I own a 1998.5 24V 2500 long bed extra cab, with canopy. Pretty well stock powertrain.  I installed a new HX35W turbo a couple of months ago. Currently running a Herko fuel lift pump that gives me18 psi at idle. Maintains 10 psi pulling a decent load up a hill. Today I installed an A-pillar gauge package. So far boost, lift pump pressure, and exhaust temp gauges are functioning. The transmission temp gauge, I'll hook up later.

 

This January we purchased a 23 ft RV trailer. We've been getting it ready for camping season. Empty weight of the trailer is 4,950 lbs. Dual 3500 lb axles under it. I just installed new tires on the trailer and upsized them to a higher weight rating. I installed a new heavy duty, square bar type equalizer hitch. It feels good, I feel safe on the hi-way. It tows nice.

 

What has me a little weary are a couple of things. The added gauges on the truck keep me well informed. So much so, maybe I was better off ignorant and clueless. LOL. It's a stock truck as mentioned. The truck never had exhaust pyros when new. How much concern should I have about exhaust temps with this truck? Under hard acceleration, unloaded I can get exhaust temp to about 1050-1100F.  I live up a mountain. The road home is pretty steep. It's a slower 2 lane winding road. Speed limit  30 mph. It's about 3.5 miles from the start, to my driveway. I gain about 1100 feet elevation over the 3.5 mile climb home.  Average road grade over the 3.5 miles is 10%. You cannot get a run at the hill. My 24V 5.9, to me feels like its working hard to tow my trailer up this hill.  Watching the exhaust temps, I backed off the throttle and maintained 950F to 1000F while climbing the hill home. I was at about 8-10 psi boost.  My speed was about 15-18 MPH. As mentioned this is all new to me as I prepare the trailer for camping season. The cooling system in the truck handled the climb well. Fuel lift pump pressure steady at 10 psi. Engine steady at about 1900 to 2100 RPM up the hill. I did not actually time the the climb up the hill, but doing the math its about 12-13 minutes up.

 

I feel like I am working the truck damn hard. There are no other hills around here that I know of like this. I suspect I can comfortably tow the trailer most anywhere except back up the hill home. 

Towing with my Cummins today is new to me. Is this normal? The engines are pretty hearty it seems. Maybe I am just not used to hearing the engine grunt so hard. Should I be concerned or am I being too cautious. Just work the SOB, that's what it's deigned to do?

 

Your experience and comments are appreciated.

 

Here is the rig as driven today.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 20195 yr by keithb7

55 minutes ago, kzimmer said:

Except your truck will look like a fat guy with really skinny legs, lol.

 

Nope. Most can't tell they are 245's.

25 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

If I have 3.55:1 rear end, and first gear is 2.45:1 is my final ratio 6:1 when in first gear?

If I had 4.10 gears, and retained the same tranny, in  first at 2.45:1, is my new final drive ratio 6.55:1?

 

I think you added your ratios; you need to multiply.

 

2.45 x 3.55 = 8.70

2.45 x 4.10 = 10.05

 

My personal preference for safely towing in hills is with a manual transmission and an exhaust brake.  The manual six speed gives you the best performance.   You will have a gear for every kind of hill (up or down) and you will always be operating the engine in an RPM range that will be do the job efficiently.

 

One option for you is to sell your truck and buy a truck with a manual transmission and install an exhaust brake.  This would be a very effective way to solve your issues with your truck.

 

The other option is to continue to put money into your existing truck by beefing up the transmission and torque converter and installing larger brakes.  You can only hope that whoever builds the transmission for you can lock up the torque converter in every forward gear with controls that are simple to operate.  In the end you still have only four gears to operate the truck and you will never optimize the performance capability of the Cummins engine for going up and down hills.

 

- John

4 minutes ago, Tractorman said:

The manual six speed gives you the best performance. 

 

Not really. The top two gears are the same. Is just there is an extra gear in the bottom. Just consider the thought my current setup (NV4500 and 245's) I'm in 4th gear at 25 MPH. 

 

NV4500 - 5th gear - 0.75

NV6500 - 6th gear - 0.73

 

NV4500 - 4th gear - Direct

NV5600 - 5th gear - Direct

 

Edited May 24, 20195 yr by Mopar1973Man

17 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Nope. Most can't tell they are 245's.

Just yanking your chain. 

14 minutes ago, kzimmer said:

Just yanking your chain. 

Kind of like a VW yanking a tree stump eh?

I have to add this, the 6 speed is really good with load I pull. I gross 23k and hsppy I have it. A good rebuild is going to suck but still dont think I would trade it. They extra is nice to have when you want it.

 

Now just a bit of topic, when I did have a 5 speed I was always going for 6th gear on the interstae. I even still go for 7th gear in my 6 speed occasionally. Any body else have this disease or is it only found in chickens?

