Purchased a new enclosed trailer this past week. A 7x14 flat front that weighs about 3,000 lbs. empty. Hooked it up and towed it from Middle Tennessee (Lebanon for those familiar with this State) back to my office near Chattanooga. I went over very mountainous terrain up the plateau across I40 and then back through Crossvile.

Truck never missed a beat/smelled hot or even close to it. Last week I had 10,500 lbs behind and towed that weight for about 50 miles up into East Tennessee, again never smelled hot.

Today I hooked up the trailer and moved it from one point on the equipment yard across the road to the office/garage to do some install work. This is about 100 yards. To get it up a little hill across wet grass I put the truck into 4wd Hi and moved up the hill about 30 yards additional.

To me it seems I really had to get the truck working. I put the tranny in 2nd and it had to rev to about 2K to get it up the hill from a standing start.

When I finally got it into the proper spot I turned the truck off and it smelled kinda hot. This is the first time I have ever smelled the truck get hot, but then I have only owned it for about 3 weeks. FYI-I was not backing into the spot.

This is the first time I needed 4WD and towing together to move something.
What kind of adverse relationship is there between towing and 4WD? Anything I should check?

The hot smell was there briefly and then gone, it did not linger....

 

i'd forget it unless it becomes a habit. is this an auto or manly tranny?

 

How's your tranny fluid? If you've only had her for 3 weeks, I'd strongly recommend flushing the tranny to get some fresh fluid in there, and a new filter too. I always buy used vehicles, and unless I've got proof that a known-good shop has recently done maintenance, I make the assumption that nothing has been done. Cheap insurance.

 

Auto transmission. The truck was a certified Ford so the dealer was supposed to have performed a transmission flush. The flush was also listed on the service work performed on the truck before I purchased it. This was either on the Carfax or the oasis one-I cannot remember.

I have it on my list of things to do, i.e. the flush and a new valve body along with additional transmission cooler-want to put new fluid in the rear diff too. Just way to much real work to do and too little free time to squeeze the good stuff into.

I've worked the truck hard since purchased, its a work truck. I'll just keep the olfactory chambers clean and open.

 

why did you put the auto in second to move a load from a dead stop

 

Are you sure one of you brakes didn't stick? That would cause the smell, and the extra hard pulling. Sticking slide pins are fairly common.

 

I with 2 stroke man. Why did you start off in second gear with a load?

 

Don't put it in second to pull out on anything, the tranny is locked in second gear, if anything pull it down in 1'st or leave in drive, second is for a snowy condition when you don't want the wheel's to slip.

 

Yup, that was a boneheaded move and to be honest, I did not notice that until I was underway. I was on the phone, and was attempting to check both mirrors to check the progress of the trailer wheels moving across the uneven terrain and then went up the hill. When I realized the effort the truck was putting I glanced down and realized it was in second. By then I was at the top of the hill and almost there so I did not stop to adjust it.

There's multi-tasking for ya'. A great way to make a mistake and by chance the best reason for the smell.

Hopefully not too hard on the transmission. It was a very short distance and not much in the way of hills.....

 

if you put it in second (assuming itis auto) it will be in second gear and be very sluggish, just leave it in drive or if you are moving it 100 yrds or so like you say and arent in a rush, put it in 4 low and putt a long, also when backing up a heavy load use 4 low, it will move it like it wasnt there

 

Just pulled the flashlight out and checked the transmission fluid for info. Fluid is bright pink and has no burnt smell. I'm going to keep truckin' as is and keep a close eye on it.