Ford Transits can be a great choice if you are planning on traveling regularly or you need lots of cargo space. It is possible to tow cargo or a trailer behind a transit van, but the towing capacity varies between the different models and trims.
Before attempting to tow anything, you need to first be aware of your van’s specific towing capacity; towing trailers that are too heavy can potentially cause damage to your transit. In this article we discuss what is the Ford Transit towing capacity, looking at the specific figures for certain Transit vans on the market today.
Are you wondering if you can tow a trailer with your Ford Transit van? It is possible to tow a trailer on a Ford Transit Van.
Whether you are trying to transport additional cargo or take your travel trailer on vacation, you will need to know the towing capacity of your Ford Transit before you begin your journey. Ford Transit Vans come in three different variations: the cargo van, crew van, and passenger van.
The towing capacity of a Ford Transit cargo van is between 4700 pounds and 6900 pounds. The Ford Transit crew van can not tow as much but is still able to tow trailers weighing between 4300 and 6500 pounds. The Ford Transit passenger vans have the smallest towing capacity, only being able to pull trailers weighing between 3800 and 4500 pounds.
Whether you have a Ford Transit cargo, crew, or passenger van, it is possible to tow a cargo or travel trailer. This is good news if you intend to drive your Transit on your camping trips or if you just don’t have all the space you need for your cargo and luggage inside the van.
When driving a passenger van, if your Transit is full of people, having the ability to tow a cargo trailer can be a real lifesaver.
There is no one set rule for how much weight a Ford Transit van can tow. The year your Transit was made will determine its towing capacity, as well as several other factors.
Curious to know what specific things contribute to the towing capacity of a Ford Transit van? Here are the key factors that determine how much weight a Transit van is able to tow:
Ford Transit vans come in three trim options: 150, 250, and 350. In older generations, there was a different tow capacity for each trim, but in more recent years the towing capacity has stayed the same across them all.
However, the size of the wheelbase, the engine size, and the drive option (all-wheel/rear-wheel) do vary between the different trims, as does the height of the van.
If you want to tow a trailer with a Ford Transit, you are going to need a towing package to make your towing experience as easy and safe as possible. A towing package will include a blind spot information system, sway controls, a rear backup camera, and advanced track stability.
You will also need to fit a compatible trailer hitch to your van, as it will not come readily equipped with a hitch ball or ball mounting.
Now that you know it is possible to tow a trailer with your Ford Transit Van (whether you drive a cargo, crew, or passenger model), it is time for us to discuss towing capacity.
Towing capacity is the maximum weight of a trailer or other vehicle that your van is able to safely tow. If you are unsure of your vehicle’s towing capacity, this information can often be found in the car owner’s manual or the inside of the driver’s door, or on the car company website.
Keep reading this article to learn the towing capacity of Ford Transit Vans, but let’s first look at why towing capacity is so important.
If you intend to tow a cargo or travel trailer, you need to be sure the weight is compatible with the towing capacity of your Ford Transit. There are two different towing capacities drivers need to be aware of: braked towing capacity and unbraked towing capacity.
Braked towing capacity refers to the maximum weight that can be pulled for trailers that have their own braking system. The unbraked towing capacity refers to the maximum weight a vehicle can tow when the trailer does not have its own independent braking system.
You may be thinking if your van is equipped with a trailer hitch, you can tow whatever you want. This is not the case, the towing capacity is not just a guideline that can be ignored or is open to personal interpretation.
It is important you do not exceed the towing capacity of your Transit van for the following reasons:
Exceeding the towing capacity of your Transit van is a very bad idea. It may not seem like much, but any weight over the maximum towing capacity is too much and you are putting your van at risk of expensive and serious damage.
You now know exactly what towing capacity means and why you should never try to tow more weight than your vehicle is built to handle. Now, let’s take a look at the Ford Transit towing capacity.
The Ford Transit cargo van is built to carry cargo and only has two front seats. The Transit cargo comes in various lengths and drivers can customize their van, choosing a size to suit their cargo needs.
However, sometimes drivers need even more space for their cargo or need to transport large items than just wouldn’t fit into the van. A trailer can be extremely useful in these situations.
