Short answer is yes. If you keep the van properly loaded AND have a stabilizer of some sort on the trailer then it will pull it just fine. You will be well within the weight limits of the van's capability. I would highly recommend keeping several vehicles distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. As the old saying goes it is not my driving that I am afraid of but the inconsiderate people whom happen to drive on the road as well.

 

Thanks for the reassurance; I was very worried that the rear overhang would simply mean that towing is unsafe. In the meantime, I've just found a 2003 B3500 non-extended with only 13,000 original kms ('bout 7,000 miles?). It's ex-military. The ad doesn't say if it's a 5.2 or 5.9 and that's the critical thing for me. If it has the 5.2L, I'll go for a different one that I've found: A 2000 B3500 extended wagon 5.9L 8-seater with only 78,000kms (50,000 miles?). Hopefully, I'll have my '03 with 75,000kms for sale soon. Thanks again. Tim

 

My friend do not believe everything you hear, I am driving my third extended van.
Over the past ten years I have towed up to 32ft campers with 1ton 15 pass vans, they tow long trailers with NO problems.

Currently I have a 1996 B3500 with 5K air bags installed a 5.9 and 3.90 gears and I pull a 30 ft 14k boat/trailer in overdrive @ 65mph at 1900rpm up and down the east coast getting 8mpg.

I find most people talking about Ford and Dodge extended vans being dangerous have never done it.

FYI these vans track better down the road with a trailer attached than a 2002 Ford Excursion with a 7.3 which I also own!

 

Thanks so much for the great reassurance. I will consider the extended vans more seriously; they are much more widely available in B3500 guise than the standard length. I really appreciate it. Tim

 

I am driving a 94 1/2 B250 (newer body style) long wheelbase with the 5.9 and 3 speed trans. I am towing a 28' camper at 5500 lbs. The vehicle is having a very hard time maintaining highway speeds. Not sure if this is due to the wrong gearing in the rear end. I regularly get 15.5mgp without the trailer, but the short trip with the trailer I estimated it at about 8mpg. I had a bit of bounce with the weight distributing hitch and anti-sway setup, so I am installing an Airlift system to stop the bounce. Looking for suggestions to help with maintaining speed.

 

Church Bus

15MPG with a 3 speed trans is pretty good wish I got that with a 4 speed. Your lack of power pulling 5500lbs to me is odd.

Have pulled a 9000lbs with a stock B3500 and could keep 60-65mph no problem and this is though the northeast not flatland.

Purchased dual wheel adapters and 5K airbags now pull up to 14k trailers no problem for over four years, between 29' camper and 30' sailboat trailer I pull over 2500 miles per year.

What is your rear end gears? with a 3 speed tranny and pulling less than 6K honestly you should not have any problems.

I am on my second B3500 in 10 years from my experiance your van should pull 5500lbs easy, my current van a 1996 5.9, 4 speed with a 3.90 rear end.

No engine mods at all.

contact me should you have more questions

 

Hi folks; Tim here from Ontario again. I was the one that initiated this thread a year ago.

"Church Bus": Are you sure the problem isn't just a lot of wind resistance? Last year, I bought a 8.5ft by 20ft enclosed cargo trailer that is about 8ft 6 inches overall height. I should have added the 'V' or 'Wedge' front, but it's dead flat. Anyway, my '02 B1500 with 5.2L (OK; smaller engine, only half ton) had a really hard time pulling it EMPTY, and the trailer only weighs 3,000lbs. When I load it with 2,000lbs of compact tractor, or my vintage sports car, it made no difference. It all came down to wind resistance. I also went from about 15mpg to about 8mpg, again when towing empty. I wanted to stick with a Dodge, but I now have an '07 GM Express 1-ton extended van with the 6 litre engine. It too goes from about 16 mpg when not towing to 9.3 mpg when towing empty. Some say I should've gone for Diesel, but the GM and Ford diesels are so complicated. All it takes is for a hose to blow, or a fanbelt to fall off, and it could easily be a $4,000 repair. I can buy a lot of gas with that. Obviously, there isn't a Dodge van available, especially not with a diesel!

Anyway, do give the wind resistance possibility some thought. I am thinking of upgrading my trailer next year to one with a wedge front.

Tim

 

When it comes to towing a trailer the most important aspect is weight distribution. Even if you have a big ole bad *** 1 ton truck when you put 1000 pounds of tongue weight on the rear end that lightens the front end. Slam on your brakes with a lightened front end like that and you'll quickly discover why Equalizer Trailer Hitches are the only way to tow. This type of trailer hitch lifts some of the tongue weight off the rear end and applies it to the front end giving you far greater safety and stopping ability. They also help greatly reduce sway which is a very dangerous situation when towing. So even when you have a 1/2 ton van, you can still tow a 10,000 pound trailer with a 1000 lb tongue weight, providing your tires, brakes, engine, and trans can handle it, be smart when towing drive 55 and get there alive.

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/About%...zer/videos.php

 

I would encourage you to use PM on this forum if you want to provide personal help. Your offer of a good deed by listing your email publicly is going to get you spammed almost immediately, and from multiple sources.

 

Thank you for the advice, will use the PM in the future.