What is safe for the truck?

Let me start with saying my last truck was diesel, so I am not here to try to complain about the apples to orange's difference. I really do have questions.

I recently made a trip through OK to TX. So we can agree it was pretty flat. I had a 16ft trailer, trailer and load was 4-5K. I kept it in 4th, tow haul, and tried to keep it under 70mph (this was the hard part). RPMs seem high to drive it like this for an extended time. Is this safe and normal when hauling?

I also only got about 100-120 miles to a tank....

 

That engine will run in 4th gear at 70mph with a 5k pound trailer all day, every day for years. Though I think you’d be safe to bump it into 5th if it’s flat, so long as the truck has the power to hold that gear. If it’s hunting back and forth between gears in certain situations of course lock it out in the lower gear.

It’s a mechanical object and requires no human sympathy to operate as it was designed. Only lots of fuel and proper maintenance.

 

yea it sucks fuel when I pull my car hauler.. it is what it is.. keep the tires aired up and keep rolling

 

Thank you both! I am very meticulous at maintenance, the temps all stayed very normal, it was just a very new (different) towing experience. I do not want to cause any premature wear, but I do need a truck to do truck things.

 

My boat and trailer weighs 4500#. I live in central TX and haul the boat to the gulf and back several times a year. The first 1/3 to 1/2 of the trip going to the coast is hilly depending on the route. I use 5th gear all the time and do not use tow/haul much. I do use it on occasion, since tow/haul is programmed by the OV tune that I have to prevent downshifts while at speed, and there are times when I'd prefer that it not downshift to 4th on its own. If I think it needs to be in 4th for a bit, I'll do it myself. In any case, 5th gear is 2300-2500RPM at 70-75MPH, and I find that very comfortable.

I also have the Torque app and monitor my XSMN pan and torque converter temps while towing.

 

Just keep that transmission fluid changed on her if you tow alot..... I need to get mine flushed here at the begging of the year (think it was done 2020 last at around 100k miles (132k now)

 

I just had it changed at 100k. Think im at 116k now.

 

It's a gas engine. It needs high RPM to make the power. No harm done.

 

I tow 5th all the time at 75-85mph dragging the sxs. Up and down hills. I just set the cruise and let her go and do her thing. And I’m running 5.29 gears so my rpm’s are even higher. 70k and counting.

 

The engine is designed to rev. Like @Cpl_Punishment said, it needs RPM to make power.

But yes it is thirsty.

 

I can live with the thirsty, but filling up every 2hrs annoys the $hit out of me. I only purchased it due to reputation and to pass to my son in 5 years. So if it holds up the reputation, I will be a happy hauler!!

 

I get 9 towing my rzr. Used to be 7 but the 5.29 gears bumped it up.

 

Yes but Safer (and much longer life for the trans) would be to determine if your rig has an external trans cooler or not from the factory. If it does not I'd recommend you add one (many posts on here about what parts are needed and how to DIY). Plus add a fan with 5pin relay and and override switch for the cabin (for super cold weather). Luck and enjoy.

 

I do a little towing and have found that temps will climb (eng/trans) with the slightest hill in 5th. I believe that is due to a combination of load/RPM. The transmission temp will raise when the engine temp goes up possibly due to the trans heater. I think my next investment will be a 4 core radiator and a high output water pump if possible. I do pin the trans thermostat (hot days) and if I remember it's good for around 30F - gain.

 

5 & 6 use over drive so the extra heat come when OD unlocks and allows higher RPMS while using slipping to gain acceleration - temps can increase lots especially in 6. Of course once speed is leveled out OD locks up again and temps begin to fall. An external cooler is good and even better is adding a fan with a 5pin relay and an override dash switch (for winter shutoffs). If pinned will cruise 75 at 170 in 100 degree weather and peak at about 200 under severe towing or multiple stop-go situations. Luck.

 

Do believe that one of the first mods I did to the Tundra was one of the most valuable. Replacing the oem 28gal tank with a transfer flow 46gal tank. 600 miles per fill is easy. If I were hauling heavy, I’d definitely go diesel, but my trailers and boat are fairly light.

 

I did 708 miles on 38 gal tank this summer, wasn't even dry. Had a 60 lbs canoe on top and couple of hundreds lbs of gear in bed. About 500-550 lbs of permanently mounted steel stuff and heavier 33" LT AT tires. Of course, speed wasn't very high. Anything over 65 MPH kills MPG.

 

What are y’all paying for the tank and installation?

