How to increase towing
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How to increase towing
Hi i have a 2008 f350 srw i just bought a 40' trailer and it weights 17000 # loaded. Finding it a light hard to tow. Once it get moving it tows great. But leaving the city it is hard starting off at lights any ideas how to make it better on starting. It is a stock 350 with 3.73 gear.
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From: CA Bay Area
Let me guess? Automatic transmission? Had the same problem when my manual F450 blew the differential and I rented automatic F550 with 6l. The 1st gear in those is pretty lousy.
Would your truck be 4WD you could use low gears in the city.
Changing differential seems to be your only option, unless you can change to smaller wheels.
Would your truck be 4WD you could use low gears in the city.
Changing differential seems to be your only option, unless you can change to smaller wheels.
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From: Isanti, MN
Hi i have a 2008 f350 srw i just bought a 40' trailer and it weights 17000 # loaded. Finding it a light hard to tow. Once it get moving it tows great. But leaving the city it is hard starting off at lights any ideas how to make it better on starting. It is a stock 350 with 3.73 gear.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: SE Wyoming
Shouldn't be much of an issue with that weight if it is a diesel, even the V10 isn't that bad, that isn't a lot of weight in the grand scheme of things. If you are trying to drag race at lights pulling it I don't know what to tell you.
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From: CA Bay Area
Don't know how much Ford improved automatic transmissions over the years, but once again, the F550 with 6l and automatic was very lousy on 1st gear. Beside being slow on intersections, it would not pull out of motel driveway with 14k trailer. I had to back up to flatter spot and give it some momentum. At the time I was blaming 6l for low torque, but lately I bought 2000 F250 with 7.3 and automatic and have to switch to low gears maneuvering truck alone on my driveway.
Must be the nature of the beast.
Must be the nature of the beast.
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From: Greenwood, SC
If you are really serious about this and your truck really won't move, with the understanding that you really have too much weight for that truck, you could do what has been suggested.
Go to a 16" wheel.
Change the rear diff to a 4.10.
Have the trans. Serviced (new fluid, flush, calibration)
I have moved up to 16,000 with my truck and it really was not that bad. Starting from a stop on a hill is a bit scary but given time it will go. The '08 diesel is a very strong machine and I really can't imagine that you would be having that much trouble unless your expectations are a little too high. The 5r100 torque shift is a solid trans. Too, one of the best.
But, if you have a v10 or the 5.4 I could easily see that things would be worrisome. They would still do the job but there is much less torque available.
Go to a 16" wheel.
Change the rear diff to a 4.10.
Have the trans. Serviced (new fluid, flush, calibration)
I have moved up to 16,000 with my truck and it really was not that bad. Starting from a stop on a hill is a bit scary but given time it will go. The '08 diesel is a very strong machine and I really can't imagine that you would be having that much trouble unless your expectations are a little too high. The 5r100 torque shift is a solid trans. Too, one of the best.
But, if you have a v10 or the 5.4 I could easily see that things would be worrisome. They would still do the job but there is much less torque available.
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I have an 06 F250, 5.4, manual trans, 3.73 gears. The heaviest I have towed was over 12k pounds, and although the truck moved it ok, really it was too heavy. It was just a few miles on flat roads with little traffic, so I felt ok with being overweight, but braking and handling really suffered, and honestly it was not a safe situation. My point is that getting the trailer moving is just one issue; the safety concerns come from how well the entire package handles and stops.
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From: Isanti, MN
I have an 06 F250, 5.4, manual trans, 3.73 gears. The heaviest I have towed was over 12k pounds, and although the truck moved it ok, really it was too heavy. It was just a few miles on flat roads with little traffic, so I felt ok with being overweight, but braking and handling really suffered, and honestly it was not a safe situation. My point is that getting the trailer moving is just one issue; the safety concerns come from how well the entire package handles and stops.
Back when I drove trucks I once had to pull an empty 53' van to a shop to get the brakes fixed. The slacks were backed off all the way and therefore there were no trailer brakes. Empty the trailer weighed around 13,000 lbs, and I was towing with a Kenworth T-600 rated at 80,000 lbs GVWR. It was a SCARY ride without trailer brakes. My point here is that it doesn't matter what you tow with, a trailer without brakes is a scary thing.
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