Towing...Your Experience Is Appreciated 98.5 24V 2500

[AH64ID]

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

 

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Like my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 would be good one for the CAD lever mod. If you got the older series axles you can convert to manual pull cable for the axle. Like my 2002 is a solid axle so this is not possible. The vacuum CAD is a rather pain in the butt. Like 1996 Truck has always had issues with locking and unlocking the axle and also staying locked. Pull knob is a good solution for those issues.

[wagntagn]

Just purchased a fifthwheel I presently run a smarty on it's own not the best for towing as mentioned so if I combine the edge ez it will advanced the timing which will drop the egt's should be a lot better?  

[kzimmer]

12 hours ago, wagntagn said:

Just purchased a fifthwheel I presently run a smarty on it's own not the best for towing as mentioned so if I combine the edge ez it will advanced the timing which will drop the egt's should be a lot better?  

Never run two tuners than advance timing. Bad news bears.

[Mopar1973Man]

12 hours ago, wagntagn said:

Just purchased a fifthwheel I presently run a smarty on it's own not the best for towing as mentioned so if I combine the edge ez it will advanced the timing which will drop the egt's should be a lot better?  

 

Stacking tuners is a bad news period. You just turn the throttle into a light switch going from 0 to 100% in mere 1/3 throttle. Be better off upgrading to a full Edge Juice or Quadzilla. Both will give you a wider range of fuel control but Quadzilla is more controllable. 

 

The problem with stacking is there is only 0 to 4095 in CANBus signal stacking like I said just makes it reach 4095 quicker but will never exceed 4095. If you wanting more fuel or power you are going to have to consider wiretap this will extend the fuel even more. Either way, both Edge EZ and Smarty have to play by the ECM rules period and can't exceed that. Wiretap is where you break than limitation.

[Royal Squire]

This is my latest towing experience!

[Mopar1973Man]

@Royal Squire very impressive tow there! 

 

[dripley]

Proof that the Cummins will pull a house, a small house, but still a house.

[Mopar1973Man]

Some of the stuff I've seen people haul is crazy. But the mighty Cummins still haul the load.

[Dieselfuture]

All my friends and wife want me to sell my truck and buy something newer quieter with more room, but they have no idea what they're talking about either. I told them all to pitch in and I'll buy a brand new mega cab with a Cummins in it, then all I need to spend money is on delete kits, etc.

Edited May 29, 2019 by Dieselfuture
Autocorrect

[wil440]

just collected a 9klbs travel trailer, standard 2500 4x4 QC no mods at all ate the job easy, slow but easy, we are limited to 60 mph here in UK towing so set cruise to 55 OD off, truck loved it, I was passed by every Euro caravan in the UK and every large truck but 55mph it did for 150 miles, trailer brakes and truck brakes no problems

[keithb7]

I agree guys my 24V eats up normal driving conditions. Hwy or city roads.

 

However, try a 10% grade down hill for 3 miles towing a heavy load. Auto tranny dropped into first gear. Keeping your speed at under 30 mph...I have found the limits of a stock truck. Everytime I hit the brakes this week I am reminded. 

[wil440]

6 hours ago, keithb7 said:

I agree guys my 24V eats up normal driving conditions. Hwy or city roads.

 

However, try a 10% grade down hill for 3 miles towing a heavy load. Auto tranny dropped into first gear. Keeping your speed at under 30 mph...I have found the limits of a stock truck. Everytime I hit the brakes this week I am reminded. 

I was in Western Canada last year for 2 weeks... not driving I may add and I can tell you we DO NOT have roads like you guys some of the hills would be like paving a highway off of the top of our highest mountain/hill so I doubt I'd ever see brake fade 

[Mopar1973Man]

Like I learned from another member here might not get brake fade but just the heat of long downhills is enough to heat up the grease in the unit bearing and make them fail premature. Unit bearings are not cheap.

 

At least in Idaho. We've got a few that as steep or more.

