I have a 1986 B250 with a 318 and 3.21 gears. I'm putting a class III hitch on it (along with a larger tranny cooler) to occasionally tow a car & trailer . The chassis seems more than up to it but I'm worried this little 318 just won't have the power if I hit some hills along I-44. Your thoughts ?

 

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the state of the engine, how many miles, has it been maintained, what is the tow rating...etc. Never know till you try.

 

Engine is healthy, 65,000 orig miles. Might remove the cat convt and put on duel exhaust.

 

How much you expecting to pull? With how much inside the van?

If over 2500 Lbs, then 3.55, 3.73 or 4.11 rear diff ratios will make more difference than catcon delete with dual exhaust. 323's are too tall for towing any significant weight.

Carb'd LA318s are just not that powerful. TBI hardly any better. It is the MPFI magnums where torque and horsepower stepped up where they should be.

 

Your 5.2L/318cid with the 3.21 is the same setup found in many of the older mopar cars like the Valiant/Dart/Duster/Volare/Aspen etc ... Mostly the A, B and C bodies in the era.

If the van had the 3.55 or the 3.92 rear, your chances of towing greater weight would improve greatly. The 3.21 rear is good for MPG basically. I've towed a 4,500-lbs travel trailer with a 3.9L Magnum V6 with the 3.55 rear. This would be close to your LA 5.2L/318cid engine for Hp and torque. I must say, it was like beating a dog to get up and over overpass bridges on the interstate. On the flat lands 60mph was very good. Then upwards it dropped suddenly to 45mph with the pedal smashed to the floor. My trip was 260 miles one way and later that week heading back. So, for a guess-i-mate, I would suppose nothing over 3,600-lbs for the setup you have.

Yes, the 5.2L/318cid Magnum engine does the towing of the 4,500 travel trailer like it's not even there. That is why I had sold the B1500 and got the B2500 setup.

Oh, does your engine have a tranny cooler too? And if you do tow, get the lube-gard in the red bottle, this would help with the temperature flash point and correct the tranny fluid from thinning out too much.

I tow a good deal with the Magnum engine Ram Van; campers, enclosed trailers, car-haulers, utility trailers, and dump hauling trailers moving over 5-tons of gravel.

 

Lower gears would be nice but I think you will be ok just a bit slow.

 

3,500 - 4,000 lbs occasionally. I also have a 6 x 12 trailer with a 600 lb go cart, my 4 wheeler (450 lbs) and two kids that I take to St Joe State park. I think my 4 cylinder Caravan could do that if it had to. (1,500 towing)

140 horses is what I found. Pretty strangled in pushing 5,000 + lbs.

Even the 3.9 Magnum is 175 horses and I think the 318 Magnum is 230 hp, that's knockin at 100 more horses.


Friend of mine has two Magnums : a late 90s shorty with a 3.9 Magnum and 3 speed Torqueflite and 3.55 gears. He pulls 3,500 - 4,000 lbs with it for his business and he says it dogs it out, but it does the job reliably. I think it could outpull my 318.

He recently picked up a 99 or 2000 model 3/4 ton pass van with the 318 Magnum and 3.92 gears w/overdrive. He's getting a hitch installed, but it feels like it could pull a house.

 

Recommend running your rig over a truck stop scale, conversion vans weights vary. If your rig is close or over GVWR your trip will not be as enjoyable, maintaining speed and stopping could be a challenge, something to consider with family onboard.

 

Agree, but I know a lwb 3/4 ton conversion van is a pretty heavy pig.

I just don't think this van can handle a trailer with a car too well. I think

if I were to two a fwd lighter car with a dolly it would suffice.

The Go cart/4 wheeler I know it can because my 4 cylinder minivan did it

(well, it struggled)

Thanks.

 

I have an 86 Ram 150 with 6,050# gwv. before this I had a '82 150 with a slant six . I crossed the Truck Stops of America scales with the 82 grossing over 10,200 #'s (south of Atlanta, some 25+ yrs ago ) took it to Orlando & used the truck as my work truck till it was totaled 4 yrs later also I have towed a 28" Sea Ray i/o on a steel trailer with the truck ('86 )when it was stock except for a high performance coil ( a man had burned up the tranny on a 1 ton Ford van pulling it & I hooked on & finished the journey for him . I have also carried over 5,000 #'s in bed . This isn't recommended, but this truck has the torque to do the job .stock torque comes in @ #2,000rpm much lower rpm's than competition. Truck now has 343 c.i. hi performance ignition roller bearing. This truck's rear axle in rated only 400 #'s less than the 1 ton.