Towing problem?

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Sep 6, 2018 | 02:58 PM

#16

Tricon

Logistics Pro

Joined: Apr 2017

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From: SoCal

Quote:

Originally Posted by toymaster

Well, two things are for sure, first, you are using the truck close to its max, and second, the automatic trans is not perfect. It sounds like the trans is in too high of a gear. Run the trans like a manual and keep the RPM ~3,000. If the truck will not hold it then slow down, gear down, and keep the RPMs 2,500-3,000. You want the motor to be putting out peak horsepower (2,800 rpm) on the hard climbs. If you feel the truck gaining speed then you can shift up but, if it cannot keep up, gear down till it can. Dumping fuel into the motor while it is lugging is a surefire way to heat everything up. If you do this and are still not happy then find a dyno and get some numbers to support your argument with Ford.

I pulled over a rocky mountain pass towing ~15K with 3.55 gears on about the same grade and she held 65 most of it and only got down to 60 right at the very top. I've grossed 37K on my F550 before, a lot less power, and the key is to put the motor where it is happy and let 'er pull. Towing and racing are two different things.

Max HP is at 2,800, but max torque is 1,800....don't we want max torque? HP is how quickly you can do the work, we don't care about quickness here, just power output. No?

Sep 6, 2018 | 03:03 PM

#17

toymaster

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Joined: Apr 2012

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From: Clark, WY

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tricon

Max HP is at 2,800, but max torque is 1,800....don't we want max torque? HP is how quickly you can do the work, we don't care about quickness here, just power output. No?

When working you want max power (HP) when you want efficiency you want max torque.

Sep 6, 2018 | 03:05 PM

#18

N2dunz

Senior User

Joined: Aug 2018

Posts: 148

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Quote:

Originally Posted by toymaster

mmmmm, no.
The OP is not using the truck close to its max.
F350 DRW with 4.10s is rated to 40,000 GCWR.
The OPs truck only weighs maybe 9000lbs all loaded.
The OP has at least 30,000lbs available before they hit GCWR.

Torque is where it is at when towing.
These trucks make peak torque at 1800rpm.
Maybe check your facts and numbers before you make statements like that.

Sep 6, 2018 | 03:07 PM

#19

toymaster

Laughing Gas

Joined: Apr 2012

Posts: 902

Likes: 51

From: Clark, WY

Quote:

Originally Posted by N2dunz

mmmmm, no.......Maybe check your facts and numbers before you make statements like that.

Then we disagree..... I stand by my statements

Added: The factory ratings are based on J2807. they are an effort for the consumer to compare apples to apples over one set of circumstances, instead of varying standards. The standard is not a one size fits all or be all to end all. The use of grossing close to 30K with 4.10 gears over that mountain climb is close to max. There is a reason they make lower gears and a reason why I choose 4.88's for my larger truck.

Sep 8, 2018 | 08:23 AM

#20

fskubota

Freshman User

Joined: Jun 2018

Posts: 45

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kira76

I regularly tow a 36 ft living quarter horse trailer weighing in at 20,000lbs. I would like input from others who tow heavy on how their rig performs. I recently had the eng temp hit the red (good on fluids) on a three quarter mile 6% grade in 65 degrees @ 8000 ft going 25mph. First time this happened (less than 5000 miles on rig) but I'm struggling with hills on every trip. Tranny temp getting up to 240-242 on every hill while going between 25-45 mph on 6-8% grades with engine temp usually running 212-219
Should I be concerned? The truck is rated to pull 32000 with the 410 and drw. Thanks again

try using the manual mode and the paddle shift. the truck wants to keep shifting to a higher gear, therefore causing the engine to lug, raising the eng, trans and turbo temps. i have been doing this way back with my 07 duramax.
the 1st time i climed a mountain out of va. eng temp rose to 248, scared the crap out of me. now i am always shifting between automatic and manual, every "hill" of length and size i am shifting to manual. keeps the temperatures in check!!!

Sep 8, 2018 | 10:49 AM

#21

mhoefer

Postmaster

Joined: Jan 2005

Posts: 4,424

Likes: 12

From: BC Canada

As long as your not in the red on any gauges, engine oil temp, coolant temp, transmission temps, I would keep pushing it. Rather than manual transmission mode, try tow haul with engine braking on full, and just manually lock out gears by the plus/minus. Ie, as approaching a hill that is particularly severe, run the cruise at your desired speed and just drop it out of 6th, to 5th and see how it holds the speed. The cruise will also hold you back on downhills, which is free cooling, and it will keep your rpm up, getting more fan cooling, and the water pump will be more efficient and pump more cooling fluid on those hills.

i am with you on not wanting breakdowns hauling livestock of any kind.

i am pretty sure if your not getting any lights, warnings, red gauges, your ok, I do notice this truck runs way hotter than my 6.0. Fans come on at 218 f coolant temp, but don’t seem to go to full high until the 230s. Where as my 6.0 diesel was on stage one at 215,stage 4 at 220, and it always brought temps back down the low 200s very quickly.

trans temps, are nots when you look at the digital temps, just watch the gauges. Put your trans temp where the 4th gauge where the boost goes, and bring up your engine spec with the temp in the centre cluster so you can watch all threee. Even if you don’t do this it will bring them up when things get to high, it wil start giving you warnings.