imrama wrote: I'm in very early planning for trailer traveling/working/living, and I have a question about tow vehicles. I'd be moving the trailer around the country to follow the work I do, but I'd also want to leave the trailer for 2-3 days at a time where I'd like to be able to sleep and work in the vehicle itself if necessary (sitting for computer type of work). So all that open space on the back half of a pickup doesn't do me much good. But I'm considering a 25ft Airstream, at about 7000 lbs loaded weight.
So what do I lose in tow capacity, handling, or other, by going with a 3/4 ton van instead of a 3/4 ton pickup? Or even a 1 ton.
Thanks, all.
Jeff
What I have currently would fit your needs perfectly. Below is a pic of the sofa bed and even with a regular box Van like I have there is a 24" deep lockable storage area behind that sofa bed and even with it out there is still 3 to 4 ft. between it and the front bucket seats. The only down side is that the bed is just 73 or 74" wide so if you'r tall, maybe a longer sofa bed along the driver's side wall would be a better option.
I bought a cargo Van for for around $1,000 finished the interior (less the cost of the sofa bed which I took out of my old Conversion Van and put it in my new van) and you can look at that process and how I did it in the following album.
Some great options out there for vans depending on what you're willing to spend:
- Chevy 3500 Conversion with Duramax / Allison (new or recent used) (Chevy's have a longer wheelbase on the extended versions, so depending on your tongue weight / passenger situation, they might be preferable to the extended Ford E350, which has considerable overhang beyond the rear axle.)
- Chevy 3500 with 8.1 V8 Passenger or Conversion (2000-2002 I believe)
- Chevy 3500 with 6.0 V8 Passenger or Conversion (IMO this engine is plenty powerful)
- Ford E350 with V10 Passenger or Conversion (also available in dual rear wheels if you can find it - would counter the blurb I added up top about the overhang. Personally, I wouldn't settle for the 5.4l V8 for towing.)
- Ford E350 with PSD Passenger or Conversion (not sure of year availability - beware of certain year PSD problems)
In my experience it can be harder to find the 1 tons in conversion vans, but they are out there. Here's two good sites to check: Adventure Vans Reliable Chevrolet (actually have a conversion van expert on staff)
Definitely go 1 ton if you go van. The towing numbers don't seem to perfectly align with the numbers for the trucks (a 3/4 ton truck might outperform a 1 ton van due to several variables). I'm not familiar with the Dodges, so I'm not dissing them - just not as knowledgeable.
2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab SB LS 6.0L 4x4 4.10
DW, DD (May, 2007), DS (October, 2008), and me
I am in the fortunate position of having two excellent tow vehicles in the driveway: an F-350 V-10 and an E-350 PSD (7.3). I've used them both on extended trips hauling a mid-sized travel trailer, and all things considered, the way I use it, I prefer the pick-up over the van. That said, the way the OP envisions using it, I would say the van would be the better choice for him. They are both over-kill for my tow vehicle needs, but if I were to sell one, which common sense tells me I should do, it would be a hard choice which one.
for most of my life I have had availability to pick-up's and always had a van as my dedicated TV...
just like different RV's, there is no perfect TV... each has advantages and disadvantages...
for me the advantages of a van out weigh those of a pick-up, and right now I am trying a SUV (soon to be back to a van though)...
the van I have now is what is called a half-back conversion, and is as close to perfect as I could get... it is a standard conversion up front with the sofa-bed behind the front captains chairs... the back is partitioned and sealed off from the front and has a bed liner that extends under the sofa-bed... this allows for hauling full sheets of ply-wood with the rear doors closed...
I don't know if they are still available or not, they were last year but I couldn't find them in a quick search...
Love my mass produced, entry level, built by Lazy American Workers, Hornet
We tow a 27 ft TT with an E350 diesel (regular body cargo van) that has been converted to a camper. The van has a rear seat that folds out to a full size bed, a microwave, refrigerator and a porta-potty. We looked at class B's but the ones we saw are only rated to tow 5,000 lbs. Our E350 will tow 10,000 lbs. For us, it's the best of both worlds; a TT with all the comforts of home for longer trips and a van for weekend get-a-ways.
Wow, this is all WONDERFUL stuff. Thanks, everybody. I'm now steering toward the Ford E-350 one-ton standard length van. Not sure yet about the 10 cylinder or the diesel. I assume finding emergency repairs on the road is easier with the gas engine?
The short hops are my main reason for thinking about a van, and I'd probably get that for the first year and see how set I am on the trailer living. I love the idea of moving house whenever the mood and the work strikes, and after four basement floods in three houses over the years, I find I'm already pretty minimalized...and sort of over the locked-in-the-neighborhood thing. The main decision now is whether to buy new or used, converted or stripped for my own extended customization.
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