Break in miles
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 512
Likes: 7
From: Maine
Break in miles
How critical and how strict is Ford with the 1000 break-in miles before towing? I just haven't had the time to get the 1000 miles in the last 3 weeks. I currently have 450 miles and I've been having to pay for someone to haul my hay to the barn and lumber from the sawmill. Now this coming weekend I have to get my tractor and wood processor over to a friends house.
Seems I have 3 choices 1. Pay someone to haul my equipment. 2. Left my wife take the truck on trips this week just to get the miles on it....
. 3. Just haul with it and hope nothing mechanical goes wrong.
Seems I have 3 choices 1. Pay someone to haul my equipment. 2. Left my wife take the truck on trips this week just to get the miles on it....
. 3. Just haul with it and hope nothing mechanical goes wrong.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 522
Likes: 21
From: Minnesota
Just haul your loads and don't worry about it. My last 3 work trucks have been hooked to 10,000lb plus trailers within a few miles of new. I drove all 3 close to or just over 200,000 miles without any drivetrain or motor troubles. With the exception of my 2006 with a 6.0H NO, but that's not the trailers fault... just hook up and drive it like you stole it!
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 320
Likes: 1
My 2015 towed my 2002 Excursion home on a car hauler. It had 4 miles on it when I hooked it up and towed 10k lbs 250 miles home because my wife was working the day my truck got delivered. My new 2017 is likely to do the same thing. Never had any mechanical issues with the 15. Don't anticipate any with the 17. Just do what you bought the truck to do.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 377
Likes: 5
There are already a number of threads on this subject in the 2017 Super Duty forum, and probably many more for the older forums. I have read many of them, and even read some more tech'y sites to seek a definitive answer, and there doesn't appear to be an absolute answer. My impression of the responses on forums and explanations on the few sites I found is that it affects the longevity of the engine. There is no guarantee that waiting for the recommended break in thousand mile mark will prolong the life of 'your' engine, as the wear you put on your engine in the meantime also affects its longevity.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,477
Likes: 4,069
From: Raceland, La.
I think it's more of a precaution to see if any bugs in the drivetrain need to be addressed. I went ahead and waited before I towed just in case something did happen. I probably have close to 1K miles towing the 5th wheel with no problems.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 396
Likes: 7
From: Wherever the RV is parked
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 377
Likes: 5
It may be all of those things, Ford doesn't specify. I do recall some of the explanations I read as it being the ring and pinion. Probably a manufacturer catch all.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 297
Likes: 2
This is the scenario of why I waited:
I bring my truck in for some warranty work (like a leaking shock or something)....
Me: "Hi Mr. service manager, I'm here to pick up my truck!"
Service Manager: "Hello, you owe $1450.73. When we hooked up your truck to calibrate the settings, we see that you towed while still in the break in period and you voided your warranty. Have a nice day!"
And I also have a varying assortment of aluminum hats I wear to keep the gov'ment from listening to my thoughts. LOL
I bring my truck in for some warranty work (like a leaking shock or something)....
Me: "Hi Mr. service manager, I'm here to pick up my truck!"
Service Manager: "Hello, you owe $1450.73. When we hooked up your truck to calibrate the settings, we see that you towed while still in the break in period and you voided your warranty. Have a nice day!"
And I also have a varying assortment of aluminum hats I wear to keep the gov'ment from listening to my thoughts. LOL
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 477
Likes: 3
This is the scenario of why I waited:
I bring my truck in for some warranty work (like a leaking shock or something)....
Me: "Hi Mr. service manager, I'm here to pick up my truck!"
Service Manager: "Hello, you owe $1450.73. When we hooked up your truck to calibrate the settings, we see that you towed while still in the break in period and you voided your warranty. Have a nice day!"
And I also have a varying assortment of aluminum hats I wear to keep the gov'ment from listening to my thoughts. LOL
I bring my truck in for some warranty work (like a leaking shock or something)....
Me: "Hi Mr. service manager, I'm here to pick up my truck!"
Service Manager: "Hello, you owe $1450.73. When we hooked up your truck to calibrate the settings, we see that you towed while still in the break in period and you voided your warranty. Have a nice day!"
And I also have a varying assortment of aluminum hats I wear to keep the gov'ment from listening to my thoughts. LOL
Now that right there is FUNNY. All of it.
Sam
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 631
Likes: 13
From: Southern Ontario Canada
This I think is the most logical answer.
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 512
Likes: 7
From: Maine
I called and spoke to the service manager at the dealership where I bought my truck and asked him what his stand point is on the break in mileage. He said that the manual was written like that by an engineer that is concerned about CYA. His standpoint is not to tow heavy loads long distances, like a 5th wheel on a cross country trip until you have at least 1000 miles. And that he can tell if a truck has been abused and that problems with engines, transmissions, and differentials are very rear. He said his experience is that the very few times he has ever seen mechanical problems are either directly from the factory within the first few miles or due to excessive abuse like truck pulls or hot rodding. He advised that I try to get as many miles as possible and then use the truck but just go easy, no rapid starts or excessive loads over 15,000 lbs.
I have 575 miles as of today and will be using it to haul my tractor this weekend to go about 10 miles, the tractor and trailer combined weight about 12,000 lbs and I plan to go easy.
I have 575 miles as of today and will be using it to haul my tractor this weekend to go about 10 miles, the tractor and trailer combined weight about 12,000 lbs and I plan to go easy.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,477
Likes: 4,069
From: Raceland, La.
The Texaco terminal where I worked in 1980 bought 3 brand new W900A model KW tractors with 903 Cummins engines hooked to 9 speed trannys. I was the first to pull a load with one 8,750 gallons of gasoline. The Cummins sounded like a rattling paint can when new and the same after 500K miles!! Moral of the story is putting a load on someone else's equipment is OK...if you have to pay the bill be a little more careful with it!!! 