Towing w/Conversion Van?

[murphini]

Happy Almost Spring.... 2 months til boat out of storage here in KC!

We have an '07 24ve that I tow with our 2004 Expedition. No problems, in fact I don't even feel it back there. We take at least two 400 mile trips every year towing the boat.

I'm thinking of looking for a full size V8 Ford or Chevy converstion van --Regency Conversion, Explorer Converstion.... The vans list 7,500# tow ratings.

Questions:
Anyone tow their 22 or 24ve with a converstion van?
Will I miss the 4wd on the tow out of the water?

Looking for any opinions or experiences.

[dogbert]

I'd say it would depend on the ramp whether or not you'd miss the 4WD. I would test drive the van with your boat attached.

[chpthril]

Is it a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton conversion? We had a lot of 1/2 ton conversions that sag in the azz due to the added weight of the conversion so we swapped out the rear leafs with 3/4 to get the ride height back up.

[murphini]

little cart in front of the horse (or van in front of the boat).... I don't have one picked out yet, just saw one parked the other day and wondered if it would work, so I posted to see if anyone tows with one.

IF I do fine one that looks good, low miles, etc I'll check it out the engine, and rear differential, look for tranny cooler and take a test drive.

[Tequilasun]

I think it's a sketchy idea. Here's why. If the van isn't 4wd, then you are gonna want to look for ramps that are shallow angle. Meaning the back of that van is going to go further into the water than you want. I say this because I've seen people flood the back of vans, albeit not a conversion. Just something to think about. Trucks and suv's are much higher in the rear than most vans. But take a look, it would be sweet to roll around in.

[noworries]

Is the tow rating before, or after the conversion? Manufacturer's tow rating is based on the Gross Combined Vehicle Rating. The added weight of the conversion plus passengers (other than driver), gear, water, etc. must be subtracted to leave you a net towing rating.

If you pursue this, look for a one-ton van as the basis for the conversion. That should get you some more "freeboard" for flat ramps as well.

[Stoneman]

My neighbor has a conversion van that he uses (or at least tries to) for his Malibu. The Van is great for everything EXCEPT getting the boat out of the water! When the waters low, like it has been for years, the back end of the van is totally under water-not a good thing. If the ramp is even remotely steep, the tires spin and slide like crazy. Same thing if we get past the ramp and into rock/gravel. Several times we've had to unhook and get my 2WD Yukon to get the boat out. On the flip side if conditions at the ramp are good...no problems. So I guess it all depends on where you launch.

[murphini]

I'll keep the Expedition...

thanks for replies. Had not thought of the back end being lower and therefore probably being in the water. So while it would probably TOW ok, that other little thing of getting in/out of water would be a challenge.

I'll keep my Expedition for now.

[noworries]

Good idea. At Shasta in July last year my diesel pickup with 35" tires was bumper deep getting the boat off the trailer. Now that was a flat ramp. The ramp closed later that day for the season. We pulled out elsewhere.