2518 and a Ford Van

We like to weekend at the beach and have outgrown our small folding camper. (its an Esterel with a 6x12 box) Found a TrailManor 2518 that needed a little TLC last year and snatched it up. With the size and tongue weight, we decided it was time for a new tow vehicle.

We’re looking at a Ford Econoline customized van, very used to keep the price down since this will mostly be used for weekends every now and then. Looking at the campinglife.com tow ratings it says we need a 3.55 rear axle – but I think that’s for the maximum weight of 6900#. How can I determine the rear axle ratio? Carfax only tells me the engine size….

One ad said it had a 2.73 rear axle, which from what I’ve found is too small for towing, but we're only pulling a 2518.

So, what rear axle do I need and will a full size van need a weight distributing hitch?