|
04-10-2014, 09:03 AM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Proctor, MN
Posts: 20
|
Towing with 1/2 ton & no tranny cooler?
We decided to do a seasonal for this coming year, so I sold my K2500 and bought a K1500 since I no longer needed the 3/4 ton. My brother-in-law said he'd let me use his truck to pull our camper to our site, but I'm considering just trying it with my truck. Here's what I have...
Truck - 1998 Chev K1500 ext cab, short box, with a 350, 4 speed auto, I believe a 4L60. Not sure what gears it has. It has a tranny cooler, but the previous owner disconnected after a line started to leak. Specs online show the truck has 255hp, 330 torque. The truck has been well maintained and runs very strong. Previous owner pulled a Lite 5th wheel with it, so it has brake controller and overload springs.
Camper - 2001 Fleetwood Prowler LS, 30' with slide. 8700 GVWR, 6190 Gross Dry Weight, 840lb Hitch Dry Weight.
I'd only be towing about 25 miles and, other than 2 hills, it's a relatively flat drive. Any idea if my truck would struggle pulling it that short distance? Without the tranny cooler hooked up, could I run into overworking the tranny?
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
04-10-2014, 09:18 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,621
|
I would for that short of a trip. Just take it easy. I assume by seasonal that you're only towing twice a year. To and from. I would still use a WD hitch as your receiver probably isn't rated for 900lbs without one.
|
|
|
04-10-2014, 09:31 AM
|
#3
|
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Proctor, MN
Posts: 20
|
Thanks for the quick reply, Cumminsfan!
It would be twice a year if we tow it home. Otherwise, there's a guy near the campground that will tow it to his storage in the fall and back to the campground in the spring for $100, which includes the winter storage. I'm guessing we'll go that route.
Yes, we'll be using our equalizer hitch to tow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cumminsfan
I would for that short of a trip. Just take it easy. I assume by seasonal that you're only towing twice a year. To and from. I would still use a WD hitch as your receiver probably isn't rated for 900lbs without one.
|
|
|
|
04-10-2014, 09:40 AM
|
#4
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: HillBilly country, Smokey Mtns
Posts: 4,171
|
I wouldn't try it without at least a tranny temp gauge that will give you sump temp. Heat is the tranny killer, and any sump temp more than the 225° red line will kill the tranny in a heartbeat.
__________________
Grumpy ole man with over 60 years towing experience. Now my heaviest trailer is a 7'x16' 5,000-pound flatbed utility trailer, my tow vehicle is a 2019 F-150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCab with Max Tow (1,904 pounds payload capacity).
|
|
|
04-10-2014, 09:53 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Centennial, CO
Posts: 406
|
^^^ What Smokey said...I cooked a tranny on the road, had it serviced at a transmission shop in Las Vegas, NM, made it over the mountains in western NM, got started up Vail pass when it blew. 100 miles from home and spent 3,000 bux getting my truck fixed.
Hi, Smokey...Maroon Harpoon here...
Tim
__________________
2002 Holiday Rambler 30RKD
2000 F250 diesel extended cab short bed
2014 Demco Autoslide 18K
|
|
|
04-10-2014, 04:17 PM
|
#6
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,919
|
You can try it but you best friend is driving at a speed where the torque converter is locked up. Most heat is generated when the torque converter is unlocked. So slow driving will be the real heat generator verse highway speeds.
|
|
|
04-10-2014, 05:04 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Chilliwack BC
Posts: 406
|
I would not tow without the tranny cooler hooked up. Now you say the lines look disconnected. Now is there a after market cooler you can see. Now the rad should have a build in cooler if that one is still hooked up you may be ok. But really with that tranny you should still have a second one installed inline with the factory cooler in the rad.
__________________
2016 GMC Canyon 2.8 Duramax
Holiday Rambler 187qb.
Jason&Shantelle&Bella,the Weimaraner.
|
|
|
04-10-2014, 08:19 PM
|
#8
|
Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 97
|
I would install a new tranny cooler. Cheap insurance. I have towed a boat that weighed about 7000 lbs with that drivetrain with no problems. About 50 miles to some of the boat launches about 10 times a year.
__________________
2013 Salem Cruise Lite 221RBxl
06 GMC
|
|
|
04-11-2014, 08:12 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,312
|
It's not worth spending one cent on your truck. Keep the rev up and don't ever use the overdrive. Your truck performs best at 3000 RPM. And 25 miles is nothing. I towed a 2000 lbs trailer loaded with 2 cords of hard wood and 1/2 cord on the truck every fall for 6 years with a 4 cylinder 4 x 4 that distance and more. Never hurt the truck. In fact the truck did more heavy work then my F250.
__________________
Barbara and Laurent, Hartland Big Country 3500RL. 39 ft long and 15500 GVW.
2005 Ford F250 SD, XL F250 4x4, Long Box, 6.0L Diesel, 6 Speed Stick, Hypertech Max Energy for Fuel mileage of 21 MPusG empty, 12.6 MPusG pulling the BC. ScangaugeII for display..
|
|
|
04-11-2014, 09:50 AM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,621
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by caissiel
It's not worth spending one cent on your truck. Keep the rev up and don't ever use the overdrive. Your truck performs best at 3000 RPM. And 25 miles is nothing. I towed a 2000 lbs trailer loaded with 2 cords of hard wood and 1/2 cord on the truck every fall for 6 years with a 4 cylinder 4 x 4 that distance and more. Never hurt the truck. In fact the truck did more heavy work then my F250.
|
Exactly, he's only towing 25 miles. It'll take 5 miles just to get up to normal temps. I find it hard to believe that in 20 miles the tranny will be toast, especially towing on the flats. If the tranny does grenade then it was shot to begin with.
|
|
|
04-17-2014, 07:54 AM
|
#11
|
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Proctor, MN
Posts: 20
|
Thanks for all the input. I kind of figured I'd get different opinions, but that's why I like this site. Honest answers.
I think I'm going to just use my brother-in-law's truck. That way my wife can haul all the deck materials with our truck.
Thanks again!
|
|
|
04-17-2014, 11:30 AM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,621
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Camping in MN
Thanks for all the input. I kind of figured I'd get different opinions, but that's why I like this site. Honest answers.
I think I'm going to just use my brother-in-law's truck. That way my wife can haul all the deck materials with our truck.
Thanks again!
|
That make perfect sense.
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|