The truck didn't come with a gauge from the factory... plenty of people haul without one.

Keep in on a tow tune and run the RPMs high when in doubt.

I drop to 4th gear on grades with any load. ("5th" gear for the dreamers who actually consider the ZF-6 to be a proper 6 spd)

 

My opinion,
Assuming your truck is running the way it should and given the mods I see in you signature, I wouldn't hesitate to do it.

I think you know your truck well enough to drive it conservatively and not get near the upper limits of the EGT range.

If your really concerned, disconnect your tuner.

 

You are a manual tranny, so...keep an eye on the water temps and you should be good.

 

 

That's probably what most people thought before they melted pistons at "normal" temperatures.

 

I would put it to stock (no tune) as that'll be safe to run as hard as needed to make the trip. I've read of several 'safe towing' tunes creating excessive EGTs.

 

What '88-F350 said. "Guessing" that your EGT's are OK with a tuner is literally playing with fire!

 

How many 7.3's do you personally know of that melted pistons?

To OP, if you get concerned, stop and let he truck sit for a cool down.

 

 

Both my trucks, zf6 n auto, all stock.etc, and im in the egt gauge more than eyeballs on the road, towing 8kT.H. no boost leaks..etc. Can hit 1200 just getn on freeway.

 

Well I'll give my real world experience, vs perfect world dreamers. No boost leaks, Towing our 5th wheel using Gear Head's 2 "Tow" tunes on a TS6 the EGTs hover at 1k on a very slight incline, any obvious hill and I'm watching the EGTs like a hawk and lifting my right foot to keep them at 1240, or I'm down shifting, or even dropping into "stock" tune to keep temps in check. Even in stock form if you keep it floored in 6th on a good hill you'll see 1200.
Also, EGT and the water temp gauge? No, not even. After 5 minutes of towing the factory coolant temp gauge stays the same, my aftermarket EGT and oil temp gauges move rapidly based on engine rpm/load vs coolant pretty much stays in the middle without moving

Keep the RPMs up when it isn't completely flat and tunes off and you should be ok with no gauge

 

Personally meaning I was in the truck? 0
Read about and saw photos of the carnage? Lots.

Combustion chamber temps can rise very quickly. Eventually that heat transfers through the cylinders and heads to reach the coolant, and eventually that coolant will start to heat up the sensor. By the time the coolant temp gauge rises to alarming temperatures the pistons, or other parts, might be wrecked. I've read of this happening with both gas and diesel engines repeatedly.

Stop and let the truck cool is NOT the thing to do. Drop speed and downshift to reduce load and increase coolant and air flow. If that fails to reverse the rising temperature you stop as a last ditch effort.

 

OP-How many miles is this, one way? How much weight will be loaded onto the trailer, GN or tag-a-long?