Tow Vehicle

[Pistol Pete]

Originally Posted by Dave Ribeiro

Pete,

Check on what a GM crate motor cost & have it put in ... Is the Sub. in good shape, if it is you can get another 5-8 years out of it, for not much more than 3-4 K !!! Plus you know what you have in the Sub. they make great tow trucks ... ( I have had 14 of them ) Good Luck....

Probably is the Best Solution Dave.....

[gumbalaya]

Something else to consider, the GM full-size trucks/Suburbans have much more aftermarket support than the vans. Also, if you wanna work on it yourself, the vans are very tight under the hood & dash.

I've looked into just getting a set of headers for the asthmatic 350 in my '98 GMC 3500 dually utility van, but no one makes them, and going custom probably wouldn't be worth the hassle.

The MY2003+ vans come with an LS-based motor, or you could try to find a 2007+ 3500 with the rare Duramax (de-rated to ~250HP & ~460 lb-ft).

I don't know how much weight you need to pull, but the Mercedes/Dodge/Freightliner Sprinter diesel vans are nice, they have 78 inch stand-up height in back, rated to tow 5000-7500 lbs, and get good fuel economy. I would've made one into a mobile shop, but my GMC came with a shop in back already installed:

[Greg Gay]

I've towed about 120,000 miles with a '99 Ford E-350 van and diesel. I spec'd it myself and it was the most heavy duty van I could buy. It does a great job, and I plan to use it for some time to come. However, a tractor trailer does affect you when it goes by. Over the years, I have gotten used to the feeling that it will move a bit, but it was uncomfortable initially. I don't think that a pickup or Suburban, with single rear wheels, would be any different. I am 15,300 lbs. rolling down the road, and I don't think I would want to try to pull much more. That being said, I hooked this same trailer to the back of a tractor trailer bobtail, and I swear I could feel the trailer going around corners. Not that it actually moved me, but I could feel it.

I think the best setup would be something where the pivot point was ahead of the rear wheels. In other words a fifth wheel. I think a single rear wheel pickup with a fifth wheel would be plenty adequate.