What did you do to your Tow Vehicle today?

[SouthCo]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

I didn't explain this clearly, there are 4 tread bands and it was the 2 in the middle that went bald. Thinking over inflated.

Oh then I would agree. [emoji1303]. A little too much air.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

When I'm towing, I always keep the transmission in 4th gear, tow haul mode, about 60mph and 2300 rpm- my tranny is only a 6 speed, and 4th is direct, 1 to 1 ratio. Unless I'm towing steep grades, my transmission runs at around 130 degrees. I lose a little MPGs, but I feel like I'm babying the drive train pulling in a lower gear. I have a 3.55 rear end.

130? Really? Is that a typo? I've seen A LOT of trains temps, but never anywhere close to 130 under normal operating conditions. In fact, my current truck is one of the best I've seen, and it runs at 170, loaded, towing, or empty; always 170 +/- 5 degrees at most. Does the fluid even work right at that temp?

[RP53]

Originally Posted by ttavasc

I just re-scaled the set up before heading out on this trip. The trailer is about 3700 - 3260 on the axles and 440 on the tongue. As mine is only 7ft wide and probably not as tall the reduced frontal area likely has a lot to do with it. I have the 3.21 rear end plus the 8-speed tranny so lighter and less frontal area likely allowing the 3.21 to deliver the better mileage. On the flat at 62 it's in 7th gear and about 1650-1700 rpm.

I noticed the same thing with the oil life meter on my EVIC - the harder I work it the longer between changes. I'm running the full synthetic and following the severe use maintenance schedule due to my daily commute only being about 5 miles one way - never really gets warmed up on that.

Put another 575 miles on it from Glenn's Ferry, ID to Lake Mead/Echo Bay. We are here now for the week - head back north next weekend.

i have a 195 as well what tire pressure do you run ??

[jwmercer]

All set up for 5th wheel. We are hauling a Eagle 321RSTS.

[Camper_bob]

Hauled the trash and recycling to the dump. I love having a pickup.

Thought about washing her too, she's too dirty even for my rural digs. But that'll have to wait for another day...

[SmokerBill]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

130? Really? Is that a typo? I've seen A LOT of trains temps, but never anywhere close to 130 under normal operating conditions. In fact, my current truck is one of the best I've seen, and it runs at 170, loaded, towing, or empty; always 170 +/- 5 degrees at most. Does the fluid even work right at that temp?

That's not a typo, Camper_bob. With the transmission set in 4th, it hardly ever shifts, and the torque converter rarely goes out of lockup. Now, when going up a mountain pass grade with several thousand feet of elevation gain, the transmission temp can get up to the 225 degree range by the top, but drops fairly quickly on the downhill.

Not towing, my transmission hardly ever gets above 120 degrees. And I do have it set for Fahrenheit, not Celsius (or Centigrade, or whatever the world standard is).

[SmokerBill]

One of my front TV tires went flat on me yesterday, immediately after towing my TT over 50 miles of curvy, hilly, narrow two lane roads. I must lead a charmed life, because the TPMS started chiming at the exact time I got my trailer positioned perfectly at the campsite.

It would have really sucked if it went flat while I was towing on that narrow road.

Couldn't find anyplace open yesterday afternoon to get it patched, so I got a plug kit. I'll probably plug the hole today so I have a spare, then tomorrow I'll go get it patched permanently.

[ttavasc]

Originally Posted by RP53

i have a 195 as well what tire pressure do you run ??

I have the Baja edition which comes with LT235/75R15 tires. Max sidewall pressure is listed at 50psi so that's what I keep them at.

[ttavasc]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

When I'm towing, I always keep the transmission in 4th gear, tow haul mode, about 60mph and 2300 rpm- my tranny is only a 6 speed, and 4th is direct, 1 to 1 ratio. Unless I'm towing steep grades, my transmission runs at around 130 degrees. I lose a little MPGs, but I feel like I'm babying the drive train pulling in a lower gear. I have a 3.55 rear end.

Interesting about the tranny temp - mine runs between about 185-200 regardless of whether I'm towing or not. My understanding is that the 8-speed does run a little hotter.

Put another 1240 towing miles on it the last two days getting back up north from Lake Mead. We had some bad weather come just as we were leaving so we ran north up I-15 thru Salt Lake City rather than back up US-93 in eastern Nevada. Not much further and the interstate is much better than the small 2-lane highway. We enjoyed the drive down US-93 having never been that route before, but it sure is a bunch of nothing for miles and miles.....

Good thing we did I think as my Andersen No-Sway started acting up shortly after we got out of the monsoon-style rains that we were running in the first couple of hours. The tapered shaft that turns with the trailer to provide the anti-sway bound up making it really hard to make sharper turns like getting off/on the freeway and in/out of fuel pumps. It was quite dry and dusty the whole week until just before we left. I suspect that there is a sand/dust/water mix that worked it's way down into the friction material while driving through the downpours that is causing it to seize. So long as I re-adjusted the chains just before getting back on the freeway it didn't seem to affect the anti-sway. But it sure made one hell of a noise turning in/out of gas stations. I'll be calling Andersen this week to see what needs to be done to repair it.

I will say that stretch of I-15 south of Salt Lake City seems to be quite agreeable to the Hemi - last fall I posted a 13.7mpg tank coming north from Kanab on that stretch. This trip it came in at 15.4mpg (tailwind I suspect... ). Overall the whole trip came in at about 11.9mpg average.

[SMS1115]

Washed the pollen off it and ordered a new set of tires. got 65k out of this set. They started with 16/32 of tread depth and are down to between 5/32 and 6/32. Not bad for an LT tire. Ordered the Kumho AR51's again. Good riding tire for highway and good all around off road traction too. Very pleased with them.

