Never ever ever do this - the secondary catch is only to keep the hood from opening at speed long enough for you to shut it correctly!
Eli
Tow 12,600 with a 6.9 N/A ?
- Thread starter Noiseydiesel
- Start date
Eli
Isaac Ristow
Full Access Member
Towing a 580 60 miles you will be perfectly fine I wouldn't sweat it one bit just take it slow and easy. The 6.9 shouldn't have any overheating issues unless your cooling system is in poor condition. It's not recommended to drive with the hood popped but when I drove my body home from Colorado to Wisconsin the radiator was all plugged up and the 460 was running hot I went the whole way with the hood popped luckily has no issues averaged 75 on the interstate
Noiseydiesel
Full Access Member
The wife has written this truck off in her mind. The hood released to it's first stop is a trick I have done a few times. I accidentally didn't fully close the hood on her van once and uh, well she was driving and not too happy. No damage the the vehicle, just my ears when she came home.
75 with a 460 is easy enough, especially with 3.79(?) fear gears. I would like to change the gearing in that truck though. This 6.9 is headed for other pastures soon enough. Probably next spring/summer.
75 with a 460 is easy enough, especially with 3.79(?) fear gears. I would like to change the gearing in that truck though. This 6.9 is headed for other pastures soon enough. Probably next spring/summer.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
I used to love towing with my two trucks that had a 460/429 on them. The 460 was a car engine and that does make a difference. They got better heads so they had more power. My last 460 was also my last Dent Side. It was a 79 F150 Ex. Cab, 4X2 with a C6. I had no trouble pulling 14,000 Lbs. for 50+ miles and holding the 60 MPH speed limit. The real shocker was when I passed the first vehicle. I was trying to keep the speed down to 50 MPH since I knew that there was a lot of weight on the trailer. I found someone who just HAD to be driving slower than me. I waited until we got to a pretty flat area that is about 2 1/2 miles long. I pulled out to pass, barely pushed harder on the throttle since no one was coming from the other direction, and was shocked to see that I was doing 65 MPH by the time that I got back into my lane. That's when I stepped the speed up to 60 MPH.
After all of that, I haven't had a gas engine bigger than a 302 since 2005. With the price of fuel these days, I'll NEVER go back to a 429/460.
After all of that, I haven't had a gas engine bigger than a 302 since 2005. With the price of fuel these days, I'll NEVER go back to a 429/460.
Big Bart
Tow&Slow
With the price of fuel these days, I'll NEVER go back to a 429/460.
Amen to that. My 95 F150 4x4 extended cab with 31” tires got 8mpg in the city and 10mph on the hwy with a 351ci.(Guessing maybe 7&9 with a 460.) My 88 7.3 IDI extended cab gets 12-13mpg, so 20-30% more. As Laine pointed out in CA diesel has gone up to $4.55-4.95 a gallon. From what I have seen they are pricing it on par with mid grade unleaded.
Amen to that. My 95 F150 4x4 extended cab with 31” tires got 8mpg in the city and 10mph on the hwy with a 351ci.(Guessing maybe 7&9 with a 460.) My 88 7.3 IDI extended cab gets 12-13mpg, so 20-30% more. As Laine pointed out in CA diesel has gone up to $4.55-4.95 a gallon. From what I have seen they are pricing it on par with mid grade unleaded.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
I usually get 17-18 our of my Blue Truck on the highway doing 70.
Big Bart
Tow&Slow
3.55’s definitely rock the mileage. I have a 4.10, but bought it to tow, so glad it does.
ih8minimumwage
Full Access Member
It'll move it, but without trailer brakes and a controller it could be sketchy getting home. Hauled an RS5-19 forklift on a tilt trailer when my truck was NA and it could pull, but even with hydroboost it didn't want to stop worth a damn until I got the controller dialed in and let the trailer brakes do the work.
Noiseydiesel
Full Access Member
I ordered up a Teknosha RF brake controller. I figured the remote sensor will make it easier to transfer from one vehicle to another. One end plugs into the cigarette lighter and the other end gets it's power from the 12V constant. the brake signal is a wireless signal between the two. Good from 1 to 3 axles.
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Brakes on that trailer just got reworked about 200 miles ago. They are just starting to seat in decently.
If I had deeper pockets, the trailer I am using would have 17.5 tires on it rated either at 4K Lbs each (load range H) or 6K Lbs each (load range J). That and two disc brakes axles with the electric over hydraulic master cylinder.
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Brakes on that trailer just got reworked about 200 miles ago. They are just starting to seat in decently.
If I had deeper pockets, the trailer I am using would have 17.5 tires on it rated either at 4K Lbs each (load range H) or 6K Lbs each (load range J). That and two disc brakes axles with the electric over hydraulic master cylinder.
Big Bart
Tow&Slow
I love my electric over hydraulic for my 8k lb boat and trailer set up. You don’t know what you are missing till you try it. I also have stainless brakes, calipers, rotors, and lines, problem free when dipping in the sea.(For those who tow on salted roads or live in damp areas think about it.) But also like the the way it stops. It grabs faster and slows down faster.
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Noiseydiesel
Full Access Member
I am currently running Dexter 7200# axles. The PO dumped the OEM axles with the 15" 2 piece twist together rims. Those tires had a wonderful weight rating. The mobile home tires, not so great.
Good looking pintle hook trailer on two junk axles.
Good looking pintle hook trailer on two junk axles.
It's all good bud!
