First time towing with the Ex, input?
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First time towing with the Ex, input?
After a little convincing, my wife is finally on board with schlepping her truck along when we drive down to Phoenix in a few weeks, so what that means is around 6500lb of truck & trailer behind a fully loaded 6.0 Ex up & down high desert mountain grades in triple digit heat...which of course is exactly what the rig was designed to do, but it does have me just a bit 
It'll be the first time towing with the Ex ever and easily twice what I've towed before otherwise, tho I know it's small change compared to what some of y'all haul on a daily basis.
So, advice? I'm finished my gauge set and doing the brakes before we go, front sway bar bushings changed recently, rear looks ok, overall truck's been running great all winter since the EGR work.
It'll be the first time towing with the Ex ever and easily twice what I've towed before otherwise, tho I know it's small change compared to what some of y'all haul on a daily basis. So, advice? I'm finished my gauge set and doing the brakes before we go, front sway bar bushings changed recently, rear looks ok, overall truck's been running great all winter since the EGR work.
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From: Ohio
Watch your temps. Do you have a trans temp gauge? I'm not a diesel guy, but IIRC the coolant and the oil temp should stay within 15 degrees of each other. The trans should stay below 220 or so, preferably well below 220.
If you have to back the trailer up a hill for any distance, do it in low range (if 4wd model) to ease the stress on the transmission.
Check the air pressure in all 8 tires before you go and feel them all at stops to check for overheating. I also feel the trailer hubs as well. Should be pretty warm, but not burning hot.
If the trailer tires are ST, they are speed limited to 65 MPH and have been known to come apart at extended high speeds.
Best advice I have is to slow down and leave extra room in front of you compared to no trailer. You'll have less go and less whoa with a trailer behind you. Not enough whoa is what will get ya.
If you have to back the trailer up a hill for any distance, do it in low range (if 4wd model) to ease the stress on the transmission.
Check the air pressure in all 8 tires before you go and feel them all at stops to check for overheating. I also feel the trailer hubs as well. Should be pretty warm, but not burning hot.
If the trailer tires are ST, they are speed limited to 65 MPH and have been known to come apart at extended high speeds.
Best advice I have is to slow down and leave extra room in front of you compared to no trailer. You'll have less go and less whoa with a trailer behind you. Not enough whoa is what will get ya.
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Yep when I pull cars I always tell myself to take it easy and brake early!!
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From: Media PA
I would load everything up and take the wife's truck on the trailer for a test tow around home base now, take note how it all behaves and have time to tweek anything that doesn't feel right.
Plan on using a WD hitch? Do you have a brake controller in the EX?
Plan on using a WD hitch? Do you have a brake controller in the EX?
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Ouray, CO
You renting a car haul trailer? Or have your own?
Get repairs done a week or more in advance, so you have some time to find anything that needs tweaking while you are home with tools.
Enjoy the drive!
Sent from my Sprint PC36100 using IB AutoGroup
Get repairs done a week or more in advance, so you have some time to find anything that needs tweaking while you are home with tools.
Enjoy the drive!
Sent from my Sprint PC36100 using IB AutoGroup
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Uhaul. My lil flatbed just isn't up to a pull of that magnitude. So that means surge brakes & no WD hitch. I plan to pick it up a couple of days early but that still doesn't leave much time if any issues pop up.
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Joined: Dec 2010
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From: SC
If Im not mistaken, what you want to try and NOT do is be in a situation where the truck has to downshift under load, to go up a hill for instance. Driving with the overdrive off will usually keep this from happening. I think a lot of heat is generated in the tranny when it has to downshift to pull the weight. When Im towing, and I'm in overdrive and feel the truck start to lug, going up a long hill for example, and I know that Im going to have to get in a lower gear to keep my speed up, I will let off the gas and coast for a second before hitting the overdrive button to let it downshift. Again, Im no expert, and I may be wrong on all this, so someone else correct me if any of this doesn't sound right.
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Wiser by FTE
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The torqshift transmission will easily handle your towing task. I would get the torque app for you smart/phone $6.00 and a ob2 blue tooth adaptor for $25.00 you could monitor most of your gauges digitally! torqued by Curt's05 - Ford-Trucks
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Just need to get the truck loaded in the right spot on the trailer. Any U-Haul I have rented was a pretty decent trailer. (They have to hold up to a lot of abuse!) I eyeball it for a couple inches of sag, and that usually works. If the trailer sways at all, you need to move the load forward and put more weight on the tongue. Should be no problem with a little caution, have a great trip!
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