[oakhillbill]

Wanted some other folks opinion on my towing issues. 32 ft tag toy hauler (Wind catching tall one), golf cart & dirt bike inside, 60 gal freash water in tank. My guess is 9500 lb or so. (6500 empty) On the 2 lanes I pull with overdrive off, up to 60 mph. Coming home I drove all freeway with some small hills, same 60mph, in OD. Truck is downshifting alot in OD, screaming to 3000 rpm, then kicking back down. Are the rest of you pulling in OD? I have a Walker BTM & k/n drop in filter (I know....) but I can pull a big tractor or bobcat & equip. very easy of the same weight range. Is the wind drag hurting me that bad? Plan on going to the Ford AIS filter/Gauges/DP Tuner 40-60-80 tow programs/6.0 trans cooler or a add on cooler in the next 60 days. It seems like the truck has too much tounge weight, or? Truck is sitting level when loaded, with the equilizing bars on the 3rd link from end of the chains. I just feel I am hurting the transmission dropping down faily often. Other than the needed up grades, anyone have any other opinions? Thanks!

 

[sandfun]

what size tires ????

 

[Alan_Hicks]

That's why I don't like slushboxes: no control.

You're definitely catching a lot of wind, and the faster you go, the worse and worse that gets. Even dropping down to 55mph in over-drive may make things much easier on the truck.

Wind resistance is a real PITA. People tend to think that going 40mph produces twice as much wind resistance as going 20mph, but that's not true. Air resistance is exponential. When you're going 40mph, you're encountering far more than twice the wind resistance of 20mph. 60mph with a big sail, er... trailer, can really put a lot of strain on a truck and on your billfold at the pumps.

If the truck is wanting to downshift that much, just turn overdrive off.

 

[bobtaildog]

IMHO the problem is the 3:73 gear ratio. I travel occasionally with a buddy that has that rearend ratio along roads that I travel with my truck that has a 4:10 ratio. I was shocked at how much his truck downshifts over stretches of hills that my truck never downshifts on.

 

[Parts Jimmy]

Click on the link in my signature for a picture. I am at about 14-15k gross and have a lot of wind resistance Your future mods will most likely correct most of the problem. Do not allow the transmission to hunt. I use OD almost 100% of the time now with the SCMT, intake and exhaust. Ditch that K & N asap. You will be able to use OD at lower speeds with the chip but watch your EGTs. If they get too high then hit the OD button or pull it down a gear manually. I have also pulled a big tag-along toy hauler. I had no problem with the current mods. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[oakhillbill]

Standard tire size, 265-75-16

 

[FloridaEd]

I'd guess your trailer has 3 axles if it's a toy hauler. I'd also guess that you haven't weighed it. I'd also guess that the 9500 pound figure ain't nowhere close.

I pulled my 10,500#trailer (see sig) with a 2000 SWB F-250 with 3.73 rear and it did okay. Something just doesn't make sense with your truck/trailer, and I suspect you are pulling a LOT more weight than you think.

The first thing you've got to do is weigh the fully-loaded rig so you know what each axle is carrying. I suspect you really need an F-350 with 4.10 rear end, which is what I wound up buying.

Florida Ed

 

[oakhillbill]

It's a 2 axel toy hauler, 6500lb empty weight per decals. Adding 60 gal. water (500lb), gas golf cart (600lb) and 200 lb pit bike, and a 4000 watt generater. Adding 1500 lb cargo is my guess. Only a few clothes and food added to that. I do need to get on a scale somewhere next time I'm fully loaded, to get the real weight. I think the wind drag is a major issue, the front of trailer is slanted back only a bit. I do have a F350 1 ton srw truck. It just seems so odd that I can pull a known weight of 10,500lb (Tractor w/loader & trailer weight) so much better. The toy hauler pulls not bad empty, but add the extra weight of the toys, and it becomes a full load. I did get the Denman trailer tires, they seem much much smoother to pull with. Getting ready to start buying my truck hop up parts this week, gauges first!

 

[FloridaEd]

Oakhillbill:

Good luck with your travels. In my old age, I am dedicated to wearing out bearings as my primary occupation. I believe God, nature, or whomever she may be in charge adds a day to our lives for every day we spend out on the road camping.

I'd be interested in a post when you get a hard number on the weights. Remember to weigh the front truck axle, back truck axle, and trailer axles on a separate pad of the scale. Drop the trailer, and then weigh just the truck's two axles on separate pads. That way, you'll know the trailer's tongue weight and your truck's true rear axle weight without the trailer. Scales are about $7 for the first weigh, and $2-3 for a second weigh withing 24 hours. You may be in for some surprises... I have always found the sticker weights on trailers to be less than accurate.

Happy trails.

Florida Ed

 

[quadloco]

I have 2001 F250 and pull a 33' 5th Wheel Weekend Warrior in OD. When pulling long steep grades I will hit the OD button to make it down shift, the rpm's will rise but not that bad since the TC stays locked. Of course I have a DP Tuner chip that makes all the differense in the world.