I'm pretty new to towing with a diesel. Towed plenty with gas trucks, but aside from trans and engine temp. there wasn't a lot to be concerned about.

Just looking for input on how you all tow, and maybe what you see here in the below pic. This is a shot from my rig (stock 04.5 3.73) while pulling up 7% grade. Air temp about 50* pulling 4k box trailer.


If you cant read the displays:

The smaller readout in corners of the Edge CTS are displaying engine load, (83%) and gear position (3rd)

 

Hey buddy!!

Well as you may have heard on this last trip to CA I went as fast as I wanted until I melted all 4 trailer tires on the same stretch of road.......

I try to keep my EGTs sustained less than 1300. But I've been guilty of bursting past that limit while climbing in the fast lane.

 

LOL Geoff, get off my Dodge forum. ...can't get away from you guys.

I do know to keep away from the 1300* mark. And having this CTS has been very helpful in showing me what affects what, and where i need to be. Just wanna make sure there isn't something im not aware of.

 

Buy a Superduty and troll those forums...

 

Hey, their is nothing wrong with superdutys, I have one, and I bet its towed a lot heavier loads, more miles than most pickups on here.... just doesnt have the power of a cummins though.

 

Well judging by your gauges your doing just great, EGT, TFT, great, boost I dont follow too much, what weight you towing, Im at around 11k to 12k with those temps, all good

 

thanks Fifty, pulling a box trailer with a total weight of about 4,000#

 

I don't have gauges, but when I tow, I have my RV and boat hooked up, and it's relax time, so i don't get in any kind of hurry, especially on the trip back. Patience while towing is priceless.

 

I try never to take pictures of my dash while towing

With the auto trans I make sure the torque converter is locked and baby the transmission. Other than that, just drive.

 

Hmm...

Blake towing method:

1. Obtain truck.
2. Obtain various tow implement.
3. Attach tow implement to truck
4. Try to disconnect truck from tow implement with over zealous throttle application.




Seriously though. I try to keep the EGT's as low as possible when towing. Was able to keep around 1100 with my new 6.7. stock. Havent towed with it lately since all of my current mods, but did see a couple hundred EGT drop on normal daily driving. I think if you can keep it right where you are at you are fine.

Best advice Ive ever gotten about towing.

Dont ever try to race the trailer you are pulling.

 

Tow the trailer, don't let it tow you!

 

I'm with the crooked attorney general when it comes to towing..

Fast and Furious!

 

I pulled my 7500lb camper from Long Island NY to Canada this passed summer, fast & furiously, had a trailer tire blow out on the way up which was a pain in the butt to change. In heavy rain. So up in Canada i wanted to get a new tire just in case i had a blow out coming home. At Canadian tire co., i paid $189 for the exact tire that cost $85 here in NY. Glad i bought it cause I had a blowout coming home. Funny thing was that after i changed the tire i had about 75 miles to go so not having a spare tire any more i did the speed limit to keep the tire temps down, figured thats why they were blowing, 65 mph & 55 mph through the city & on the LI expressway & it was then that i realized that by doing the speed limit its almost impossible to get in an accident... & is increadibly boring! I also almost hit a large black bear that was crossing the highway, i then a bmw suv that almost hit the bear too. Very exciting...

 

Another factor in blowing tires is underinflation. When underflated this creates heat and there in lies the problem. I like to keep them 3-5lbs. over what is recommended. HTH

Jim

 

I think a lot of people forget this. A few years ago I was riding my turbocharged Harley down I-15 towards Las Vegas. It was hot - really hot. I'd bet surface temp was around 150* or so. I was trying to take care of the equipment, so I tucked in between a motorhome and a big rig, and kept the speed, boost, and rpm's down. I sweated like a pig, but the bike did just fine.

We were constantly being passed by diesel pick ups towing big travel trailers - and they were fly'in - 75-85 mph. About every 5-10 miles, we'de pass one of those guys who was changing a tire on the trailer. I saw more tires being changed on that day than during the entire trip.

One really nice looking truck flew past us, and I mean flew. A little while later we saw him changing a trailer tire. Then he flew past us again. And then we saw him changing another trailer tire. We stopped to cool off and didn't see him again. I hope he had a lot of spares.

I tow about the same weight - 4K#'ish. Not a big load at all. I keep the speed down to 65-70, and generally keep to the right lane. My numbers generally look a little better than yours. Trans temp, EGT, coolant temp a little lower on the long uphills. Boost is probably about the same.