5 minutes ago, dripley said:

Any body else have this disease or is it only found in chickens?

 

Yup... 

6 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Yup... 

I was afraid of that.

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Not really. The top two gears are the same. Is just there is an extra gear in the bottom. Just consider the thought my current setup (NV4500 and 245's) I'm in 4th gear at 25 MPH. 

 

NV4500 - 5th gear - 0.75

NV6500 - 6th gear - 0.73

 

NV4500 - 4th gear - Direct

NV5600 - 5th gear - Direct

 

 

Sure the top two gears are the same - so is first gear.  But, sometimes there are conditions such as @keithb7's 3.5 mile, 30 mph hill that makes having three gears (instead of two) to work with between first gear and the 1:1 gear a real benefit whether going up or down that hill with varying loads.  Sort of like the benefit you mentioned about improving the final drive ratio when you went from 265 tires to 245 tires.

 

So, I still think the six speed transmission is the best choice for towing - just my opinion.  Personally, I wish there was at least an eight speed manual transmission that would just drop right in.  And yes, @dripley, I also occasionally go for 7th gear.

 

- John

Edited May 25, 20195 yr by Tractorman

12 minutes ago, Tractorman said:

 

Sure the top two gears are the same - so is first gear.  But, sometimes there are conditions such as @keithb7's 3.5 mile, 30 mph hill that makes having three gears (instead of two) to work with between first gear and the 1:1 gear a real benefit whether going up or down that hill with varying loads.  Sort of like the benefit you mentioned about improving the final drive ratio when you went from 265 tires to 245 tires.

 

So, I still think the six speed transmission is the best choice for towing - just my opinion.  Personally, I wish there was at least an eight speed manual transmission that would just drop right in.  And yes, @dripley, I also occasionally go for 7th gear.

 

- John

 

Having driven both, it’s not a fair comparison between the two.. the 6 speed is in a different league for low-mid range towing speeds. The extra gear is very noticeable, especially with the fairly small rpm band of a diesel. 

 

I always wanted a 7 speed in my 05. I rarely had gear spacing issues in the 2-4 range, but often 5th was too low and 6th was too tall. 

 

A double OD 7 speed would fix that with a .85 6th and .68 7th. 

 

Edited May 25, 20195 yr by AH64ID

2 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Kind of like a VW yanking a tree stump eh?

 

My VW could yank a tree stump just fine, haha.

On 5/12/2019 at 10:31 AM, 015point9 said:

Diff sensor... where did you weld it in at? 

 

Just got all my parts together.

I see.  Not only was I not sure where to put it at,  I wasn't sure if toggle switch would let elec "bleed over" and produce inaccurate temps.   

My first in the very beginning...thought was to use probe of that pana Pacific temp gauge. But temps are to high for pana Pacific imo, but not 100% sure.  

 

13 hours ago, AH64ID said:

A double OD 7 speed would fix that with a .85 6th and .68 7th.

 

That would work!

That would be pretty darn good. Then search for me would be 8th. Cant seem to get it out of my system

10 hours ago, 015point9 said:

I wasn't sure if toggle switch would let elec "bleed over" and produce inaccurate temps.   

No. It's safe I've already talked to Michael Pliska at ISSPro. A toggle switch is fine to use.

 

10 hours ago, 015point9 said:

But temps are to high for pana Pacific imo, but not 100% sure.  

Yes way too high. Transmission and differential temperatures can run pretty high. Like my gauge is 100 to 280 transmission temp gauge.

I towed my 1938 Plymouth car over 450 or so miles of hiway at various grades over the weekend. I towed an 1800 lb trailer loaded up with a 2800 lb car as well as as additional 400 pound engine block. 

 

I was very impressed. The auto tranny was just fine on normal roads and hi-ways. I switched off the OD when climbing hills. Braked and geared down on descents.  No issues with brake heat due to excessive breaking. 

 

The only issue seems to be the darn steep winding hill near my house. It’s cooking my breaks. It is too winding and steep to lay off the brakes,  and descend safely. 

Otherwise the auto tranny and the 24V 5.9 are certainly adequate for my needs.  Dang. 

Edited May 28, 20195 yr by keithb7

4wd right? Take a look at a posi-lok, it will let you use 2wd Lo range which should give some additional gearing reduction for the grade. 

Edited May 28, 20195 yr by AH64ID

Yes my truck is 4x4. Posi-lock?How does that look? I’m unsure. How could I get 2 wheel low? Thx. 

20 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

Yes my truck is 4x4. Posi-lock?How does that look? I’m unsure. How could I get 2 wheel low? Thx. 

 

It removes the OE actuator for the CAD and gives you a manual lever inside the cab. This way you can put it in Lo range and keep the front axle disconnected, and thus 2 Lo. 

 

http://4x4posi-lok.com/app_dodge.html