2015-2017 3500 Towing Abilities - - - - Sorry if you've heard this one
March 23rd, 2017, 5:33 PM
#1
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2015-2017 3500 Towing Abilities - - - - Sorry if you've heard this one
Sorry if you have heard this one....
Looking for a new tow vehicle for a large family. I currently tow with an ecoboost Ford Transit and its just not cutting the mustard. I have a large family and need a high payload capacity so I have landed on the 3500 Express. The one I am looking at has a tow rating of 9300 pounds. Thats a pretty good number, my question is how well does it do it? My current trailer is 4000ish pounds but when the little crumb crunchers get bigger its probably going to go up to about a 6500 pound trailer. My goal is to have a dedicated tow vehicle.
Anyone who has the 3500 who tows heavy loads please let me know how it does, or if this is a very common question could you please point me in the right direction to a thread that has already been started.
Thanks so much!
Looking for a new tow vehicle for a large family. I currently tow with an ecoboost Ford Transit and its just not cutting the mustard. I have a large family and need a high payload capacity so I have landed on the 3500 Express. The one I am looking at has a tow rating of 9300 pounds. Thats a pretty good number, my question is how well does it do it? My current trailer is 4000ish pounds but when the little crumb crunchers get bigger its probably going to go up to about a 6500 pound trailer. My goal is to have a dedicated tow vehicle.
Anyone who has the 3500 who tows heavy loads please let me know how it does, or if this is a very common question could you please point me in the right direction to a thread that has already been started.
Thanks so much!
March 23rd, 2017, 6:05 PM
#2
The best option if you an find one is the 3500 express duramax. If its the 6 lirtre gas engine. then it will do it fine. Just not as well on the hills. Also it matters what rear axle ratio you have.
I noticed a difference on my half ton when I switched from my 2500. Going to 3.42 from 3.73 vortec 350 made a diff on hills for sure, even though the 3.42 1500 has more horsepower.
I noticed a difference on my half ton when I switched from my 2500. Going to 3.42 from 3.73 vortec 350 made a diff on hills for sure, even though the 3.42 1500 has more horsepower.
March 24th, 2017, 12:23 PM
#3
I have about 80,000 miles towing with a 2006 Express 3500 6.0, 15 passenger. My trailers were never less than 7,000 lbs. When we were RVing with my family for about 2 years and 10,000 miles I towed a 40' park model travel trailer weighing about 11,000 lbs. Also about 20,000 miles towing with a 2008 Duramax Express van.
The van tows really well. In fact, I think it's the best towing van of all times. A short 7.3 diesel Ford might be an option, but they are old by now, and the extended ones have way too long rear overhang which will unload your front axle significantly when you hook up a trailer .
On those really long 6% grades in Arizona it had to work very hard in the 1st gear and barely go 30mph. But if you're going for a newer one, it will have a 6-speed transmission which will make the whole experience much better. Also, your towing is way less than mine was. I was weighing over 18k lbs on scales at times. So the 6.0+6L90e will work great for you, but don't get the 4.8 version.
I would invest in a "severe duty fan clutch" - it's only $50 from RockAuto but will prevent overheating in the hills, and may be an auxiliary transmission cooler.
The Duramax option is nice but it's extremely difficult to find in a passenger setting, more expensive upfront and is also very expensive if the time bomb CP4 injection pump goes. And it's detuned in a van application anyways. Also in terms of passenger comfort, the gas one is much quieter. Diesel is very loud. The advantage is fuel mileage and it's a bit faster going uphill. Basically where my gas van would go up at 35mph, the diesel can maintain 45mph. It still downshifts and works hard. So unless you tow for a living it's probably not worth it.
One option to consider is a 2001-2002 van with the 8.1L engine, but they are as rare as the passenger Duramax. I swapped one 8.1 into my 2006 that was a 6.0, and it tows very very well. Although, the van now gets 10mpg empty or loaded.
The van tows really well. In fact, I think it's the best towing van of all times. A short 7.3 diesel Ford might be an option, but they are old by now, and the extended ones have way too long rear overhang which will unload your front axle significantly when you hook up a trailer .
On those really long 6% grades in Arizona it had to work very hard in the 1st gear and barely go 30mph. But if you're going for a newer one, it will have a 6-speed transmission which will make the whole experience much better. Also, your towing is way less than mine was. I was weighing over 18k lbs on scales at times. So the 6.0+6L90e will work great for you, but don't get the 4.8 version.
I would invest in a "severe duty fan clutch" - it's only $50 from RockAuto but will prevent overheating in the hills, and may be an auxiliary transmission cooler.
The Duramax option is nice but it's extremely difficult to find in a passenger setting, more expensive upfront and is also very expensive if the time bomb CP4 injection pump goes. And it's detuned in a van application anyways. Also in terms of passenger comfort, the gas one is much quieter. Diesel is very loud. The advantage is fuel mileage and it's a bit faster going uphill. Basically where my gas van would go up at 35mph, the diesel can maintain 45mph. It still downshifts and works hard. So unless you tow for a living it's probably not worth it.
One option to consider is a 2001-2002 van with the 8.1L engine, but they are as rare as the passenger Duramax. I swapped one 8.1 into my 2006 that was a 6.0, and it tows very very well. Although, the van now gets 10mpg empty or loaded.