Towing with full size van...?

Deltaboy59

Really impressed with the Ford Transit Van with V6 ecoboost...many live full time in them. As TV for my t@b I can see the interior space becoming my dinette area...I love the high roof that allows a person to stand up. Swivel chairs...connect van to t@b with an awning and you have doubled your living space...anyone doing anything similar...?

Playc

Glad to see this post.  Getting my Transit Cargo Van in 2/2017.  Like to learn all about towing and camping with my Sofitel TaB

webers3

Seems like contrary to the idea of small camper

Sharon_is_SAM

Which Transit Van model are you getting?  I would think the higher roof height may help eliminate some towing turbulence and help out mpg.

Playc

Mine is Transit 150 MR LWB 3.5 Ecoboost engine with dual sliding doors.  

My Plan, while continue to tow my Sofitel TaB
1.a work/dining folding table ... hence become a work/living room
2. an electic heater/porable AC
3. 42" TV
4. carpet and sound insulation
5. a Kayak and mountain bike

Still very new to camping and towing but have alreday enjoyed the experience, plan to make trips to travel from Houston to San Dieago and via PCH1 to LA and San Fran in 2017; and may even join you all to Alaska.

Hope to continue to learn from folks on the forum

Nomad

Sounds like you're trying to creating a big fifth wheel experience...Dining rooms, living rooms, TV rooms, bar... :-)

Playc

LOL.  Just curious, there must be someone on the forum using a big VAN to tow TaB

Nomad

Don't know about a T@B but know one that pulls an old remodeled antique with a raised top conversion van and it's because he's a big pac rat. Used to have a pickup with a topper but that couldn't haul enoungh.

Cyclonic

Deltaboy59 said:

Really impressed with the Ford Transit Van with V6 ecoboost...many live full time in them. As TV for my t@b I can see the interior space becoming my dinette area...I love the high roof that allows a person to stand up. Swivel chairs...connect van to t@b with an awning and you have doubled your living space...anyone doing anything similar...?

I think the Transit would make for an excellent TV, no model has a tow capacity below 3500.

I know someone on FB saw one on the road towing a T@B out west, but I don't think that owner is on any of the forums.

Kurt_SueAnn

We just purchased a Toyota sienna van to pull our T@B S, it's really convenient to have our "stuff" secure in the van while traveling and still be able to haul the grandkids around when we visit. We don't plan on using the van as additional living space. 
Kurt_SueAnn, Sharon, Pa.

Sharon_is_SAM

We have a Sienna too.  Wondering what kind of receiver drop you ended up using.  We had a Draw tight hitch placed, but have not yet purchased the receiver/ball.  Have you towed with it yet?

Kurt_SueAnn

SAM, we are set up with a Curt hitch and a Reese with a 3 1/4" drop 2" rise. The 2" rise is just about perfect. Of course a lot depends on how tight you are to the Sienna's bumper and how the trailer is loaded! So far we've traveled mostly in central and western pa. The van drives like there is nothing there! I-80 or up in the mountains you end up checking the mirror to make sure the T@B is still there. We will be heading out to San Diego and up to Sequim, Washington after the holidays, so I'll have a better idea then. 
Kurt_SueAnn, Sharon, Pa. (Upgraded from a T@G to a T@B)

Sharon_is_SAM

Thank you.  I look forward to your report.  I will check out the differences between the Curt and Draw tight.  I bet not much.

Thanks!

ericnliz

Kurt_SueAnn, I saw your post, and was curious, when you go to Sequim from San Diego, will you drive straight up the coast, or be going inland and take the ferry to Port Townsend? Extremely nice drive up the coast through the cedar belt, beautiful scenery. Only reason I asked about it is that I used to live in Port Angeles and spent a lot of time tent camping in that area. Sequim is known in the area as the Banana Belt as it can be pouring rain in the surrounding areas, and sunny and nice in Sequim. Have a safe trip!

