The Ford Super Club Wagon is one of the best tow vehicles
made for travel trailers. While it does force you to trade vehicles if
you ever go to a fifth wheel trailer, the inside storage space and the room
for 5-7 people make it a better choice than a crew cab pickup for the
average RV'er with a travel trailer. This is especially true if you
have a large dog. With the second seat removed, the open floor space
available for pets (or whatever else you happen to carry) is approximately
4' by 5'. Patrick, our Irish Wolfhound loves it.
The V-10 engine is strong. However, if you can deal
with the noise, extra purchase cost, upkeep cost, and hassle of handling
diesel fuel, the Power Stroke diesel makes a better tow vehicle.
Finding a Super Club Wagon with a Power Stroke diesel engine is
difficult. You might have to special order one.
The weak point for the Ford appears to be the E4OD
transmission. This may be a bigger issue in the pickups than in the
vans due to the difference in weights that the owners try to pull.
Many of the Ford pickups pulling the larger trailers (14,000 pounds and up)
have had to replace their transmission at least once. A transmission
temperature gauge is a necessity. Watch it like a hawk when
towing. So far, I have not seen my transmission temperature (sensor
mounted in the transmission) climb above 200 degrees but I have not towed in
the desert heat since the gauge was installed.
The lack of a tachometer is an ridiculous oversight on
the part of Ford. The diesel powered Club Wagon will likely have a
tachometer. Of course, if you always let the transmission shift for
itself, a tachometer may not be as important. Since the Ford manual
suggests shifting out of overdrive going up and down hills, some manual
shifting is going to be required. It was a surprise to me how early
the transmission shifts. Unless you are manually controlling the
shifts, the engine will rarely exceed 3,800 rpm before upshifting.
The performance of the V-10 can be enhanced through the
use of a good after market free flowing exhaust system. Banks is one
of the few companies that makes exhaust headers for the V-10. I
understand that Vortec is offering a supercharger for the V-10 pickup but I
am not sure it the van affords adequate room for installation. If it
does, this should be an excellent way to boost power. It is expensive
(over $4,000) and requires the use of Premium fuel. The requirement to
use Premium grade fuel will significantly increase operating costs.
Although the standard V-10 is rated to burn Unleaded Regular, you may find
mild clatter when towing. I use the middle grade of gasoline to
prevent the electronic engine control from retarding timing, thus reducing
power, when under load.
In short, I love my Super Club Wagon. It makes a
wonderful tow vehicle with lots of room for storage of the things that don't
fit in the trailer. It also offers a good view of the road with the
high drivers position. I have averaged 10.1 miles per gallon with the
V-10 over the past 48,200 miles. This includes towing a 5 ton trailer
51.6% of those miles. That is the same mileage than I got with an
E-150 conversion van with the 5.8L (351 cid) V-8 towing a 3 ton trailer less
than 15% of the time.
I would like to see Ford extend the wheelbase on the
Super Club Wagon. The additional 20+ inch body extension on the
138" wheelbase results in a long distance between the rear axle and the
hitch. This makes the use of a Hensley Arrow hitch even more
necessary. (Note, Chevrolet does extend the wheelbase on their
extended length vans.) The ride is improved immensely when air springs
are used in lieu of the stiffest leaf spring.
