Was just wanting to know opinions on the best RPM to stay around when towing 9500lbs. What do some of you run at. I know if I try to stay around 1800, I end up at about 64 mph. Here in Illinois that is known as speeding.
In the higher gears when pulling hills, I try not to let mine drop below 1900. I pull a 33' 5th with 2 slides, it's got to be close to 12000# loaded plus truck box is usually loaded pretty good too, with spare generator, propane tanks, gas cans, etc...
I try to keep it between the 1900 - 2400 range, but I'll take her up to 2700 when needed. I've got 410's in the rear, but even with your higher gears, you still don't want to lug the engine.
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1995 F-350 XLT Crew Cab Dually 5 spd - Basically Stock - Used everyday for work & play (pulling 1989 36' Airstream Landyacht 5th wheel around the countryside to stock car races). I've owned the truck since new. I'm fortunate enough to be the 4th owner of the Airstream.
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Was just wanting to know opinions on the best RPM to stay around when towing 9500lbs.
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Depends on your mods. Pure stock you'll probably have to run at least 1,900 RPM to prevent downshifting for every little bump in the road. That's about 67 MPH with stock tires and 3.73 rear end.
With really-good aftermarket gauges, intake, exhaust and Edge Evolution programmer set on the "tow" mode, I can poke along at 1,800 RPM on fairly level roads of the rolling plains, or even 1,750 RPM when the roads are level as a floor in the high plains. But my 5er grosses only 8,000 pounds.
Since your state has ignorant lawmakers, then you may have to shift out of overdrive in order to not "speed" because of too-low speed limits. But I tow across there often, and the highway patrol never blinks an eye when I cruise through on the Interstate at 62-63 MPH (1,800 RPM with calibrated speedo).
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My Sierra Blanca is a '99.5 PSD CrewCab hot-rod Towing Machine! BTS tranny; TurboRamAir intake and 4" stainless turbo-back exhaust; DP-Tuner tunes flashed into an Edge Evolution tuner; ISSPRO EV gauges and TTM; AIC; SP-Diesel exhaust brake and torque converter controller. I special-ordered it new and plan to drive it until it quits.
I live in IL and tow the same as Smokey does, that is the socially aceptable speed as far as I am concerned, since almost all the trailer trucke run just under 65.
My Magic number is 60 MPH. Anything below that for an extended amount of time, I take it out of overdrive. Anything above that, I keep it in overdrive and keep a safe speed, which entirely depends on Road conditions, Wind, and traffic of course.
Headhunter
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2001,F350,4x4,XLT,SRW,CC,LB,PSD,AT,3.73LS,AIC,Spri ngfield Armory TRP 45,315/75R16's,058 Eagle Alloys, F-550 front springs,Camper package, off-road package. Western Diesel Air Filter, Dello 400/Luberfiner, Amsoil Diffs. Superchip Programmer, Red Top Optimas,Full guage set,Dynomax Race Magnum, Rancho 9000's, Blackstone Lab,B&W Gooseneck Hitch. Firestone Airbags.
Last time I went thru Ill. with 5'er in tow I was running about 65-70 ish and got passed by 2 semi's that were flying low. I tried to keep up by pushing it up to about 85 and they still pulled away like I was standing there. They were cussing out the RV people and how they clutter up the road on the CB. Not knowing I had mine on and listening. So, I wished them a safe trip and slowed back down to reality.
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'06 F-350 DRW CC King Ranch 4x4, True Blue over Arizona beige w/8 foot box, 6.0-PSD, 5SPD TORQSHIFT, 4.10LS, Line-X, Remote start.
Pulling 3685FL Montana 5th wheel
(SOLD)'04 F-350 CC King Ranch 4x4
(SOLD)'00 F-250 CC Lariat 4x4 My Pics
This last trip my best tow speed was around 64 mph also.
It seemed to run the hills better there than even at
higher rpms. I didn't argue and just went with it. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]
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1997 F250 HD PSD 4x4 OR Auto 3.55LS CC SRW SWB 265x75x16 Michelin LTX DP 211K mi.; Ford AIC; Fuel milege; 20.3 mpg @ 70 mph. 12.5 mpg pulling my boat,12.5K, along two lane rural roads. A number of mods ordered from DaleI. Nice round replacement DP. FS2500 by-pass oil filter installed. Fumoto drain valve. Tymar Intake installed! HX mod from Tymar installed. TFI fillneck kits installed. Auto-Rx cleaner in engine & transmission done. Switched from Rotella dino to Rotella synthetic. Amsoil 5W-30 Series 3000 installed!
FS-2500 Bypass filter installed.
Velvet rides installed. Joe Servo IDM mod installed. Rear air lift springs.
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