Kurt_SueAnn

Ericnliz, we have gone both ways (SueAnn's daughter and family live there)! It is amazing to be in the sunshine in Sequim looking at the snow in the mountains, have even seen snow lightening up there as I sat on the porch in shorts!

ericnliz

Kurt_SueAnn, The view from Hurricane Ridge is an awesome site. Have you ever visited Sol Duc Hot Springs? If not, take the time to go. Sits in a cedar belt, campground is up on a hill from the parking lot, cross the bridge over the river, and there are over 100 hot springs on the far bank ranging in size from a big puddle to a good size pond. Went snow camping there several times, made the trek across the river to the hot springs, jumped in, [commando style] quick dash to the river, take a plunge, and back to the hot springs to warm up. Only draw-back was watching for the Park Rangers as they weren't too keen on skinny dipping!

KBaggins1

We recently purchased a diesel Ford Transit 150 cargo van; red to match our hobbit house.  We unfortunately got it to late in the season to go camping with but test driving at about 60 mph without the trailer=24 MPG (US); 10.2L/100 km, better than my Honda Pilot.  Purchased for long adventures to pack our inflatable kayaks, golf equipment, bikes and portable freezer etc.

Playc

Hi KBaggins1 - not sure where you are but do come to Texas, we are in Houston/Austin area and can camp year round.  Great to know from your post on Transit 150 cargo van (ours ETA 2/2017).  Plan to do almost the same as you ...  What's your experience with the inflatable kayak?  Consider buying one for camping use also.  Please post more and photos as well.

And welcome to the great forum, please do visit often ... I for sure have learned and benefit a lot here 

KBaggins1

Playc, thanks for the invite, we are located in Canada and just sitting here waiting for the snow to go away.  We had never kayaked before so we started with an Advanced Elements Advanced Frame Expedition kayak, 19kgs; this is a great stable kayak, but we found too heavy at the time because we had to carry it to the lake and that was just too much weight for us for the distance we have to go.  Then we tried the Sea Eagle 300X Explorer 12.7 kg, very stable, extremely tough, rated for Class 4 rapids.  (not sure if we are going to be testing that claim..lol) and the weight is easily manageable for one.  I still wanted something lighter to get to the beach at home so I got the Innova Twist at a mere 19 lbs, very light, durable but not nearly as stable as the other 2.  We have used all three on 4 hr trips down a local river, have been hung up, dragged over rocks etc., and absolutely no issues with any.  So now my husband uses the Sea Eagle exclusively and depending on the water temperature, wave conditions and how close we can get to the water I use the other two.  We have the Advanced Elements double action hand pump with the gauge and inflation is a non issue.  I highly recommend inflatable kayaks for traveling; they are not "inflatable toys" but great space, gas savers. Hope this was helpful.

Playc

hi KBaggins1 thanks for the info.  we met a person from Canada camping at Galveston island state park 2 weeks ago so you folks should try Texas some time 

Playc

Links to top 8 inflatable kayaks:
https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-inflatable-kayaks?id=adw&gclid=CjwKEAiAp97CBRDr2Oyl-faxqRMSJABx4kh9ACun0HN_Vl5_lQBJbgnCW7WAdM_QVYJoFLUl1fx62BoCG4Hw_wcB

Playc

http://redirect.v

KBaggins1

Here are a few pics of our Ford transit TV. When we ordered it, the dealer told us it would take 6 months.  We ordered it in end of July so we could get the Ford employee pricing deal and pick it up in February sometime. We are not going to use it till March (when we both will be retired) so we thought it would work out well for us. Then it showed up in November so we used a bit (900 KM) and put it in our storage shed . So it has not towed anything yet but it drives like a great big car and we do enjoy it.  And it gets better mileage than our Honda Pilot.


There are lots of tie downs and mounting holes with blind nuts in them to mount stuff.  We need space for bikes kayaks golf clubs and room for a portable freezer and we are planning on putting most of our clothes in here too. But right now it is a big empty cave with a useable space of 9' long 5'8" wide and 4'5" high. Flat on the floor there is 10' from the seats to the back doors. For people that want a van like this to bring a motorcycle along, you should get the mid roof model. I am trading in my 750 Honda shadow for a Yamaha Super Tenere and the only way to get them in would be to fold down the handle bars. The rear door opening height on this low roof model is 48". 

