First Time Towing!

[leathermaneod]

Hi all, 

Just wanted to share my first experience towing with my cummins  Being in the military, and not owning a travel trailer or anything, I don't get the chance to work my truck very often.

I don't know exactly how much weight it was, and there was no scale nearby, but I know the tractor is between 3500-4000 lbs, not sure on the trailer. You more experienced guys would probably know better based on the pic. Anyway the tractor is a 47hp, 3 cyl, gas, Ford 3400 from the 60's i think? My Dad is gradually working his way into a small scale farming operation and was able to borrow the tractor from a friend to see how it worked to run his 6' brush hog. Our whole trip wasn't more than 20 miles, and was mostly in 3rd gear at about 30mph or so, as we were on very winding, hilly, back roads. I really had fun getting to test the truck out a bit. It seemed to handle the weight very well. Almost didn't know it was there. I did turn the comp down for the trip. Started at 2x3 but quickly bumped up to 3x3. I was able to build lots of boost on the really steep hills, over 20 psi easily. I only found one possible problem. Either there is something wrong with my brake controller, or the trailers brakes are just worn. We could hear the brakes activating, but they didn't help much. I couldn't lock them up at all. Fortunately my brakes are fine and this wasn't that much weight. I also discovered just how nice it is to be able to use 4L in a "2L" mode because of my cable actuator for the CAD. That is awesome for backing the trailer. It let me move much more slowly and smoothly. The anti stall feature in these truck is really great too, it pushed and pulled that trailer up the driveways just fine all by itself.

Edited September 8, 2016 by leathermaneod

[IBMobile]

Isn't it a good feeling to have what you worked on perform the way it should when needed.   Sounds like you're ready for a long haul now.  

 

1 hour ago, leathermaneod said:

 Either there is something wrong with my brake controller, or the trailers brakes are just worn. We could hear the brakes activating, but they didn't help much. I couldn't lock them up at all.

 I'd put money on the trailer brakes being out of adjustment.

[Me78569]

Another vote for out of adjustment.  

[notlimah]

I still haven't figured out the trick on my truck to get into 4L without grinding gears at least once! 

[Silverdodge]

3 hours ago, notlimah said:

I still haven't figured out the trick on my truck to get into 4L without grinding gears at least once! 

U put it in to neutral first? 

[dripley]

It is pretty amazing what these trucks will pull. Glad you enjoyed your first trip. Another vote for the trailer brakes not being adjusted right.

[leathermaneod]

9 hours ago, notlimah said:

I still haven't figured out the trick on my truck to get into 4L without grinding gears at least once! 

My dad always had issues with his 93' Cummins w/auto trans, getting in and out of 4x4. Not sure what it is about some trucks. Do you stop completely and shift to neutral?

[notlimah]

I try and do it as close to what the owners manual says. Slow to a creep (2-3mph) then neutral, then 4L. Most the time it's no issue going into 4L but going back to 2H it'll grind a little.

[CSM]

1 hour ago, notlimah said:

I try and do it as close to what the owners manual says. Slow to a creep (2-3mph) then neutral, then 4L. Most the time it's no issue going into 4L but going back to 2H it'll grind a little.

 

I stop when i go between high and low range and in park. If its onry, i try neutral.  

Edited September 8, 2016 by CSM

[TFaoro]

14 hours ago, notlimah said:

I still haven't figured out the trick on my truck to get into 4L without grinding gears at least once! 

[CSM]

1 hour ago, TFaoro said:

 

 

Or brute force and anger.  Works for me.  The big thing is allowing the dogs to slowly rotate if mis aligned, which rules out having the truck in drive.

Edited September 8, 2016 by CSM

[TFaoro]

11 minutes ago, CSM said:

 

 

Or brute force and anger.  Works for me.  The big thing is allowing the dogs to slowly rotate if mis aligned, which rules out having the truck in drive.

 

^^ Auto people 

[CSM]

20 minutes ago, TFaoro said:

 

^^ Auto people 

 

How am i supposed to shift while texting?  

 

When i had my 5sp, i would shuttle through the gears with the clutch in to re align the dogs if it needed it.

Edited September 8, 2016 by CSM

[TFaoro]

1 hour ago, CSM said:

How am i supposed to shift while texting?  

We seem to have different issues....

[AH64ID]

6 hours ago, notlimah said:

I try and do it as close to what the owners manual says. Slow to a creep (2-3mph) then neutral, then 4L. Most the time it's no issue going into 4L but going back to 2H it'll grind a little.

 

Generally grinding out of 4L means there is some binding internal to the xcase. It could mean you're driving in 4wd on surfaces with too much traction. 

[leathermaneod]

How does the t case fluid look? I imagine it would show if there was something binding in there....

[AH64ID]

It may or may not. The gears are pretty big. 

 

Just about every time 4wd is used there is binding of some sorts but it's not always enough to make shifting difficult. 

[notlimah]

I'd have to check the fluid. I don't use 4wd often enough to worry too much about it, but with winter around the corner, the TC and front diff fluid will get changed just to be on the safe side.

 

When I was using 4L I was coming up out of a pretty decent ditch with my utility trailer hooked up. It went into 4L in the dirt no problem. It was trying to get it back into 2H on the pavement where I had issues so maybe the traction bit was the issue.

[KATOOM]

leathermaneod, glad you had a chance to pull around some weight, and I'm glad it went well.  I'm guessing you had around 7k - 8k combined in tow, depending.

 

notlimah, autos have to be in neutral, manuals clutch in or in neutral, then barely rolling forward you should be able to shift into lo range without any grinding.  You cant be moving very fast and not moving can result in everything not aligning easily.  Its not the smoothest transition but it shouldn't sound ugly either.

Edited September 9, 2016 by KATOOM