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Thread: Trip Truck Performance
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07-18-2019, 10:30 AM #1
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Trip Truck Performance
I purchased a Grand Design Imagine 2500RL and planned to pull it with a 2005 F-150 King Ranch with a 5.4 liter engine and 3.55 gear ratio transmission with the tow package available at that time. I asked some questions on towing capacity on this forum since it seemed a little sluggish and studied all the information I could find on towing calculations and came up with the following information. I have attached the 2005 Truck Towing Manual, 2 different calculations, CAT scale weights for truck and truck with weight distribution activated. I will attached a couple more documents to the following next post.
This camping trip I pulled from Little Rock to Shreveport down Interstate 30. Relatively flat but with a few long climbs at relatively slight elevations. The problem I ran into was I could run pretty well at 70 mph when flat or down hill. But with much incline I would drop to 60 mph and could not go any faster than that up the grade.
So with this relatively flat landscape trip, I am concerned that if I would try to pull across the Rockies or Appalachian mountains that it would be to much work on this truck to pull the camper.
Is this typical of pulling a camper?
Would it be safe to pull with this truck / trailer combination across these mountain ranges?
Should I be considering purchasing a 3/4 ton truck if traveling across these locations?
Other Thoughts?
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07-18-2019, 10:34 AM #2
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07-18-2019, 01:39 PM #3
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You have made a very nice presentation, and you were smart to go to the scales. You're towing on the top end of your capabilities it would appear.
Is this typical of pulling a camper? I WOULD SAY YES. TOWING TRAILERS IS BETTER WITH THE 3.73 GEAR RATIO, HOWVER.
Would it be safe to pull with this truck / trailer combination across these mountain ranges? SAFE--PROBABLY. A F150 WITH THE MAX TOW PACKAGE WOULD HAVE MADE YOU A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE, HOWEVER.
Should I be considering purchasing a 3/4 ton truck if traveling across these locations? IF YOU"RE GOING TO BE TRAVELING FAR AND WIDE, YOU'D PROBABLY BE HAPPIER WITH THE HEAVIER TRUCK. I'D SUGGEST GOING A SRW F350 DIESEL FOR EVEN MORE WEIGHT CARRYING CAPABILITY IN CASE YOU EVER DECIDE TO MOVE UP TO A FIFTH WHEEL.
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07-19-2019, 10:58 AM #4
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Speed loss is typical when towing up long steep grades, just watch the number of semi's that slow down and turn on their flashers. Towing up long steep grades is more about engine temps than speed. Slow down, gear down, watch the engine temp gauge, the transmission temp gauge. On many of the high steep mountain passes speed limits are dropped to 35 mph, plenty fast enough for the conditions.
If you are not familiar with mountain driving study some u-tube videos on the subject, burning your brakes out coming down the other side is an avoidable tragedy.Dallas
2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750
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07-19-2019, 01:27 PM #5
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You are approaching the max rating of your truck’s towing ability. I had a 5.4 F150 and a trailer that was a bit over 6,000 lbs and it towed it but it worked pretty hard to do it, that engine just doesn’t have the torque to do well with that much weight. I had a 3.5 Ecoboost that would pull much better than the 5.4. It should pull your trailer safely, you just need to be mindful of your trucks limitations.
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