What speed, gear, and RPM do you tow?

[hesutton]

I'm trying to get more aquainted with pulling my 5'er with my F350 crew cab IDI. ZF5 speed, 3.55 gears. It has a Banks turbo and a US Gear underdrive as well.

I've been pulling in 4th gear, at roughly 2250-2500 RPM. What are the rest of you doing? More or less RPM, overdrive, what?

Heath

 

[ocnorb]

Tow my 5er in about that same rpm range. Only engage the OD on long downhill stretches. This is with c-6 and 3.55s. I try to never go over 65 MPH.

On hills I have to drop into 2nd and run the rpms up (2800-3100) to try and keep the EGTs down. Most of my towing is above 5000 ft which may affect things.

I'm hoping to have a ZF installed soon and see if that doesn't put a little more torque to the ground.

 

[snicklas]

Heath,

I tow in 5th gear @ ~70 @ ~2000rpm.........














































With my 6.0
Sorry couldn't help my self.......

 

[robmoore11]

e4od 3.55's f250 ext cab on big hills dropped to 2nd gear at about 2900 rpm.

 

[tom37]

Mines not a 5er but its still 9000 LBS dry.

I averaged 2500 on the tach, once I let it get down to 2000 I had to grab the next gear down. I had about a mile long hill coming up and tried to grad third a little early to keep the revs up but to no avail it dropped the revs pretty quick and held um at 2000 and made it over the top. I try and keep it between 60 and 65 except for the occasional get go run at the next hill.

This was the first trip with the big trailer and the new rad.
Temps sunday were 104 actual, I did manage to creep the temp gauge up to 220 once or twice but for the most part it held between 195ish and 205ish.


Does anyone have troubles with the mph getting away from ya when cruising empty. On the way home with no trailer, I had to keep backing out of it. Sure is different to drive then my old gasser.

 

[tonkadoctor]

Will pull 13,000 lbs up a long 6% grade in 6th gear maintaining a set cruise speed of 60 mph @ 1750 rpm with the AC on.

 

[snicklas]

Tonka,

Isn't the extra power nice.....

Don't see how/why I ever towed with a 5.9L Durango..........

 

[hesutton]

Alright now you direct injected, computer controlled, modern diesel jokesters...... stop rubbing it in.




Heath

 

[hesutton]

Well, moving the 5'er out of storage tonight for loading/prep for this weekend. I'll try and keep the RPM closer to 2500 and up and see how it pulls. I usually keep the UD unit on while driving in town. Once on the highway and at 2500+ in 4th underdrive, I'll shift it into 4th direct and leave it there. The US Gear gives me a 20% gear reduction, meaning it about the same as having 4.26 gearing in the axles, so it really helps. But, it's not as useful cruising down the highway.

Heath

 

[towcat]

heath-
your truck will tell you where it's comfortable at.
unfortunately for me, when towing a trailer in kali, 55mph is the restriction. I'll push 60mph but not much more to avoid tickets while towing.

 

[Black dawg]

what does your trailer weigh? With my usual trailer load of 11k I can run od at 2grand easily and pull some decent hills without downshifting or loosing speed. Last week I pulled a big trailer (22k) ran a little over 60 at 2500ish. Tried od once just to see if it would pull it and on flat ground it was completely usable.

 

[ocnorb]

heath-
your truck will tell you where it's comfortable at.
unfortunately for me, when towing a trailer in kali, 55mph is the restriction. I'll push 60mph but not much more to avoid tickets while towing.

We pull a small trailer behind our motorcycle... I really felt your pain when i was in kali. Felt like I could get off and walk, but the awesome scenery and roads along the coast made up for it. They charged me for a three axle rig to cross the Golden Gate Bridge... ***??? 1200lbs of motorcycle and trailer pay the same as a 10-wheeler. uke

 

[The Warden]

We pull a small trailer behind our motorcycle... I really felt your pain when i was in kali. Felt like I could get off and walk, but the awesome scenery and roads along the coast made up for it. They charged me for a three axle rig to cross the Golden Gate Bridge... ***??? 1200lbs of motorcycle and trailer pay the same as a 10-wheeler. uke

It could be worse...look at what tolls went up to for trucks, trailers, etc

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...race-for-huge-toll-hikes-on-bay-area-bridges/

Unfortunately, if you have to drive around the Bay Area, it's hard to avoid the bridges...and they know it. It's possible to avoid the bridge crossings, but at a considerable penalty of time and fuel (easily an extra hour or two of driving). If I didn't like the weather on the coast so much, I'd seriously consider getting out of here...

 

[subway]

Alright now you direct injected, computer controlled, modern diesel jokesters...... stop rubbing it in.




Heath

yep, its a guarantee there is always someone to jump in and say "my new diesel can pull 50K straight up a mountain in double overdrive......"

 

[hesutton]

heath-
your truck will tell you where it's comfortable at.
unfortunately for me, when towing a trailer in kali, 55mph is the restriction. I'll push 60mph but not much more to avoid tickets while towing.

It seems to like 4th and roughly 2500 RPM +/-. At that RPM, I cruize at roughly 65mph. Having to stay at a max of 55 would put me between gears while hauling, and would drive me nuts.

what does your trailer weigh?

Weight is not bad. It is around 9K dry. Don't know how much it weighs ready to camp. The bigger issue I think is wind resistance...... It's kind of a tall 5'er.

yep, its a guarantee there is always someone to jump in and say "my new diesel can pull 50K straight up a mountain in double overdrive......"

Heath