[01cummins4ever]

Although exhaust brakes and manual trans are ideal for towing they do come with an expensive price tag for the upgrade, and we’re talking in the thousands here. @keithb7 Your set up is not overcoming the stock set up of your truck by no means, even if you load up your travel trailer to the max you shouldn’t see more than 6-7000 lb. trailer weight,  

I would check and see if your truck has the load sencing valve on rear brakes, look under your rear diff on left side shock absorber and if their is a rod attached that goes to a valve mounted on the frame that mean your truck is equipped with the load sensing valve that restricts fluid to your rear drum brakes according to the weight in rear of truck. I will try to post a TSB link that explains this and is easy fix.  

Also you said that you had a weight distribution bar on your travel trailer, to me that seems over kill on a trailer that size with a 3/4 ton truck, meaning you want more weight on your rear axle to get the rear brakes more effective and not putting so much demand on the front brakes. I have a 10k flatbed bumper pull and with a mini x or bobcat or even a vehicle on it, I just hook and go, no weight distribution hitch, it just seems your robbing precious weight from your rear axle and putting more demand on the front and trailer brakes. Our trucks are front heavy to begin with.

 

have you checked the condition of your trailer brakes, they are electro magnetic controlled and besides checking shoes and adjustment the magnets usually have wear indicators showing when to replace the magnets, it’s not uncommon to replace a set of magnets before the shoes wear out.  

 

All in all trailers that are 10k or under are not overwhelming the ability of these trucks in stock form even with the puny 47re and no EB. you just got to take it a little slower and be ready for the unexpected. I tow up to 15k with my 5 ver hooked up and boat on my truck and even with rolling hills its ok and I’m confident that the trailer brakes and truck brakes working together will stop me if a sudden need arises. Its the mountain passes that I will avoid if I can, like wolf creek pass that’s 9 miles long with 6-9 % grade. The last two miles is the worse.

 

I run this pass on a continuous basis with the semi hauling large cat equipment and such but I’m set up with an 18 spd. and jake, I will not attempt it in the Dodge if loaded more than 12k Going up is bad enough and coming down is even worse.

. 

 

[keithb7]

My 98.5 does have the rear load sensing valve. I will consider unhooking it and strapping the lever in the uppermost position. 

 

My trailer brakes are in great shape. I took them apart. Inspected cleaned and adjusted. They are nice and tight. I can lock the trailer brakes up using my electronic brake controller. 

 

I chose a hitch with anti-sway bars    It too doubles as a weight distribution type hitch. Upon installation I did not tweak it to max transfer more weight to the front axle. The tongue weight is still nicely loading up the rear suspension.  I chose the anti-sway type hitch to minimize the sail-like effect of trailer walls at hi-way speeds. 

 

I was driving a 2017 F-250 today. It has a digital inclinometer. I can’t vouch how accurate it is. It reads in degrees. I drove up my problem-hill today. Average reading was around 6 -7 degrees. However some spots registered 8 degrees. Converting degrees to % slope, that converts to 11% - 12% average. Up to 13% slope at a couple points. 

 

No wonder my rotors warped pretty much immediately after a trial run down. Second run down I manually worked the trailer brakes to have them do more of the work, sooner. 

 

I can’t take it any slower going down. Gravity wants to pull you at a fixed rate. As mentioned: in first, auto tranny...not gonna do it. 

 

I just ordered a set of heavy duty commerial tow grade rotors and pads. New up-rated calipers too. I’ll replace all and also the wheel bearings. All are cooked anyway. 

 

Barring this, the next step I am prepared to take is obtaining a lighter trailer. There’s no accounting for the decision to alllow this goat trail to be built, and passed as a drivable road. 

[Mopar1973Man]

This is where a good exhaust brake comes in super handy. Flip the switch and let off the throttle and let the exhaust brake slow you down. I've got several grades out here in the 16% to 18% category for sure. Always nice to roll down a grade and never touch the brake pedal. 

[01cummins4ever]

12 hours ago, keithb7 said:

My 98.5 does have the rear load sensing valve. I will consider unhooking it and strapping the lever in the uppermost position. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I unhooked mine I noticed a considerable difference in stoping power, more so in daily driving. But really can’t feel much in towing but al least I know they are working