Turbo Diesel 4x4 Truck - Towing

[Cisco Kid]

K- Guys I have my 1st Diesel Truck ;-)

It's a 2000 Ford F250 4x4 7.3 Turbo Diesel

When Pulling my Toy Hauler up the grade, I need to know it what gear to put it in
2 or ? and what about the over drive ?

and RPM to look at with MPH ?

BTW I don't need any BS - Just need help ;-)

Gracias
Cisco ;-)

 

[dezerteryx]

Keep at 2k to 2200 rpm up a grade anything over that and your getting close to the limiter and could start to run hot.

 

[Cisco Kid]

Using what gear ?

 

[dezerteryx]

I would think u could hold that rpm in third. Something to play with while towing your setup. Dont worry about mph.

 

[Cisco Kid]

I don't have 3rd, just D - 2 - 1 and overdrive ?

 

[dkiewicz]

Cisco, this might help.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26556301/print/true.cfm

 

[dezerteryx]

Sorry brain fart. Ya 2nd and make sure the o/d is off towing witch will keep it in third when the shifter is in Drive.

 

[Cisco Kid]

Thanks guys ;-)

 

[XPirate]

Slow and steady buddy... Don't push it too hard over the mountains... What gear you use will depend on weight being pulled and momentum carried before the hill. As advised, don't use overdrive while going up hill. And if I remember correctly, all the torque is in the lower rpm range on the 7.3...

 

[JoeyD23]

Hey Cisco.. I have the same truck and have had it for a long time.. Only have eaten one trans and that was after 230K miles!! So I like to think I got it pretty figured out.

The only time I downshift the truck manually is when descending a steep grade, with a load, and I don't want to slaughter the brakes.

With that said, when towing, I keep it in drive, tow/haul on (overdrive off). These trucks could use a gear vendor but since they don't have one if you have a heavy load and long uphill it will shift up and down depending on the hill and load. I have NEVER had to stick it in 2nd or 1st gear to go uphill.

Make sure your clutch fan is good. You will hear it kick on when you are holding a gear for a while. When it starts to go on and off a bunch you know its going out. It should kick on and run until you shift gears or until it cools off.

Everything on my truck is STOCK in terms of powertrain. I have no turbo kits, fuel programmers, etc. I have stock intake and exhaust. I have never had a major problem. Only on my second trans like I said earlier. I have about 265K miles on it now. I service regularly.

If and when you need service, I have a fantastic shop ran by friends who are experts with 7.3 PSD's. They are a couple miles from NCY.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[JoeyD23]

Another tip. When driving around town w/o a load. Keep the O/D OFF. It holds gears longer without shifting thus creating less wear on your trans.

 

[ageekwithajeep]

hey baby glad to hear you got a diesel.

I was always told to keep the overdrive off when pulling anything that was big, like a toy hauler, but flat towing i ran it with it on, I always set the cruise control on 58 mph in CA with the overdrive off and just let it go, I just put a trans in my excursion at 235K don't know how many miles yours has on it but hopefully its low miles or already has trans, that is just about the only weak link with these 7.3's, Dana is the man for all the info and service but he's in riverside so long drive, but i'm still getting mine serviced there....

Love ya baby.

 

[Rusty5150]

Nice. I love my 2002 F350 4x4 7.3.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RWTDCT]

I have a 2003 F250 Crew Cab 4X4 7.3. Bought it new and have towed trailers about 3/4 of the time I have had it.
I installed a Superchip Power programmer at about 2000mi

While towing a 5ther 33' toy hauler on flat road I am in O/D. If trans. starts to kicking in and out of O/D, I will turn the O/D off. So far as climbing hills, if I loose momentum and it down shifts into second and cant gain the momentum back, I will just shift down into 2nd and keep rpm's around 2500 (approx. 45mph) until I feel I can gain momentum back and up shift. I did replace a trans. at approx. 160,000mi. I think one of the contributing factors to loosing the trans. is climbing a 16 mi. grade with switch back do between 10 and 30mph a couple times a year. I would have to stop to let the trans cool a couple times on the grade. I change the oil every 5000.

I believe once you drive and get used to it, you will know its capabilities. Every truck is a little different.

Good Luck

 

[Cisco Kid]

Nice info guys
Thanks ;-)

 

[RZRluvr]

Another huge factor in towing with any truck is yer gear ratio and tire size

 

[dev's rzr]

Great info here

 

[tatum]

I also leave my truck in drive with the overdrive on unless it starts shifting back and forth a lot then I turn off the overdrive. I use 2nd a lot when coming down big hills with my toy hauler.

 

[dev's rzr]

So what about shifting points with a Manuel trans ?