Mountain towing
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New User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3
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Mountain towing
I have recently purchased an 01 F250 V10, cc, swb, 4x4, automatic with 3.73's. The truck has 70,000 miles and runs strong with or without a load. On a recent trip to Colorado dealing with steep grades and high altitude I experienced "rough" up-shifting from my auto transmission. After making a peak on a mountain top and coming down or leveling out the up-shift just seemed to "shimmy" or "wobble" a little bit. I never notice this without a load. My load is a 25' TT at 4500 lbs. Loaded is just over 5000 lbs. I also have an 800 lb 4 wheeler in the bed of my 250. It also acts like it has a hard time finding the proper gear half way up a steep grade, it will slow down with the pedal to the medal and eventually downshift and make progress. This is not really a problem, it is the rough shifting that has me concerned. Any info would be appreciated.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: Canyon Country, Ca.
Howdy Eggman,
I'm assuming your towing with your O.D. off? If not, that might help. I tow a 7500 lb TT and I kind of experienced the same thing as you, my tranny seemed to search alot too. I installed a Banks Trans Command and noticed firmer/quicker shifting and it did away with the searching issue. Just something you might want to look into......Good Luck.
Roach
I'm assuming your towing with your O.D. off? If not, that might help. I tow a 7500 lb TT and I kind of experienced the same thing as you, my tranny seemed to search alot too. I installed a Banks Trans Command and noticed firmer/quicker shifting and it did away with the searching issue. Just something you might want to look into......Good Luck.
Roach
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 3
From: Phenix City, AL
Like roach said, make sure the OD is off. With 3.73's, you're tranny IS probably gonna hunt for gears trying to keep the engine in the power range, with the altitude and weight your carrying. You could use the trans command, or a Super Chips, or other programmer. But my recommendation would be new gears. Yes they are relatively expensive, but you'll be much happier with the towing performance of your vehicle. 3.73's are highway gears, daily drivers. If you tow regularly or have significant weight, you should really look at getting a set of 4.30's installed. You'll be much happier with the towing, as will your tranny. Consider the expense of replacing that compared to new gears.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
All my towing is done going from Kansas to the Colorado Rockies and all over Colorado's mountain passes. I had a 3.73 geared V10 and traded it off for a 4.30 geared truck the next year. I can tell you for certain that the gearing makes a HUGE difference in towing up Colorado's long passes. The engine is still sucking for more air at the higher elevations, but the lower gearing makes up for a lot of the power loos at tose altitudes. Plus I still get 10-11 mpg towing my 18 ft trailer loaded with quads and equipment.
However, I am going to upgrade the air intake and exhaust to help the engine breath even better. Those upgrades will certainly help power and engine efficiency and will most likely make towing an easier chore for towing in Colorado and elsewhere.
I would also suggest either a chip, programmer, or the Banks Transcommand module to help firm up the tranny shifting and help make it more responsive to towing all around.
Like one of the previous posts suggested, I always tow in the mountains with the O/D locked out. The tranny won't hunt as much for the right gear keeping temps somewhat lower.
Dan
However, I am going to upgrade the air intake and exhaust to help the engine breath even better. Those upgrades will certainly help power and engine efficiency and will most likely make towing an easier chore for towing in Colorado and elsewhere.
I would also suggest either a chip, programmer, or the Banks Transcommand module to help firm up the tranny shifting and help make it more responsive to towing all around.
Like one of the previous posts suggested, I always tow in the mountains with the O/D locked out. The tranny won't hunt as much for the right gear keeping temps somewhat lower.
Dan
