67HotRod

I always use 4low when pulling the camper up on the blocks or backing up any distance. Allot easier on the trans. Also in slow moving traffic I will drop the shifter into 2nd to help keep the rpms up.

BPoulsen

That's exactly what I did - we did a 1400 mile trip to the Oregon coast over the 4th. It was a bit noisy, but not really bad - with my gearing and tires, 2200 rpm seems to be the sweet spot. I am totally stock for now but will be ordering a smarty jr in a while.

Oh, and yes, the fuel mileage sucked... 8mpg to the coast and 12 back - lots of long hills and headwinds on the way to the coast.

My egt's went to 1200 on flat surface no winds. On the hills I would have to drop it in 2nd to get the rpms up to 2500 to keep the egt's less than 1300. I really don't like to see it run that hot for very long.

I just started another thread about what I can do to offset my tires and 3.73 ratio with some power.

pdogg

yeah, I tow a little lighter load @7k, and on the flats I barely notice the rig behind me and am comfortable in OD with T/H enabled.. the place I know where I'm potentially getting into high EGT's (no guages!) is in the hills and my truck insists on lugging at 50mph in OD... I usually have to kickdown the pedal to get it to downshift into 3rd and it will stick there... a little annoying... but it works..

where I think I'm in real need is an exhaust brake... some of this hills here in AZ, are real hairy at times, and even my light load I am not comfortable needing to ride the trailer brakes or the truck brakes too long...

BPoulsen

There are a lot of hills here in Idaho. I can't leave town in any direction without having to climb one. On the way to our favorite camping place, there is a huge 7% climb and then when that's over, I have a long 7% with a bunch of 30mph curves, then topped off with another long 7% climb. The Tow/Haul dropping into overdrive just before the next hill or turn then having to drop the pedal down to get o/d off for the next climb or turn gets old real fast.

pdogg

on a recent trip to colorado, towing in the rockies, I was doing 2nd gear in T/H mode down some of those hills, running 40mph.... poor 5.9 screaming at me close to 2600/2700 rpms.... couldn't imagine towing 10k behind me at all without an E-brake..

Zeppe807

I was talking with a few friends this past weekend while we were camping (kind of) and we all agreed a T/H with out the OD would be nice because of the shift points.

Why would you have the stock OD off button, with standard shift points?

dieselfreak21

Welcome to the world of emmisions. They don't want it to smoke so we get no fueling until boost. The tranny is programmed to always try to get to the next gear to attempt to give fuel mileage. It's a shame but thank goodness there is an aftermarket.

sojoe

Just got back from 1500+mile trip through central Northern Wa.,pulling 12k # fiver on US 97 via Crater Lake, Ore. UP and Down hill all the way through the Cascades. Crossing the Columbia on US 97 is a good pull all the way North. Used to be a manual tranny fan-But I am slowly being converted to liking the(stay together please) 48RE and the TOW HAUL. LOVE the Cummins-ave.12+ mpg(by hand) with the smarty jr. I am easy on the equipment/no lugging etc...
just my.02 though---Joe

1STGENFARMBOY

Sounds like a good time, can i go next time, i love that part of the country, me and the wife plan to get out that way again in the near future.

Darwin