Trailer towing q's

Grange Bond

Registered User
Joined
Aug 7, 2019
Posts
8
Reaction score
1
Location
Kaitaia new zealand
I've been out west (Yellowstone, Utah, Arizona) 3 times and way into Mexico 6 times - crossing the Sierra Madre west of Durango towing a 7,000 lb travel trailer. Steep hills slowed it down but those grades also sloowed OTR trucks down too. I would try to keep the speed up 75-80mph most of the time - the faster entry speed helped get up steep grades a little better. MPG was never better than 11 or 12. I bought this truck new in 1993 and still have it 277K miles later. No turbo, 4.11 axle, E4OD transmission (rebuilt at 220K miles)
 

Grange Bond

Registered User
Joined
Aug 7, 2019
Posts
8
Reaction score
1
Location
Kaitaia new zealand
Sorry to hear ur loosing your job bro best of luck finding another. U mentioned trailer brake wiring wasn't sorted does the trailer move freely could there be stuck brakes bearings etc doesn't cost to jack her up and check.
 

chris142

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2012
Posts
3,007
Reaction score
353
Location
SoCal
Sorry to hear ur loosing your job bro best of luck finding another. U mentioned trailer brake wiring wasn't sorted does the trailer move freely could there be stuck brakes bearings etc doesn't cost to jack her up and check.
When I plugged the trailer in the brakes locked and I could not move. I unplugged it to get it home. I am going to pull the wheels to pack bearings and check the brakes.

I don't think the brakes were dragging but I will know when I jack it up.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
When I plugged the trailer in the brakes locked and I could not move. I unplugged it to get it home. I am going to pull the wheels to pack bearings and check the brakes.

I don't think the brakes were dragging but I will know when I jack it up.

Is there a breakaway switch? Maybe it's broken, stuck in the "breakaway" mode, locking up the brakes.
 

smokerd

Registered User
Joined
May 21, 2015
Posts
9
Reaction score
4
Location
victoria/bc
I tow a heavy 34 ft 5th wheel south & north over Siskiyou pass with my '93 F250 7.3 IDIT 5 speed. On the steepest grade, I'm down to 2nd sometimes. doing about 2500-2800 rpm.

Thing is, it feels like it'd do it all day & we're not in a hurry. On a hot day, it'll sometimes need to stop & cool when the grade levels for a bit. It feels a bit like driving a tractor but we just relax, take in the mountain scenery & let her pull.
 

IDIBRONCO

IDIBRONCO
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
12,236
Reaction score
10,925
Location
edmond, ks
I tow a heavy 34 ft 5th wheel south & north over Siskiyou pass with my '93 F250 7.3 IDIT 5 speed. On the steepest grade, I'm down to 2nd sometimes. doing about 2500-2800 rpm.

Thing is, it feels like it'd do it all day & we're not in a hurry. On a hot day, it'll sometimes need to stop & cool when the grade levels for a bit. It feels a bit like driving a tractor but we just relax, take in the mountain scenery & let her pull.
Great attitude to have.
 

chris142

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2012
Posts
3,007
Reaction score
353
Location
SoCal
Whale poop! Trailer weighs #10200 empty! No wonder i can barely pull it and can't stop it. Loaded I will be #20k.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
Whale poop! Trailer weighs #10200 empty! No wonder i can barely pull it and can't stop it. Loaded I will be #20k.

Having the trailer brakes working properly is def important on something like that. Use a higher quality brake controller too.
 

chillman88

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Posts
6,022
Reaction score
6,152
Location
Central NY
Use a higher quality brake controller too.


I will stress this. The cheap ones don't work near as well, especially panic stops.

I ordered a Tekonsha Prodigy P3 from e-trailer. If you contact them ahead of time they'll price match Amazon. Saved me a bunch and I know someone will pick up the phone if there's a problem with it.
 

Cubey

Van dweller
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Posts
4,066
Reaction score
1,580
Location
USA
I will stress this. The cheap ones don't work near as well, especially panic stops.

I ordered a Tekonsha Prodigy P3 from e-trailer. If you contact them ahead of time they'll price match Amazon. Saved me a bunch and I know someone will pick up the phone if there's a problem with it.

I have a Tekonsha Primus IQ (90160) I used when I pulled the old Alumalite travel trailer for a few months. It isn't nearly as fancy as the P3, but it's better than the cheap $35 ones, but costs less than half as much as the P3. Buy the best one you can afford, I say. The IQ is probably the bare minimum you want. There is a P2 which is better than the IQ but lesser than the P3.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
91,217
Posts
1,128,519
Members
24,045
Latest member
Ramtough01

Members online

Top