First pull strange smell
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
From: Indiana
First pull strange smell
Pulled our 40 ‘ 5th wheel for the first time today with new truck. It was a piece of cake. Truck pulled it great. It was only a one hour trip for now, then 1200 miles to Florida end of the month. Everything was going great, then I pulled over at a big empty lot to look things over. When I stop I noticed a strong smell of something hot in the cab. I mean it came on fast it was strong odor. I check all the wheel hubs for heat, including trailer wheel. Open hood and looked under truck, no sign of smoke anywhere. Went back in cab still strong odor, something hot with no smoke. I did turn on engine exhaust brake.
Anyone have any ideas? If I take it into dealer, they think I’m nuts probably. The hot smell went away after opening windows and I parked the camper. If your guessing could it be a one time towing thing? If not hot brakes what would you guess? I’ve got 900 miles on the truck now.
I’m thinking I should make another pull just to see if the odor comes back? Before the long trip.
Anyone have any ideas? If I take it into dealer, they think I’m nuts probably. The hot smell went away after opening windows and I parked the camper. If your guessing could it be a one time towing thing? If not hot brakes what would you guess? I’ve got 900 miles on the truck now.
I’m thinking I should make another pull just to see if the odor comes back? Before the long trip.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,186
Likes: 8,063
From: Texas
Pulled our 40 ‘ 5th wheel for the first time today with new truck. It was a piece of cake. Truck pulled it great. It was only a one hour trip for now, then 1200 miles to Florida end of the month. Everything was going great, then I pulled over at a big empty lot to look things over. When I stop I noticed a strong smell of something hot in the cab. I mean it came on fast it was strong odor. I check all the wheel hubs for heat, including trailer wheel. Open hood and looked under truck, no sign of smoke anywhere. Went back in cab still strong odor, something hot with no smoke. I did turn on engine exhaust brake.
Anyone have any ideas? If I take it into dealer, they think I’m nuts probably. The hot smell went away after opening windows and I parked the camper. If your guessing could it be a one time towing thing? If not hot brakes what would you guess? I’ve got 900 miles on the truck now.
I’m thinking I should make another pull just to see if the odor comes back? Before the long trip.
Anyone have any ideas? If I take it into dealer, they think I’m nuts probably. The hot smell went away after opening windows and I parked the camper. If your guessing could it be a one time towing thing? If not hot brakes what would you guess? I’ve got 900 miles on the truck now.
I’m thinking I should make another pull just to see if the odor comes back? Before the long trip.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,719
Likes: 12,863
From: Wyoming
When new the 2017+ PSD engines are putting off some strange smells. There are a number of threads in the 2017+ forum about this. In most cases, it's nothing to worry about. It needs to run hot to burn things off for a few miles.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 316
Likes: 13
From: Wautoma, WI
Doubtful your trailer brake setting is cause if it. Your setting will depend on a lot of things like the weight of the trailer, how the brakes are set up among other things.
With 900 miles on the truck I would be even less worried. There's all kinds of things that give off a smell until it's went through quite a few heat cycles. Did your truck go into regen? My 5 year old got out of my truck at dinner last week and told me that he thought something smelled like it was burning on my truck on his side. Of course I had that sinking feeling.... went around to his side and it was just the exhaust that was really hot from the regen just finishing.
These trucks give off weird smells compared to the older ones. Without being there all we can do is guess. I wouldn't sweat it though.
With 900 miles on the truck I would be even less worried. There's all kinds of things that give off a smell until it's went through quite a few heat cycles. Did your truck go into regen? My 5 year old got out of my truck at dinner last week and told me that he thought something smelled like it was burning on my truck on his side. Of course I had that sinking feeling.... went around to his side and it was just the exhaust that was really hot from the regen just finishing.
These trucks give off weird smells compared to the older ones. Without being there all we can do is guess. I wouldn't sweat it though.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
From: Indiana
Thanks for the feedback. I think I feel better about it....lol. I’ve read that 5 was a good setting to start with on the brake controller. I remember when new cars gave that rotten egg smell when first new. This is my second PS, never ever anything with that odor. Maybe this is the new PS smell. The 5th wheel had be sitting since new since 2013, I think hot brake rust may be it. I think I’ll carry a small fire extinguisher in the back for some piece of mind.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Itinerant
In the towing section of the Ford manual it has instructions on how to properly set/ adjust the brake controller for trailer stopping.
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Prolocutor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,618
Likes: 1,247
From: Western MA
Mine smells like that (something hot and burning around the front end) every time I tow heavy. The emissions system, as mentioned above, takes a long time to loose it's stink. My 2012 6.7 took about a year and a half or so of towing to clean up it's act. My current truck has about 7k miles of towing 17-20k (about 11.5k total miles) and it still stinks every time I tow. I usually notice it when fueling up and walking around the truck. It will go away though. Def not your brakes although the smell is very similar to burning brakes. I like a lot of trailer brake too and always run mine at 10. The 2017's have a lower brake output than the previous generation for some reason as with the same RV, I was able to keep my previous truck at about 7 or 8.
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 37,384
Likes: 1,868
From: Frederick, MD
I don't think there is anything to worry about here. As others have said, it is a combination of all that oil and stuff on the new parts and emissions.
Once you are rolling down the road a bit it should fade away.
Once you are rolling down the road a bit it should fade away.
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