What Parameters while towing?
 

Hello. I am going to be towing a dual axle trailer with 3 full size quads this weekend. The bed of my truck will most likely have fire wood, coolers, clothes, gear. Probably 3 or 4 people inside. The trailer could hold 4 sideways(prolly around 7x16 or something). Anyways..I, of couse, will be in tow mode. But I was wondering what parameters you guys suggest I watch. Right now with just daily driving I have speed(which I really have been meaning to change) COM gear, load, and instant mpg. If you suggest I watch tranny temp or any temps really, could you also tell me what is normal and what is dangerously high? Should I just go ahead and turn OD off right away, or should I keep my eye on the COM Gear and if it mainly stays locked...just leave OD on? I rarely ever turn OD off. Living in the Lower part of South Carolina, its pretty flat around here. My trip will be going mid state though..probably just under 2 hour drive.Thanks for any help!

What I monitor:
CHT
TFT
LOAD
SPEED

This is a link to a heat chart for transmission fluid.
http://www.txchange.com/heatchrt.jpg

Based on that chart looks like I want to be around 175 I guess...thanks for the post

There is a lot of good info in the towing sub forum:
Towing - Power Hungry Performance Forum

You won't STAY at 175! If you start climbing hills where the transmission drops into 3rd gear with the Torque Converter unlocked, or even into 2nd gear, you can expect the TFT to get above 200. We have some long steep hills here in Arizona and of course in Colorado where we like to take our trailer and I often see 210-215 degrees on those hill climbs.

Leave the OD on though, as long as the transmission isn't "hunting" between gears or the TC is not constantly unlocking and locking back up. Basically, you just try to minimize transmission "activity".

I monitor CHT, TFT, Comm Gear and Battery Voltage. Our trailer has two batteries in it and a refrigerator, so the load on the charging system is pretty high. And, I want to see the state of the transmission, so I keep the Comm Gear in view. Do keep your speed at or below 65 mph, because virtually ALL trailer tires are rated no higher than that and at higher speeds you definitely risk tire failure.

- Jack

Great info...thanks!

Pulled like a dream...I don't think my TFT ever went above 171..mostly stayed in high 150's. Didn't have to take OD off...it would take the torque conv. out on climbs, and even went into 3rd a few times but 90% of the time I was "locked". First time I ever seen the TC engage in 3rd was this weekend. With no load it is always going in while in 4th gear, but with the load this weekend, it engaged in 3rd a few times. My rear shocks were the only thing that showed load (weighed down real good) everything else about the truck was awesome. Thanks again for your help!

Glad to be of help and that you had a good towing experience. Like you, I see the TC lockup in 3rd gear when towing. I've even seen it do that in 2nd, when I'm climbing a long steep hill and I put the gearshift into 2nd to keep it in that gear range.

- Jack