towing with an automatic
So I just got back from my first long trip towing with my new set-up. I am towing a 26' travel trailer with my 2008 suburban. My set-up tracked good with no sway, and was stable in all conditions, we...
Forum Discussion
Thanks for all the replies, as I suspected, I think it is just "normal operation" just used to towing with a manual transmission, so it was a little different, still a good towing experience.
@Jerem a new tow vehicle is not in the works right now, my wife and I currently have zero debt and plan to keep it that way. She is in college right now, and when she graduates she wants to get a newer car to drive. Right now she likes the sequoia, but that could change by the time she graduates. If she wants an expedition, it will have an ecoboost as I will get to choose that part because she really doesn't care what is under the hood as long as it gets her where she wants to go.
@Gordon I don't necessarily think that there is anything wrong with a lower gear, it's just that if I was choosing gears, I wouldn't have down shifted so early. But I am not going to drive down a flat straight road going 65mph and 4700rpm for hours on end. I know that the engine is designed to turn those rpm, and in short bursts, I have no problem with it, but for more than a few minutes, I start to look at other options.
@dodge guy: I have 3.73 gears right now, and would consider a gear swap, but I will tow with it a few more times before I go that route.
@turtle n peeps: I am still considering a tuner, although I don't expect it will help me much. The last thing I want is for a tuner to increase my towing power only to shell out my transmission. My wheels are either 17 or 18, stock size wheels and tires. I don't think that will change.
Where I would like to be is to drive 65mph in 3rd gear, and I am there, but just may need to adjust my driving style. I honestly don't really care about fuel mileage, which is what most tuners advertise, as long as it doesn't drop down to something like 4-5mpg, I'll just keep filling it up and going down the road. The truck has 195,000 miles on it and needs to last us a couple more years till my wife wants to upgrade to something newer.
In the distant future, I will have a one ton truck to drive, as we want to get a larger trailer when the kids get older. I am always on the hunt for a steal of a deal on a v-10 F350, but those don't come around much.
Thanks again for everyone that has replied.
@Jerem a new tow vehicle is not in the works right now, my wife and I currently have zero debt and plan to keep it that way. She is in college right now, and when she graduates she wants to get a newer car to drive. Right now she likes the sequoia, but that could change by the time she graduates. If she wants an expedition, it will have an ecoboost as I will get to choose that part because she really doesn't care what is under the hood as long as it gets her where she wants to go.
@Gordon I don't necessarily think that there is anything wrong with a lower gear, it's just that if I was choosing gears, I wouldn't have down shifted so early. But I am not going to drive down a flat straight road going 65mph and 4700rpm for hours on end. I know that the engine is designed to turn those rpm, and in short bursts, I have no problem with it, but for more than a few minutes, I start to look at other options.
@dodge guy: I have 3.73 gears right now, and would consider a gear swap, but I will tow with it a few more times before I go that route.
@turtle n peeps: I am still considering a tuner, although I don't expect it will help me much. The last thing I want is for a tuner to increase my towing power only to shell out my transmission. My wheels are either 17 or 18, stock size wheels and tires. I don't think that will change.
Where I would like to be is to drive 65mph in 3rd gear, and I am there, but just may need to adjust my driving style. I honestly don't really care about fuel mileage, which is what most tuners advertise, as long as it doesn't drop down to something like 4-5mpg, I'll just keep filling it up and going down the road. The truck has 195,000 miles on it and needs to last us a couple more years till my wife wants to upgrade to something newer.
In the distant future, I will have a one ton truck to drive, as we want to get a larger trailer when the kids get older. I am always on the hunt for a steal of a deal on a v-10 F350, but those don't come around much.
Thanks again for everyone that has replied.