Here is a list of the towing capacity for the Ford Transit cargo vans, the weight varies between the different wheelbases and wheel-drive options:
Model: Cargo Van 3.5L PFDI V6
Wheelbase: 129.9
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 6,100 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 6,400 pounds
Wheelbase: 147.6
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 6,000 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 6,200 pounds
Model: Cargo Van 3.5L Ecoboost V6
Wheelbase: 129.9
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 6,600 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 6,900 pounds
Wheelbase: 147.6
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 6,500 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 6,800 pounds
The Ford Transit Crew Cab Van has two rows of seating, creating space for up to five occupants. If you have no rear passengers, you can remove the second row of seats to free up space for more cargo. Similar to the cargo van, the Crew Cab is available in various lengths, with different sizes of wheelbase, and in either all-wheel or rear-wheel drive.
Model: Crew Van 3.5L PFDI V6
Wheelbase: 129.9
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 5,800 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive:6,000 pounds
Wheelbase: 147.6
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive:5,700 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 5,900 pounds
Model: Crew Van 3.5L Ecoboost V6
Wheelbase: 129.9
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 6,300 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 6,500 pounds
Wheelbase: 147.6
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 6,200 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 6,400 pounds
The Ford Transit passenger van is popular for drivers with large families or the need to regularly transport large groups of people. A passenger van can have up to 15 seats, which can all be removed to make room for more cargo when necessary.
A Ford Transit passenger van is a great vehicle for drivers looking for the flexibility to have as few or as many seats as they need. The passenger comes in the PFDI and Ecoboost models and is also available in all-wheel or rear-wheel drive.
Unsurprisingly, due to its size and added weight, this passenger van has a lower towing capacity than the Cargo and Crew Cab transit vans.
Model: Passenger Van 3.5L PFDI V6
Wheelbase: 129.9
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 4,400 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 4,600 pounds
Wheelbase: 147.6
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 4,100 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 4,500 pounds
Model: Passenger Van 3.5L Ecoboost V6
Wheelbase: 147.6
Towing capacity for all-wheel drive: 4,300 pounds
Towing capacity for rear-wheel drive: 4,500 pounds
Transit vans have plenty of space for cargo but sometimes you need to tow a trailer too. There are vans available on the market in 2022 that have impressive towing capabilities.
If you are looking for a van that can tow 3500kg, the Iveco Daily, Ford Transit, Nissan NV, and Mercedes Sprinter are all up to the task. In fact, the recent Ford Transit vans can tow up to 3600kg.
Since 2014, the Ford Transit vans have had a towing capacity of 3500kg. Models made between 2006 and 2013 can tow up to 3000kg, while older models have a towing capacity of 2800kg or less.
Yes, you can tow a travel trailer with a Ford Transit, so long as the trailer does not exceed your van’s towing capacity. Also, you will need to purchase an appropriate hitch package to be able to safely tow a trailer with your Ford Transit.
You will also need to ensure you have attached a suitable ball hitch. It is possible to tow a trailer using a Ford Transit Cargo, Crew Cab, and Passenger van but the towing capacity varies greatly between models and you will need to check the weight of your trailer before hitching it to your van.
There are several vans that offer impressive towing capacities on the market today. The 2021 Ram ProMaster can tow weights up to 6410 pounds, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has a maximum capacity of 5,000 pounds, and the 2021 Ford Transit Passenger van’s towing capacity is 4,300 pounds.
The Ford Transit Connect can tow up to 2000 pounds. As long as your trailer does not surpass the maximum towing capacity, you will be able to use your Transit Connect to tow it.
The towing capacity for Ford Transit vans varies between the different models and the year the van was manufactured. The Cargo Van 3.5L Ecoboost V6 in the rear-wheel-drive can tow an impressive 6,900 pounds.
The Passenger Van 3.5L PFDI V6 in the all-wheel-drive has the lowest towing capacity at 4,100 pounds. It is important to be aware that the towing capacity is different for the different wheelbases and if the van is all-wheel or rear-wheel drive.
If you are unsure of your Transit van’s towing capacity, you can find the information in the owner’s manual, written on the driver’s side door, or on the Ford website.
Trying to tow a cargo or travel trailer that exceeds your vehicle’s towing capacity can result in serious damage to your van’s tires and engine. It can also be difficult to keep safe control of your van if you are towing too much weight.
You should not ever exceed the towing capacity and it is also to be aware of your vehicle’s GCWR. The gross combined weight rating is the total weight of the loaded trailer, your van’s curb weight, and the total weight of all the passengers and cargo combined!
The Ford Transit Van has an impressive towing capacity and you should be able to accommodate your towing needs. The Winnebago Micro Minnie, Happier Camper, and Airstream Basecamp are all trailers that you can successfully tow using your Ford Transit Van.