 

I also tow in 5th when conditions allow for it. As mentioned by @Johnsonman the torque converter will unlock and allow extra heat to build in the transmission. You can usually tell it is unlocked as the RPM will climb by about 300 rpm and feel like a half shift. If my converter is unlocking constantly or wants to stay unlocked, I will drop down to 4th. Else, the truck will handle towing in 5th. As to RPM, you are just fine running in 4th at highway speeds towing. But the truck will run through the 26 gallon tank pretty fast..

Transfer flow is a good option. If you are handy or can convince another shop to do the work, you can install a factory 38 gallon tank in place of the 26 gallon tank without too much hassle. Or so I'm told. It's on my to do list.

 

708 miles is seriously impressive to me. What tires are you running? Assuming no lift on your truck?

 

My truck is very heavy... It is lifted a bit: ~1.5" lift in front via Bilstein 5100 at the middle setting and 1" in back via shackles. But. With a semi-hidden WARN steel bumper, WARN 12k lbs winch, 3x 10 GA steel skid plates, very thick bed liner, Leer cap and Holman 8ft rack it sits factory level in front at best. Not even factory level at the rear. This is with otherwise empty bed.

Tires are 33" General Grabber A/TX 275/70R18. They are heavy, only 4 lbs lighter than similar 35" tires.

The truck was loaded with camping gear and ~60 lbs canoe on top, yet it managed to barely sip gas. Much to my surprise, and I was not able to repeat the record MPG. I guess, the key was warm weather and gravel road, which I traveled slowly. Fast enough to stay in 6th gear and locked torque converted, but slow enough to negotiate brick's aerodynamics.

The average speed was around 40 MPH. With high center of gravity, worn tires and no rear sway bar the truck was sliding on gravel too easily in 2WD mode. So I was scared and proceeded slowly.

 

Hmmmm

Reading this is making me question what I just did. New owner of a 22 Limited V6 twin turbo 10 speed auto, tow capacity of 11K lbs. Is it really not able to do this? Is the 4th and 5th gears people are referring to in this 10 speed transmission?

I too am leaving the diesel world to go gas and newer for me. I currently have an 04 Ford Excursion, bulletproofed and has gobs of torque and power to pull my 24' enclosed race ready trailer with a 4K car inside with tools and all weighing in around 10K lbs, maybe 11 max. Is my new truck not really up for the challenge? I know there is a considerable difference between these trucks, but am I over doing my Limited? I truly look to sell this trailer soon anyways and only haul a 7K max bumper pull RV.


Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

4th gear is your friend when towing w/these rigs... Yes, you will burn a little extra fuel, but our engines have no issue running at 3,000rpm all day every day as others have stated. 5th and 6th gears are both OD gears, so even though you reduce RPMs of the engine and increase MPGs, you're increasing stress and temps on the transmission when operating in 5th and 6th gear (especially when towing).

Here is a video that explains and demonstrates EXACTLY what is happening w/our transmissions through each gear. The video and the dude talking are dry, but the information is accurate and really gives great insight making it worth the watch. He'll demonstrate what components are engaging in each gear and give you an understanding of why 5th and 6th gear are so 'taxing' to the transmission, especially when towing.

Pay attention to the amount of force used to turn driveline in each gear, and you'll notice 4th gear is the 1:1, and vary little effort is required to turn the driveline. However, once you reach 5th, it takes a significant amount of force to keep things moving; which exemplifies how much harder the transmission is beginning to work to maintain speed... This is also the reason that trans temps climb higher when operating in 5th / 6th gears when towing.

https://youtu.be/YM40HOYtLNc

 

i have been thinking about a radiator as well. I have an GCS transmission cooler now but I think the combo would be better.
What radiator are you looking at?

 

No, people towing in 4th and 5th gears are referring to the 6 speed transmission in the previous generation trucks.

 

As @Cpl_Punishment said, the gear references are for the 5.7 V8 trucks with 6 gears. That said, you're likely not going to enjoy pulling a 10K-11K trailer with a 1/2 ton gasser. It's on the upper end of the limit that less well equipped models can tow, and a limited might not actually have 11K of tow capacity, or the payload to handle the tongue weight of a trailer that heavy.

 

Both my car trailer and my camper have weight distribution hitches on them to help distribute into the frame forward as well.

I'm glad to hear about the 4th/5th gears are referring to the 6 speed trans behind the V8. I wonder how these 10 speed Aisin trans do. I will try and look through to see comments on them. I'm actually thinking about selling my car trailer, it's worth more now than when I bought it in 2013.

Thanks for your inputs,
Mike