250 sized Van vs 350 sized Van?
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Homeless in Canada
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More payload. Usually the 1 tons have the longer wheelbase so you can have a bit more room.
For all that you might as well get an e350 cube van those are usually a lot cheaper and if the outside looks like a work truck it's pretty stealthy.
For all that you might as well get an e350 cube van those are usually a lot cheaper and if the outside looks like a work truck it's pretty stealthy.
Van-Tramp
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Yep, mostly comes down to how much weight the chassis can handle thanks to larger suspension parts. The larger chassis will likely have the largest motors too, which hurts your MPG
highdesertranger
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most motor homes have a much larger water tank then a 10 gallon. 30-50 are quite common. some RV's have over 100 gallons of fresh water. the big question is 80 gallons takes up a large amount of space. 80 gallons is also over 650 pounds. better get a one ton. highdesertranger
Moxadox
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There's also the question of space. 80 gallons of water=10.7 cubic feet. Where you gonna put that in a van?
I lived in a 24 ft long one ton dually Sprinter van for 3 years. Had a 30 gallon fresh water tank, 10 gal black tank, and 20 gal grey tank. I carried 10 additional gallons of reverse osmosis water. With good management that all lasted 2 weeks, which worked out well with our 14 day stay limit on public lands. I never did drive over a scale with that rig, but I'm quite sure by the way it drove that I was overweight. 80 gal of water in a van, you wouldn't be able to put anything else in it, and good luck negotiating dirt roads.
The Dire Wolfess
I lived in a 24 ft long one ton dually Sprinter van for 3 years. Had a 30 gallon fresh water tank, 10 gal black tank, and 20 gal grey tank. I carried 10 additional gallons of reverse osmosis water. With good management that all lasted 2 weeks, which worked out well with our 14 day stay limit on public lands. I never did drive over a scale with that rig, but I'm quite sure by the way it drove that I was overweight. 80 gal of water in a van, you wouldn't be able to put anything else in it, and good luck negotiating dirt roads.
The Dire Wolfess
Van-Tramp
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Weight said:
Meet too. Last time i weighed in it was 900 lbs over the GVW of 6600. We have she'd some weight since, but likely not more than 300-400 lbs.
We carry 25 gallons of water when fully loaded
My class C carries 35 gallons of water (291lbs). Consider 80 gallons of water is 667 lbs... rough equivalent to 1/3 of the load capacity of a one ton van. E250 3/4 ton has 1500 lbs, and E350 1 ton has 2000lb capacity. 80 gallons is a lot of water, in a huge tank, plus you'd need gray and black water tanks of equivalent size to take the waste water...
JD GUMBEE
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A 3500 series will outlast the 2500 also.
The brakes are a lot better.
The MPG between a 2500 and 3500 is not much different really.
It's the big bread box pushing wind that hurts your MPG more than bearing surface friction.
(Synthetic differential fill will do more for your MPG than most people think.)
The brakes are a lot better.
The MPG between a 2500 and 3500 is not much different really.
It's the big bread box pushing wind that hurts your MPG more than bearing surface friction.
(Synthetic differential fill will do more for your MPG than most people think.)
[quote pid='430507' dateline='1546210503']Van-Tramp said:
And yet so often the limiting time to stay is about water. I want to push a little bit the current trend that water is the limiting reagent. It often is backpacking as well.
[/quote]
[quote pid='430507' dateline='1546210503']
If EVER there was something you'd like to get out of your pack and carried by a van... it would be water, no?
[/quote]
I think the recirculating shower is being looked at now is so 2 gallons of water can be filtered and treated instead of 30 going into a gray tank. This is probably a better option next would be towing a tank on a trailer behind the van. Putting that much weight and taking up limited space doesn't make sense unless you are talking hot tub!
B and C
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Taking a navy shower is better. I use less than a gallon for hair washing, shaving and bathing. It is easier to conserve than make or carry more.
B and C
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The more weight you carry, the less your MPG will be.
"I hope to facilitate remote health care which sometimes starts with washing. "
Might need to rethink this for a medical mission... If no water sources to tap and treat onsite, and no resupply at a workable distance, I'd consider using a large water trailer. A trailer can carry a bunch more water weight than onboard a van. A used 275 gallon food grade tote wrapped in steel cage can be had for $60-100 bucks. A trailer with tandem 2000 lbs axles could easily carry one tote (2300 lbs) with a safety factor since a remote location probably doesn't have the best roads. If 275 is too much you could do 80-100 gallons on a single axle trailer.
Might need to rethink this for a medical mission... If no water sources to tap and treat onsite, and no resupply at a workable distance, I'd consider using a large water trailer. A trailer can carry a bunch more water weight than onboard a van. A used 275 gallon food grade tote wrapped in steel cage can be had for $60-100 bucks. A trailer with tandem 2000 lbs axles could easily carry one tote (2300 lbs) with a safety factor since a remote location probably doesn't have the best roads. If 275 is too much you could do 80-100 gallons on a single axle trailer.
B and C said:
Very good point. I wouldn't carry it fully filled but for a short distance. It would allow loitering time to increase, but once again water is crucial and difficult. Maybe water treatment should be part of the mix on how to extend. Interesting puzzle.
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