Playc

KBaggins1 nice photos and thanks for sharing .

we expect our transit to arrive in 2/2017 and use the space as a mobile living/dining office area also carry bike and kayak and camping stuff, and to tow our T@B

Cyclonic

@KBaggins1, very nice, thanks for sharing.  It is a great looking combonation as w

Deltaboy59

I had a feeling the Transit would become a very popular TV... 

irvingj

That's the solution I would eventually have gone to, I think. My 2005 VW Jetta Wagon (TDI) towed our DM T@B just fine --well, you certainly knew it was there-- but the biggest problem I had was that if we were going anywhere over about 55mph the sheer size of the T@B, compared to our Jetta, became a real problem. It was like dragging a parachute around!

Over 65, 18 mpg. 55 or less, 30+ mpg. (This in a car that would get 46-49 mpg without the T@B.) Interstates became a no-no... which wasn't a bad thing, but sometimes it's nice to be able to cover some ground in a hurry.

Sure seemed like a taller, wider TV would have been ideal -- and 20+ mpg while towing a T@B is nothing to scoff at!! Pretty sure some kind of van would have been my next TV, if we hadn't sold the T@B.

Nice to have all that secure storage space, too, instead of stuffing things in the T@B!

Vermonster

Irvingj, nice to see you are still visiting the forum.  Those are interesting mileage numbers with the TDI.  We had an '04 that averaged about 43 (auto trans).

wizard1880

I got 24-26 mpg in our Jetta TDI sedan, towing at 60.  Indeed, it becomes one big parachute!  I've towed 1 ton pallets on a flatbed trailer and was able to achieve 40 mpg at that same speed on the flats, towing between Tacoma and Everett on Interstate 5.  You're literally spending all your fuel money on the wind drag!

irvingj

One of my first lessons in automotive aerodynamics came when I moved from NH to CA in 1974. First trip out was with my "car," a '72 Blazer. I picked up my wife-to-be in Chicago, and put an enclosed 6x8 U-Haul trailer behind the Blazer for the trip from there to MO where wife's family lived, to store her "stuff." Didn't even know the trailer was there. (Of course, on a GOOD day that Blazer got, maybe, 15mpg....) http://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Restored_1972_Chevrolet_K5_Blazer_1381793746.jpg

Had some time to kill after arriving in Monterey, so flew back to MO to get her car --and her stuff. Her car was a 1970 Maverick, 6-cyl auto, normally got around 25mpg. http://orig06.deviantart.net/354a/f/2011/342/a/1/south_end_of_a_1970_maverick_facing_north_by_haafasst-d4ikemy.jpg

Put that same trailer behind the Maverick, and.... Well, you can picture the nice, smooth airflow over the roof of the Maverick, down across its steeply raked rear window, across its short rear deck, over the little built-in spoiler lip on the back of the thing, and... SLAMMING into the solid, flat front of that trailer.
 
We'd been visiting friends in Ogden, so went north on 84 then west on Rte 30 to get back onto I-80, all to avoid the rat's nest of Salt Lake City. I was told "The road's great, very little traffic, you can sail right along!" Only problem was there were no gas stations, either!

At highway speeds, I could literally see the gas gauge on that Maverick moving to the left. Ran out of gas on Utah Rte 30, about 20 miles shy of the NV border. 110º in the shade --though there was none of that to be had.... Had to hitchhike to get a gas can and come back while wife guarded the car & trailer. Did I mention that there was hardly any traffic on that road??

Lesson learned!!

PS-- For you gearheads out there: My Blazer was same color & trim as pic, save for chrome bumpers & gas cap (mine were painted); purchased in Nov. 1972 with around 5000 miles on it; kept it for over 30 years and around 285,000 miles. Many, many adventures! Sold it back in 2003 to a fellow who plans to restore it. 307 V8, 4-speed "granny gear" trans. Wife's Maverick was the dark blue Ford used in '70; that car was sold in 1977 or so.

Sharon_is_SAM

KBaggins1:  Are you familiar with Cargovanconversion.com?