I have 2013 F150 XLT 5.0 engine, 3,55 gear ratio, trailer tow package. I plan buying a travel trailer and need to know if going through the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky (using I 75 as the route) would be an issue. The trailer is about 30 feet total length and with cargo 6300 lbs. The GCVWR is 13300 and I figured I would be at 12800 or so. I have been told by co-workers that I would have problems especially braking going down hill and a tough time going up.
I am in the dog house because my wife wants to go camping in Georgia and I told her I dont think it can be done due to the weight.
Help

 

If you are within your truck ratings your truck will pull it and the trailer has its own brakes to handle its weight. Having said that, I think you have a lot of trailer for a light weight truck so uphill will be slow.

As I recall from driving it many times there is really only one significant grade on I75 and if I remember right it has a truck lane. Once you are down on I40 through Knoxville there is really nothing until you hit Chattanooga and the grade there is not very long.

You didn't say if this is a first tow or how long you have been towing. And naturally you are set up with weight distribution hitch and brake controller, etc.

Oh yes, if you haven't been to my part of the world before, Tennessee is incredible!

Steve

 

Thanks for the advice. I have towed trailers up to 30 feet but never thru the hills, only Michigan roads. I don't know if going thru Louisville Nashville Chattanooga route would be any better. Like the guy said on Jaws "we are going to need a bigger boat"

 

If you keep talking about the Hills here, the guys from the real mountains out West are going to start chiming in laughing. Nothing you will hit will be very challenging, but you have a relatively light truck and you have to set up your hitch correctly.

You will hit more traffic running the Louisville to Nashville route and getting through Nashville can be a real bottle neck depending on the time of day. If you go that way you are going to hit the Plateau between Nashville and Knoxville on I40 and I think that grade might be more of a challenge for you than I75. I 75 is really an easy interstate to drive and the traffic on that is usually pretty light.

But hey, the simplest rule to go by is if you are not comfortable with it, don't do it. Fortunately your trailer is lightweight comparatively speaking.

Steve

 

If the hill up is steep, don't worry about slowing down and even more importantly, don't be afraid to let that engine rev! That thing is made to rev, and it has a lot of power past 4000 rpm. Don't worry, the truck has a smart computer that won't let you over-rev it!

Going down, use tow-haul or manually select a lower gear to enjoy the engine braking. My rule of thumb is that whatever speed I could go up a hill at, I will never go down the hill any faster.

Don't be afraid to be slow, being faster is more frightening!

 

Ok, I will be first!! LOL!!!!!!!😎😎😎

 

A few things I've learned towing in the Rocky Mountains (11,000' passes - home of the Ike Gauntlet):
1. Slow down. You don't NEED to go 65. Enjoy the scenery and avoid the white knuckle ride.
2. When climbing, slow down and gear down. The higher RPM of the engine in a lower gear spins the transmission faster which allows more transmission fluid to be pumped through it which means cooler fluid. In my truck I can tow all day long climbing at elevation at 45 mph in 3rd gear and not overheat the engine or the transmission. Your mileage may vary. You'll have to experiment to find your sweet spot.
3. Gear down going downhill. Don't kill the brakes on the trailer and truck by riding the brakes downhill. It gets really smelly when you do that. Going downhill is probably going to be the least of your worries as long as you take it easy.
4. An extra transmission cooler is never a bad idea. Heat kills transmissions.

Your trailer should have brakes at that weight. If you don't have a controller, get one. You aren't legal - or safe - without one.

A weight distributing hitch _should_ be used on a trailer with that weight. Hook it up with a regular hitch and see how it does. It it looks like the truck squats too much then you probably need a WDH. As with tip #4 above, it is never wrong to use a WDH. When it comes to a setup that ensures good handling there is no such thing as overkill. The extra cost is worth it.

I have 3.36 gears in my Nissan Titan and I've pulled a dual axle enclosed 12' utility trailer throughout Colorado for a Boy Scout Troop. You have lower gears so that's an advantage.

When purchasing your trailer don't be afraid to post questions about controllers or a hitch before you buy. Sales guys will sell you whatever they can get away with.

 

Dang! I gotta type faster.

 

Hi dont worry aboit downhill, tlftruck did the ike last year pulling 9000pound with 5.0 and only had 1 braking event. They were surpiced. Compared to chev 6.2 with like 15

 

I would not worry about it at all.


If you start to slow way down turn your flashers on till you get back up to speed.


Let the motor rev. You should also have the trailer brake controller to operate trailer brakes, so stopping is not the concern.


Use tow/haul and at the crest of a hill make note of the signs for trucks and the speed limit downhill. Stick close to that till you see how the truck handles the downhill.


As the truck gains speed downhill, you can stab the brakes, or brake hard for a few moments to bleed off some speed. Then off the brakes.


Under that concept you will not ride your brakes and burn them up. Just brake to slow down to control the speed of decent.

 

I towed similar with a 2006 F150 XLT 5.4L. The truck handled it well, but it was a lot of work going up the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia. Being "new" and "improved" I imagine your truck will do better than mine did.

 

What he is going to hit will be no worse than either of those states. The grades on I75 are nothing like the Rockies and are not that long. Just wide open seldom heavily traveled interstate.

Steve

 

I did that route.. a few years ago

2004 Ram 1500 with a v6 and a manual transmission...
truck max tow weight was 3,300 pounds.. mine was over 4k....

second gear and 4,500 rpm's .. but never under 50 mph...
trailer brakes are designed so truck does not need to slow trailer..

no problems. Atlanta to Ohio

 

I agree with this.

 

I am in the dog house because my wife wants to go camping in Georgia and I told her I dont think it can be done due to the weight.
Help[/QUOTE]
I hope she knew you meant the trailer weight!!}