Everyone I recently purchased a 77 250 van with a 460 under the hood. I am trying to find some towing information on the van. Can anyone tell me what the beast is capable of towing safely and legally?
thank in advance D.C.

 

 

What is the hitch rating?
I'd start there
Are you planning on changing the hitch receiver?

I always liked those Vector wheels and had them on my 65 Ranchero

 

From what I can find it's a newer class 3/4! I am still trying to find exact specs on the hitch and would not haul more then the weakest link!

 

I have been reading about towing capacities but haven't found any reliable information yet.
Many say to consult the owners manual. So here is a 1977 Econoline owners manual on Ebay for $10 with free shipping
1977 Ford Econoline Owners Manual Original | eBay

Here is some good info from a forum about shipping expediters that has information on the GVWR and GAWR. The info is about carrying cargo in the van, not towing a trailer.
https://www.expeditersonline.com/for...t-limit.41068/

Some other thoughts I have come across that determines your weight and towing capacity is the tire ratings, hitch rating, brake system, engine size (weight), and length of the van. Your van looks like a 138" wheelbase.
I read something about the extended van having a lower capacity because the longer frame behind the rear axle.

Maybe someone else will chime in but,, not sure about the 1977 models, but I believe some E-250s may have a different axle ratings. I am thinking 5 or 8 lugs?

This chart only goes back to 1991 and I certainly can not vouch for the accuracy of the information but, you can select different models and see how the towing capacity changes with engine size and type of van ie E250, E250 club wagon, E250 HD.
http://trailers.com/tow-capacity/ind...emplate=normal

I have been looking for info on my 88 E150. Mine has a 5.0 engine so
I am limited by what the engine will pull.
If I come across any other information i will pass it along.

 

Thank for the information! It is nearly impossible to find anything on these older vans!

 

BTW congratulations on finding such a beautiful van!

Yes it is hard to find info for our older vans.. My mom has a 78 shorty with a 351W and parts are getting hard to find too..

Well I don't know what your experience is with towing but I did find a good article from a May 1977 Motor Boating & Sailing magazine. It comes from a section of a book called: Boatkeeper Trailering handbook". It may be old information but so are our vans...
When i copied and pasted the page in a new window I had to click on "view the whole page" to get it to load. I think it starts 2 pages up from the page it will display. It covers tow vehicles, hitches, brakes, and weight distribution among several other things.
It doesn't say which Ford van but says: "The third generation Ford vans (1975 and later) are good for heavy boats as they are the only body/frame vans and also offer the biggest engines. Examples: maximum towed load, Chevy van, 6000 lbs: Ford van, 10,000 pounds."
https://books.google.com/books?id=Xe...=onepage&q=tow rating 1977 ford van&f=false

 

Here is one more article from a the same magazine but May 1980. It states that the Ford van can tow 5000 factory and 10,000 with a toe package. It is mainly tips on how get a bit more towing power out of your van and keeping the engine cool.. i think it mentions installing a transmission cooler also which is a great idea. You probably have a C6 which is great for towing.
You may need to click on "page 100" to get it to open.
https://books.google.com/books?id=4e...%20van&f=false

 

I am just waking up and seeing this! Thank you so much. I will look over your articles at lunch. Again thank you