribution Hitch (WD). Unfortunately, when I added up the Trailer’s dry Tongue Wt. (948 lbs) plus full propane tanks (60 lbs) plus Battery (60 lbs) plus Hitch/Receiver (50 lbs) Hensley (200 lbs.) I was already over the 1000 lb. max. by 318 lbs. The Ford dealer told me I could buy an after-market hitch-receiver that would give me 12,000 / 1200 WD. I told him that I was planning on putting up to 500 lbs. worth of “stuff” in the trailer’s front pass-through storage area and the under-bed storage, and that the 1200 lb. with WD wouldn’t help much. One of the guys on the forum said he uses a Reunel Hitch (good for 20,000 / 6000 with WD and costs $1000) and another guy said he uses a PullRite Hitch (good for 20,000 / 2000 and doesn’t need a WD and costs $2865). Have you ever heard of either of these? Andrew, do you use the stock OEM hitch? Does it have a Max weight of 10,000 / 1000 with WD? Do you know what your loaded tongue weight is. Thanks for your help. Jim

 

Hi Andrew
How about a pic of that rig?
Mike

 

Hi James,

I'm towing less than you and use an Equal-I-Zer brand W/D hitch at 10,000/1000 lbs cap. They do make a 14K/1400lb model.
Equal-i-zer® Hitch - Product Info - Specifications

I've been very happy with its performance and ease of assembly. I researched W/D hitches on the Open Roads forum.


Sounds like you have a great combo. I wish I had bought a E350 with the V10. We're only towing a 5K trailer, but, would like to upgrade someday.


2003 Ford E350 SD - 5.4L - 3.73 - Pirelli Scorpion ATR 265/75R16

 

In a word - yes. Two - Heck Yes!

I'm a bit biased however...

 

7.3 PSD

 

Sweet. I would have loved to get the 7.3L, but jumped on the v-10 when I found it.

 

it fell into my hand at a price no one would believe...