So we towed our 34', 10,000 lb travel trailer on a 31 day, 3,400 mile trip to rediscover America.Started in NY and went toPennsylvaniaOhioMichiganIndianaIllinoisWisconsinMissouriKentuckyWest VirginiaNorth CarolineVirginiaDCDelewareMarylandNew Jerseyand back home.The truck did a fantastic job, even through the hills of WV.Trans would get up to 215 on occasion, but stayed around 205 for most of trip. It was HOT out in August.I even got my wife to take the wheel for the first time after 10 years of pulling the rv!I averaged 8.5 mpg, unloaded I only get 15 mpg.90% of my towing was in overdrive with cruise control on.If I saw a big hill coming up, I would let of the gas, and disengage the overdrive. I got sick of hearing the tranny drop two gears and screen for a few seconds, then shift up one gear.Is it normal for it to drop 2 gears, then up 1 relatively quickly?Why not just drop one gear as needed?I would prefer to tow out of overdrive, but the rpm's are much higher (obviously).Are people towing in OD?My other issue, was discovered in the hills of WV.When it would downshift, I would get a loud squeal, almost sounded like the wind whistling over the roof rack, but it wasn't.As soon as I let of the go pedal, the whistle went away.Does that sound like a bearing in a pulley?On a side note, my steel brake line running along the frame burst the other day. I stomped on the brake to avoid hitting a deer, and line ruptured. I'm glad I had the electric brakes on the trailer to get me to a safe location. I'm also glad the brake line didn't break while my wife was driving down a mountain of WV!Next year we are tackling the South and mid-West.__________________

Great trip. Thanks for the report.You should check, or have checked, your brake lines on a regular basis if you live in an area where salt is used on the roads.They don't last forever.With all the states you hit just on this trip, you should have a state's visited map. You'll fill it quickly. :)

gbopp wrote:Great trip. Thanks for the report.You should check, or have checked, your brake lines on a regular basis if you live in an area where salt is used on the roads.They don't last forever.With all the states you hit just on this trip, you should have a state's visited map. You'll fill it quickly. :)We have one on the trailer, need one for signature!

Glad to hear you made it home safely, enjoyed the trip and avoid hitting Bambi :).We did 2,500 miles in 12 days which was a little too much road versus relaxation time in my opinion. The 3,400 miles in 31 days sounds like a much more relaxing pace.Looking ahead (like ahead to retirement) I'm thinking an 8,000 mile cross country trip would be 90 days would be a pace that is not too draining and allows time to make many stops and really visit the sights to be seen.

With only a 4 speed transmission, yeah, I'd say under certain conditions, it's normal to drop to 2nd. Your transmission may not have the "smarts" from that era to just try dropping to one gear rather than two then up one. Not sure if a programmer could smooth that out for you or change that parameter. But, maybe others with a 7.3 and a 4-speed can respond with their similar experiences.

Since you are in a salt crazy state, you should replace all the steel brake lines with a stainless steel line kit.

3,400 mile, 31 day RV trip is in the books. | Good Sam Community

allen8106
Explorer
Oct 01, 2015
Big Katuna wrote:
allen8106 wrote:
Lynnmor wrote:
Since you are in a salt crazy state, you should replace all the steel brake lines with a stainless steel line kit.

I could be wrong but seems like most brake lines are already stainless steel.

We lived on the beach ten years and I assure most cars do not have SS brake lines.

Most Euro and Japanese cars have rubber coated brake lines. I had to replace brake lines on my Silverado every 2-3 years. Back then there were not any pre made SS lines for it and custom made were too spends.

I DID find off the shelf SS lines for my Jeep CJ and SS backing plates.

You find out quick how much better some cars were than others. Our Nissan Maxima was in the junk yard at four years old 70,000 miles. I learned to lease a Toyota for three years as they couldn't penalize you for rust.

I'm probably thinking of the fuel line.
Bedlam
Moderator
Sep 30, 2015
Sounds like a relaxing pace. We did a 3500 mile in July over a three week span. It felt easy compared to the 4500 mile trips we have done before in two weeks...
mkirsch
Nomad II
Sep 30, 2015
If you were letting the cruise control run the show when it dropped two gears, then yes, it is normal.

Cruise control is stupid. You tell it to maintain XX speed, which it will do quite nicely when running empty or even towing on the flats.

When you get into a hill, it will do anything and everything to maintain XX speed. That means mashing the pedal to the floor and holding it there. Pedal to the floor signals the transmission to downshift 2 gears, or at least it used to in the heyday of "analog" automatic transmissions.

Yes I tow in OD, but my Allison 5-speed does not have the option to lock out OD. I can't select D, 3, 2, or 1, but not 4. Not that I'd want to anyway, as 4th at 65MPH is 3200RPM.
BarneyS
Explorer III
Sep 30, 2015
No, has never leaked. Didn't know that was a common problem.
Barney
MP_soldier
Explorer
Sep 30, 2015
Hey BarneyS, has your windshield started leaking yet? Big problem on our trucks. Now I think my fuse box got wet. I have a 200 milli-amp draw killing my batteries after a couple days.
BarneyS
Explorer III
Sep 30, 2015
I tow in OD all the time.
Mine does the same thing on longer hills and I think it is normal. I don't think it is dropping two gears though. What I think is happening is that it is dropping down one gear(out of overdrive) and out of transmission lockup.

What I normally do when approaching a large hill that I feel I cannot reach the top without the transmission downshifting, is to manually take it out of overdrive and then let it get back into lockup. This will usually get me to the top without the slam/bang downshift that would normally occur.

I am not a transmission expert however but this is what has worked for me for many years with my truck. It now has over 250,000 miles on it and I just replaced the transmission last year - not because it failed but because I was afraid it was going to and didn't want to be stranded like happened to my good friend Burbman a couple of years ago.
Barney
MP_soldier
Explorer
Sep 30, 2015
I tow at 63 mph. I feel like that is the sweet spot shifting wise.
chinook507
Explorer
Sep 30, 2015
Curious about what speed you are towing? Maybe try 5 mph more or less and find the sweet spot so to speak. I know with my 2001 Excusion (V10), with probably the same transmission you have, I would have the same type of issue except mine doesnt drop 2 gears it would just be back and forth between 2nd and 3rd gear. Which I am sure I dont have to tell you that its hard on the tranny. So I adjusted my speed and have had good results.

Sounds like an awesome trip thru some gorgeous countryside!
tvman44
Explorer
Sep 29, 2015
Later this week we will start a 3500 to 4000 mile trip in about 21 to 28 days.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Sep 28, 2015
allen8106 wrote:
Lynnmor wrote:
Since you are in a salt crazy state, you should replace all the steel brake lines with a stainless steel line kit.

I could be wrong but seems like most brake lines are already stainless steel.

We lived on the beach ten years and I assure most cars do not have SS brake lines.

Most Euro and Japanese cars have rubber coated brake lines. I had to replace brake lines on my Silverado every 2-3 years. Back then there were not any pre made SS lines for it and custom made were too spends.

I DID find off the shelf SS lines for my Jeep CJ and SS backing plates.

You find out quick how much better some cars were than others. Our Nissan Maxima was in the junk yard at four years old 70,000 miles. I learned to lease a Toyota for three years as they couldn't penalize you for rust.