This weekend we took the camper out with our new 1999 E-150 Chateau. It has the 5.4 with factory tow package, and 3.55 rear. I also use a weight distributin hitch.We tow a 2005 Keystone Hornet that weighs in at #4960 Dry. I Figure probably around #6000 loaded. In the van we carry my wife, two small daughters, and two boxer dogs, probably around #500-600. I was surprised to see that it was quite a dog when towing this load. I have no tach, but the RPM's seemed to get quite high in second gear. First and third gear were fine, but second had some difficulties. We did tow with OD off.

Heres the question.....

What are my options to make this beast tow better? I know a new rearend would probably help, but are there any other things that will help?


Thanks.


Nate
99 E-150 Chateau
93 F-150 4x2 Supercab

 

The 55s are a mid range gear but not quite short enough to pull a load good. The newer engines just don't pull like the old ones either. 4.10 gears will pull better but suck in the mpg end.

You will drive the van a lot more without the trailer so you'll need to be leaning towards that side.

There is no good answer without spending more bucks.

John

 

I just returned last week from the first heavy tow with my 1994 E150 Chateau with 351, E4OD and 3.55 limited slip rear end along with the factory towing package. I towed our new, to us, vintage, Avion 28' travel trailer about 1000 miles. The trailer weighs about 6000# as towed on this trip. The van handled the load just fine except for a few extremely mountainous grades.

On the advice of forum member Clubwagon who owns a transmission shop, I used the following shifting method. On flat or rolling terrain use overdrive as long as the engine isn't lugging. As you begin to loose speed going up hill, use the OD lock out button to shift to third and as you crest the hill and began to regain your speed you can release the lockout and allow the transmission to shift to overdrive when it is ready. Just don't allow the transmission to hunt and slip going in and out of OD on it's on. In my case when I was towing in a 65MPH speed limit area, I would shift out of OD when my speed dropped to 60. I maintained my momentum very well except for a few steep grades which slowed me to about 50 MPH in third. When I got back to the last street before my home which has an extremely steep grade I had to shift to second and barely made 25MPH up the hill.

The water temp gained one letter on the temp gauge from it's usual of just below the "O" to just below the "R" of the word "NORMAL" on the gauge every where except those step grades where it went to above the "R."

The van is stock except for the following items. K&N air filter, deep transmission pan and Magnafine external filter on the E4OD (pan from a four wheel drive model), Roadmaster Active suspension rear helper spring type device, Bilstien shocks, class IV hitch receiver added under the factory step bumper. I always run medium grade fuel and ran one tank of premium on this trip. I also add a bottle of Chevron tectrolene fuel treatment every couple of months to keep the injectors clean. I also was using a Reese weight distributing hitch with dual cam sway control. So there are no real performance mods to my van except the K&N, only items that make it a little more suitable for towing than it would be stock. I don't know how the power rating of your van compares to mine but my manual states that the van will handle a combined towing weight of 12,000. I weighed my van today with it full of gas, the middle seats removed and no passengers and it weighed #5380, so I am pretty close to maxing out. We tow with dry tanks in the trailer which helps allot.
I would recommend trying the shifting method described above and keep your momentum up and see if it doesn't work a little better for you. You may also want to weigh your van and your trailer to see what they actually loaded as you normaly travel. Your tow may be over weight.

Gene