Hot smell towing up hill?

I just picked up a new to me 2018 crewmax with 20k miles on it. When towing up a steep grade I smell a hot or burnt smell - only towing up hill. Trailer weighs 4300lbs. This truck has never towed anything before I bought it. Anyone else have this issue?

 

Welcome from NY.
I've never smelled anything.
I would definitely go back to the dealer.

 

How do you know this for a fact? Bought from a friend, family member? Sounds like transmission overheating to me buddy.

 

Cam tower leak? That is how I found out I had it. Oil was dripping on the exhaust shield

 

Could be... pressure under load causing oil to leak. That’d be the first thing to check. Well first thing is to check fluids but then check Cam towers.

 

I only smell it pulling a grade. If it was a cam tower leak wouldn’t I smell it all the time? I checked all around the heads and see no oil anywhere...

 

You first smelled it when towing?

 

I thought about that. I doubt it has ever worked that hard before. Just don’t want to get stranded out on the road with the rv...

 

I smelled after going up hills. I don't tow much, but I live in a very hilly area and when I would park I would smell it every time. I had 11K miles the first time I smelled it. Drove around for another 10K miles then had it fixed. Zero issues since the fix. Still will smell burning from time to time but it is just the rubber from the tires because all of my hills are gravel.

 

So I crawled under the truck this evening and the drivers side cam tower area is wet with oil. Not a lot but wet on the surface. Not sure if that is the the cause of the burning/hot smell or not but it might be. Looks like it’s going to the stealership to see if I can get it repaired. My old 2007 never had a single issue....

 

Update from the OP: towed this week over the mountains near Cumberland, MD. Zero hot smell. I think the source of my issue was that the truck was just detailed and they sprayed the engine compartment down with degreaser and then the shiny stuff. I think that stuff was burning off with the first tow that weekend I bought the truck.
Towed very well this week all loaded up. Very happy.