[SmokerBill]

Originally Posted by ttavasc

Interesting about the tranny temp - mine runs between about 185-200 regardless of whether I'm towing or not. My understanding is that the 8-speed does run a little hotter.

Put another 1240 towing miles on it the last two days getting back up north from Lake Mead. We had some bad weather come just as we were leaving so we ran north up I-15 thru Salt Lake City rather than back up US-93 in eastern Nevada. Not much further and the interstate is much better than the small 2-lane highway. We enjoyed the drive down US-93 having never been that route before, but it sure is a bunch of nothing for miles and miles.....

Good thing we did I think as my Andersen No-Sway started acting up shortly after we got out of the monsoon-style rains that we were running in the first couple of hours. The tapered shaft that turns with the trailer to provide the anti-sway bound up making it really hard to make sharper turns like getting off/on the freeway and in/out of fuel pumps. It was quite dry and dusty the whole week until just before we left. I suspect that there is a sand/dust/water mix that worked it's way down into the friction material while driving through the downpours that is causing it to seize. So long as I re-adjusted the chains just before getting back on the freeway it didn't seem to affect the anti-sway. But it sure made one hell of a noise turning in/out of gas stations. I'll be calling Andersen this week to see what needs to be done to repair it.

I will say that stretch of I-15 south of Salt Lake City seems to be quite agreeable to the Hemi - last fall I posted a 13.7mpg tank coming north from Kanab on that stretch. This trip it came in at 15.4mpg (tailwind I suspect... ). Overall the whole trip came in at about 11.9mpg average.

I know that when the 6 speed transmission is set to 4th gear in tow haul, the transmission is in the 1 to 1 gear ration, or basically direct throughput. Maybe that's the reason for the low temps.

I had problems with my anti-sway bar setup after driving in the rain, soon after I bought the trailer (mine's not an Anderson, though). It was chattering and sticking. I removed the bar, let the assembly dry out, then made a little sanding pad to sand the opposing brake pads that clamp against the bar. Also cleaned the bar (seemed to be glazed) After sanding the pads a couple times, I've had no more problems- for years. Didn't read about that fix anywhere, just made sense to do it.

[SmokerBill]

Originally Posted by SMS1115

Washed the pollen off it and ordered a new set of tires. got 65k out of this set. They started with 16/32 of tread depth and are down to between 5/32 and 6/32. Not bad for an LT tire. Ordered the Kumho AR51's again. Good riding tire for highway and good all around off road traction too. Very pleased with them.

HaHa! I measure the remaining tread depth of my tires this morning too. Two of them have 5/32" usable tread left, the other pair have 3/32" remaining. I'll try to make them last until this fall, when I'm either in the Washington rain, or towing to Arizona.

[DrtEmaxChvy]

Just threw these on this weekend. Love them so far.


Toyo Open Country AT2


-Til' Valhalla...Dysfunctional Veteran

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by SmokerBill

That's not a typo, Camper_bob. With the transmission set in 4th, it hardly ever shifts, and the torque converter rarely goes out of lockup. Now, when going up a mountain pass grade with several thousand feet of elevation gain, the transmission temp can get up to the 225 degree range by the top, but drops fairly quickly on the downhill.

Not towing, my transmission hardly ever gets above 120 degrees. And I do have it set for Fahrenheit, not Celsius (or Centigrade, or whatever the world standard is).

Wow! Good deal!

[dmax_83]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Ordered 2 new tires to replace the rears on my 2010 durimax. Not sure of mileage [bought used] but I've put 26k miles on it. Probably have total of 40 - 45k I would guess so that's ok, but fronts are still in good shape with no significant signs of wear. Rears wore bald on the 2 inter tread strips with good tread showing on the outer strips.

Tire guy tells me it was probably due to over inflation. I ran rears at 85 and fronts at 80 per sidewall max's. Never had a tire wear like that. Any suggestions to prevent in the future.

My advice is to get a load/inflation table and take your vehicle to a CAT scale. Once weighed, use your table to set the correct tire pressure. Do that for unloaded as well as loaded and it'll get you in the ballpark of where your tires should be inflated to. Doesn't make any sense to fill them up to the posted max on the sidewall as you are likely reducing the contact patch and actually reducing traction as well as control. Just my .02

[SmokerBill]

Got the tire I attempted to fix with a plug fixed for real at the Chehalis, WA Walmart. They removed the plug I inserted, put in some other type of plug, and patched it on the inside. Drove 100 miles and hasn't lost any air. And since I spent money at Walmart, figured I'd take advantage of a night's accommodations in their parking lot.

And that plug kit I bought was worthless. I used it per instructions, but the metal probe bent out of shape. I used pliers to straighten it up so I could finish plugging the tire. And the plug still leaked a little. After sleeping on it, I decided to return the plug kit. Went back to NAPA and got my $6 and change back.

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by jwmercer

All set up for 5th wheel. We are hauling a Eagle 321RSTS.

I like them both. You should be proud.

[Polk]

Not really designed for such big tears but I did it anyway. Nice seats covers are from $200-$350 and replacing the leather is about $800 a seat, I did this for about $75. Not perfect but not tearing any more. I can actually slide in and out again.

[Camper_bob]

Rushed home from a late night at the office to get her in the garage. Big storms with lots of hail rolling through the area tonight, and that's the last thing I need this week!

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Rushed home from a late night at the office to get her in the garage. Big storms with lots of hail rolling through the area tonight, and that's the last thing I need this week!

Storm hit around 1:30am this morning. Hail lasted about 5 minutes. Fortunately, no damage to the car, truck, or TT. But it sure got my attention.

I sure would like to have my own shop like yours. Takes all the worries out of a hail storm. Just going to take a little more time to find the right place.