E-250 V8 -250 EB is it enough?

bshillam · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 2:22 pm Post subject: E-250 V8 -250 EB is it enough?

I am looking at an E-250 to pull another C-Dory and wondering if it's enough Van to pull at 25. It is a 96 EB E-250 with a 351. Anyone have experience with this kind of a set up?

Sunbeam · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 2:50 pm Post subject:

Edited because I missed something major:

I didn't notice at first, but I think you are asking about towing a 25 and not a 22.

bshillam · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 2:55 pm Post subject: ?

Would you have felt it was enough though for a CD 25?

Sunbeam · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:02 pm Post subject:

I went back and edited my post (apparently while you were writing this) to reflect that. The "at 25" must have made me miss that you are thinking about a 25. Short answer: No. But I elaborated above.

For a bit more info, here is the data from my last scale weigh in late 2013 summarized. This is with the van loaded as for travel with two people. The boat has gear on it, but empty tanks. I am in the van, but my passenger is not.

The figures on the left are the max ratings for the van. The figures in parentheses are what I got at the scale, with the boat in tow. I have more data if you need it (say if you decide to go 22). Weights for the van without the trailer attached, etc.

As you can see, nothing is over ratings, but I can't imagine adding 3,500# without going way over. An EB would add to the effective weight on the rear axle because the wheelbase is the same, so all the added van is overhang and thus multiplies the weight on the rear axle (i.e. adds more than it really is).

Van specs
GVWR 8,600 (weight when towing 8,180#)
GAWR-F 3,700 (weight when towing 3,340#)
GAWR-R 5,120 (weight when towing 4,840#)
GCWR 13,000 (weight when towing 12,360#)

bshillam · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:10 pm Post subject: Sportsmobile

Yeah - that was my thinking. I am looking at purchasing an E-250 EB Sportsmobile that will be a little heavier than the stock passenger or cargo van. I might have to look at the larger truck market and diesel vans prior. Thanks for your feedback!

Sunbeam · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 3:18 pm Post subject:

I found that many RV's and camper vans can handle towing up to around 5,000# (although not all can so you do still have to check/weigh even for a 22). But once you get above that it gets challenging to find a camper/tow rig (barring a larger diesel pusher). This is one reason I didn't buy a Cape Cruiser or Venture 23. Even that additional 1,000# would have messed up my vehicle choices -- and the 25 is more like 4,000# additional (over the 22). It takes a prodigious tow rig, and even more so if you try to combine it with a camper. Not that I blame you for trying, as I really enjoy traveling with the camper/boat combo (plus having the option to go with just the camper for land traveling).

An RB van would be better in giving you lower rear axle weight, but then of course you lose two feet of van. Perhaps an E-350 van would work? (I haven't looked into those vis-a-vis a 25, since I have a 22.)

journey on · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 11:38 pm Post subject:

That E-250 is the same running gear as a F-250. Also, I owned a 351 V-8, back in the 70's and it was a strong engine. Presently, I tow a C-Dory 25 with a '06 F-250 and the 334 V-8.

So, my opinion is that the E-250 can easily tow a C-Dory 25 with a few caveats. A '96 is 18 years old and if it's worn out that's a problem. Second is having good (electric-hydraulic) brakes on the trailer. And have the transmission checked. An idle comment is that '96 must have been the last year or so for the 351.

Of course, a new truck/van is certainly better. If you can do that, go for it.

Boris

JamesTXSD · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 11:55 pm Post subject:

When we ordered our 25, we already owned a Leisure Travel campervan on a one-ton van chassis. It was on the Dodge chassis, and it was not the equivalence of the one ton Dodge pickup. Ours had the heavy-duty towing package, and it still only allowed for around 8,000 pounds of towing capacity (not including extra load in the van).

At the time, I was told by the factory that the 25 would be "6,500 pounds all up on the trailer." They missed that by a ton. Before our boat was ready, I had checked with other 25 owners and was finding that NO ONE had a 25 that was 6,500 pounds all up on the trailer. Most were 8,000 pounds or more. Ours was 8,700 pounds last time we weighed it (light on fuel, quite a bit of boat stuff in the bed of our diesel pickup).

A van conversion is going to be heavier than a regular van; besides the camping facilities, there will be holding tanks and personal gear.

We talked with our service facility (Dodge/Jeep/GMC) before committing to towing with the van... they did NOT recommend it, saying that the van transmission was not up to the same loads as the one ton truck. That led us to buying a diesel pickup.

We really enjoyed that Class B campervan - it was a great road-traveling machine. All the facilities of a Class A motorhome in a size that you could park anywhere. Had it been up to towing the CD-25, it would have been a GREAT land/water combination.

As it turns out, the 3/4 ton diesel pickup has been a good match-up with the 25. I don't regret having enough tow vehicle when it comes to safely moving the 25 coast to coast or the Gulf to the PNW.

Good luck with the search,
Jim B.

Sunbeam · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 12:13 am Post subject:

journey on · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 11:50 am Post subject:

Well, you need a good engine to pull a 25 C-Dory, a heavy duty rear axle to handle the torque and a stiff suspension to control the weight.

I think an E-250 has the 3/4 ton truck suspension (or F-250?), a strong engine and a full floating rear axle. So what is wrong with that?

I've towed Journey On with a '63 Chevvie 1/2 ton, short wheelbase AND a 350. Worked well, except for the fuel injection I added. And I don't want to know what the mfg's rating was.

Boris

Chris · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2014 1:23 pm Post subject:

The reality is that the badging can be very misleading...all F-250's or E-250's are not created equally. Further complicated by model year variations. Just a quick example...2009 E-250's were built with 5 different spring packs and 4 different radiators...depending on how the truck was spec'd. So to say that a E-250 will do this or that job really doesn't get it done...it's all about which E-250...which equipment...which model year. The extreme case on this concept is the F-450 of late...depending on model year and spec...completely different trucks. And in some cases the F-450 has grossly lower ratings than the F-350. Now if you are buying new...you can spec based on your requirements...but in the used market...you need to pay attention to spring packs...gears...brake sizes...it gets complicated. But the badge on the body does not tell you much.