I learned to drive inna willys cj2a in the Sierra Nevada's...
if it's not colder at the top it's a hill
I learned to drive inna willys cj2a in the Sierra Nevada's...
if it's not colder at the top it's a hill
Noiseydiesel
Full Access Member
I must not be on a hill then. Usually 10 degrees cooler up here, some days only 6 and rarely the same at the valley floor. On a good summer day, 20 degrees cooler than the far side of town.
Well, I got it done. Trailer brakes got hot real fast on a downhill slope as did the truck brakes.
Would I do that one again? No, not in that truck. On the open freeway at 55 MPH, yeah that would be good enough. Steep winding roads, not so much.
Well, I got it done. Trailer brakes got hot real fast on a downhill slope as did the truck brakes.
Would I do that one again? No, not in that truck. On the open freeway at 55 MPH, yeah that would be good enough. Steep winding roads, not so much.
IDIBRONCO
IDIBRONCO
Well the good news is that you probably won't have to do it again.
reelfishin
Registered User
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I towed a Case 480E backhoe/loader from Montrose, CO to NJ with my then 1986 6.9 F250 Super Cab 4x2 with a four speed manual trans. The trailer was a late 60's construction equipment trailer that had more patches and diamond plate on it then it had original steel. The truck belonged to the guy I worked for at the time, he had bought it new the year before. He paid me to drive it out to CO to pickup the Case after a relative of his passed away out there. All I was told was that its a backhoe, and the trailer is good, 'he used it all the time'. He handed me an envelope full of cash for expenses and the keys to his new truck.
Once I got out out of the hills it wasn't that bad, but on the hills, The truck did fine, I just took my time and wasn't in any hurry, (After all I was getting paid by the hour). Not long after that trip, that truck become my personal ride. I don't think the boss thought much of the smell of diesel because a year later I bought that truck off him after he decided to buy a 1 ton in '87 with a 460 and an E40D. It was probably the best $5,500 I ever spent. Its a truck I really wish I had kept pver the years.
Looking back, with a few more years under me know and a bit more sense, the trailer was likely close to 4,500lbs empty, the Case was probably around 12,000. The Super Cab long bed diesel truck with a fiber glass cap on it was likely close to 7k plus an array of tools, chains, etc. in the back. I also had four new trailer spares and a couple spare hubs just in case. I took I-80w going out, and I-70E on the way home. It took me about 33 hours out and 44 hours drive time to get home towing the Case. As far as i could tell the truck was no worse for wear after that trip, but it was a fairly new truck at the time, (still under warranty when I left). It clicked off 12k on the odometer about 10 miles from home on the way back. I took my time, took time to stop and rest and all was fine.
It was likely a bit overloaded but it did the job. When I first pulled out with that trailer on the back my first impression was that I was likely going to hurt the truck if I hit any big hills, but after the first two big climbs and a couple long winding downhill runs getting out to I-70 to head home, I felt more confident it was going to be just fine so long as I took it easy. I ran 50-55 on the open road no problem, but took it super easy getting up to speed and planned my stops well ahead of time.
I think that truck felt more comfortable towing that Case home than my current 6.0L Power Stroke feels towing the same weight. The difference is that the 6.0 does it faster and gets better mileage doing it.
The 6.9 got around 8 mpg hauling that Case back then but it got closer to 15 on the way out there. It went through about 400 gallons of diesel both ways, but diesel was cheap then, between $.69 and $.73/gal. I think I spent around $280 in fuel for the trip. I was only making about $5.25 an hour then but I didn't have to pay for food either. I did sleep a few nights in the truck, but only because I didn't feel like finding a motel, I also drove mostly at night to not have to deal with traffic.
Once I got out out of the hills it wasn't that bad, but on the hills, The truck did fine, I just took my time and wasn't in any hurry, (After all I was getting paid by the hour). Not long after that trip, that truck become my personal ride. I don't think the boss thought much of the smell of diesel because a year later I bought that truck off him after he decided to buy a 1 ton in '87 with a 460 and an E40D. It was probably the best $5,500 I ever spent. Its a truck I really wish I had kept pver the years.
Looking back, with a few more years under me know and a bit more sense, the trailer was likely close to 4,500lbs empty, the Case was probably around 12,000. The Super Cab long bed diesel truck with a fiber glass cap on it was likely close to 7k plus an array of tools, chains, etc. in the back. I also had four new trailer spares and a couple spare hubs just in case. I took I-80w going out, and I-70E on the way home. It took me about 33 hours out and 44 hours drive time to get home towing the Case. As far as i could tell the truck was no worse for wear after that trip, but it was a fairly new truck at the time, (still under warranty when I left). It clicked off 12k on the odometer about 10 miles from home on the way back. I took my time, took time to stop and rest and all was fine.
It was likely a bit overloaded but it did the job. When I first pulled out with that trailer on the back my first impression was that I was likely going to hurt the truck if I hit any big hills, but after the first two big climbs and a couple long winding downhill runs getting out to I-70 to head home, I felt more confident it was going to be just fine so long as I took it easy. I ran 50-55 on the open road no problem, but took it super easy getting up to speed and planned my stops well ahead of time.
I think that truck felt more comfortable towing that Case home than my current 6.0L Power Stroke feels towing the same weight. The difference is that the 6.0 does it faster and gets better mileage doing it.
The 6.9 got around 8 mpg hauling that Case back then but it got closer to 15 on the way out there. It went through about 400 gallons of diesel both ways, but diesel was cheap then, between $.69 and $.73/gal. I think I spent around $280 in fuel for the trip. I was only making about $5.25 an hour then but I didn't have to pay for food either. I did sleep a few nights in the truck, but only because I didn't feel like finding a motel, I also drove mostly at night to not have to deal with traffic.
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