2020 Ford Transit AWD

[Grassland]

In regards to Plumber Mike, I've driven E150/250 for nearly 10 of the last 15 years. Every one was a 4.6 2 valve. Horrible on gas and slow as molasses. Also one of the worst performing vehicles on snow and ice.
What engines have you been graced with?
I bought my 2018 Transit MR LWB and specifically wanted the 3.7, which out performs the 4.6 2 valve, and gets slightly better fuel economy.

Ford kept delaying the release of the AWD/4x4 full size van, I believe to keep F150 sales strong.
Most guys I know try switching to trucks with toppers for work so they can have 4x4, because the **************** who make cargo vans keep refusing to offer that feature. Most of them, like myself, give up and go back to a van for the room and lower load height.
In my experience the Transit is a horrible platform for going on snowy, iced roads, never mind off road. They are heavy, have a horrible tire size that is narrow and very high pressure, and the weight of a heavy van causes them to immediately dig into snow. There is also next to no tire choices in the factory load rating, and if you intend to use the van loaded up, it's not wise to go with a lighter load rating tire. No way of adjusting Odo/speedo for larger tires, and you have to go up several sizes to get a tire that meets the factory rating, and I don't know how well/if they fit. (235/65R16C is 2.5" smaller than a LT245/75R16)

 

[Bigly]

If I ever hit the lottery... I would get a '21 Econoline chassis with the 7.3L and put a Total Composites kind of box (not a huge one) on the back then take it to Chris at Ujoint and get the 4x4 done. Build out the inside and away we would go. OR get the same chassis and have Sportsmobile add their new van body and do the 4x4 and leave the interior empty and do the build out. An ambulance body would be cool too but not sure if those companies sell them bare inside or not but those shells are really strong.

I have been watching Transits for a while and was kind of set on getting a 2wd and sending to to Quadvan and having John do the 4x4 as the AWD just really would not cut it for us and where we like to go. That and living in the CO mountains with lots of snow would be better served by true 4 wheel drive IMO.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

I wrongly assumed perhaps that the Transit would be very popular and I’d be seeing a bunch when they came out. For comparison, I am seeing a lot of Jeep Gladiators around.
Yet no dealers around me have one to drive. One dealer said they had a low roof passenger model coming and the cost was going to be around 58k.
Impatiently waiting to try a mid roof crew model and wishing upon hope that I’ll stay under 50k should I like it. Appliance white please.

Here is the statistic I saw the other day of nationwide inventory
2017 - 5

2018 - 423

2019 - 8685

2020 - 7965
So there is less 2020's on dealer lots than 2019's let alone AWD options.
Additionally those #'s start at VIN creation so a lot of those 20's are still in production/delivery, the 2019's have been destinated for a while.
Many of us who ordered our vans in August and Sept. are just getting them now. Some who ordered powered sliding doors and diesel engines much longer.
That said, there are numerous AWD vans available all over the country. Do a search on autotrader for '20, AWD's only and browse the selection.
Finding just the right van on the lot is difficult with so many options and configurations available. You are a step in the right direction as long as Oxford white is ok that is the most popular color ordered. The Transit wont be popular, you wont see them everywhere like the Gladiator. They wont be spoon fed to you during the evening news. You will have to seek them out on your own.

Since someone mentioned manual trans. here is a recent video of a euro prototype? hybrid? crew van/crewcab with a manual trans. sorry no AWD content in the video

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

20 AWD Waybesburg Ohio
20 AWD Bloomington ILL
20 AWD Little Rock
20 AWD Bend Oregon
20 AWD Anacortes Wa

 

[plumber mike]

Thanks Brian. Have you ever considered becoming a dealer? You are far more willing, knowledgeable and helpful than the dealers in my area.

 

[ujoint]

We're back apart, going down to 3" of lift for better CV angles. Waiting for a prototype pas side shaft to arrive.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Thanks Brian. Have you ever considered becoming a dealer? You are far more willing, knowledgeable and helpful than the dealers in my area.

I can hook you up with a good fleet salesman in KC.
I’m just feeding you information from him.
They do exist!

 

[Randall Dee]

I've seen a few low roof Transits around town with barn doors on the side. Does anyone know if barn doors are available on the mid roof?

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

I've seen a few low roof Transits around town with barn doors on the side. Does anyone know if barn doors are available on the mid roof?

low roof option only

 

[Randall Dee]

low roof option only

Thanks Brian. Kinda what I figured.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

I posted over a hundred pics of my van on my website, here

Also, here is a quick video going up and down through the gears. The gear indicator for the 10 speed is at the top center of the instrument cluster. This appears with a tap of the left side gear shifter minus button. You can continue to tap it to eliminate gears. The transmission will skip gears on its own also.

IMG_2073

videopress.com

 

[Randall Dee]

Can any of you guys tell me what kind of fuel economy you are seeing with the Transit and whether you have the naturally aspirated engine or the Ecoboost?

 

[simple]

Can any of you guys tell me what kind of fuel economy you are seeing with the Transit and whether you have the naturally aspirated engine or the Ecoboost?

Are you asking specifically about MPG's for the AWD? For comparing apples to apples, It would also be good to know roof height and vehicle weight.

 

[Randall Dee]

I'd be interested in info on any set up. AWD, 2WD or a 4x4 converted van. One gentleman told me that with his quad van mid roof with a full build out around 9500# or more that he sees around 13 mpg. I was hoping for better.

 

[mgmetalworks]

I'd be interested in info on any set up. AWD, 2WD or a 4x4 converted van. One gentleman told me that with his quad van mid roof with a full build out around 9500# or more that he sees around 13 mpg. I was hoping for better.

2017 T150, Mid roof, 130WB, Ecoboost, lifted 2wd, 265/70-17 tires, 3.73 gearing (which is essentially the same as 3.31 gears and stock tires), 7550lbs when loaded up for travel.... Never done better than 16.5 highway. Mostly stay around 13-14 mixed driving. Took my roof rack off recently and got a noticeable bump up in fuel economy.