3500 towing tips needed

[Turbo J]

I have a 2000 3500 with a 454. The truck has 127,000 miles on it and is in great condition. Recently did a full service on the tranny and drive line fluids etc...

I am towing a 30' toy hauler camper up to 3 hours from home and need some advice on what is best in regards to towing.

Should I tow this in 3rd gear or in overdrive? It seems to pull ok in OD but I do not want to stress the tranny. It does 2000 RPM at about 62mph 4:10 gears in rear.

The temp guage is always between 160 - 170 but the rest of the motor seems real hot after a half hour trip. I know the 454 runs hot is this normal?

Any advice is welcome...Thanks

[Mark13]

Do you know what the weight is of your toybox all loaded up and ready to hit the road? I'm assuming it's a bumper pull trailer also and not a gooseneck or 5th wheel?

Your trans temp does seem fine though, that's about what I see out of my 4l60e towing 8-9k.

[bad2006z71]

i would think the vortec 454/4l80/4.10 combo would be ok pulling in OD. i would shift down to third if you will be doing constant hills or if the trans seems to be hunting alot.

160-170 trans temp isnt bad when towing. daily driving my trans is at or a little below the 150 tick depending on how hot it is outside.

engine temp, im not sure on a 454 but mine never gets past the 200-210 mark even while towing.

try to keep it around those temps and you should be fine. if you dont have one, maybe installing or even upgrading the trans cooler will help you out too.

good luck.

[Turbo J]

The 160-170 degree reading is the engine coolant temp or at least what the factory guage says.

It is a standard hitch tow trailer and I think it weighs around 9000 loaded up. I use to go cross-country quad racing around Iowa in the IATVHSS.

I noticed after starting this thread that the title says 3500 towing tips. I went back to try and change it prior to some guy saying three thousand five hundred towing tips is alot...:-)

Thanks for the replies...

[SlvrdoHDmax]

it would be good to invest in a trans temp gauge.

[Nasty-Z]

Invest in a good Trans temp gauge as has been mentioned , you might also consider an aftermarket water temp gauge also , the factory unit's are notoriously inaccurate .

I tow in OD with both of my 3500's , I did it even when they were both stock , no problems , I am however an overkill type of guy so regular maintence is a must when hauling any weight , 3000K oil changes , yearly (no matter how many miles) trans and gear lube changes , good fluids are cheap insurance.

Hope this helps

TOM

[V30_guthrie]

i would think the vortec 454/4l80/4.10 combo would be ok pulling in OD. i would shift down to third if you will be doing constant hills or if the trans seems to be hunting alot.

160-170 trans temp isnt bad when towing. daily driving my trans is at or a little below the 150 tick depending on how hot it is outside.

engine temp, im not sure on a 454 but mine never gets past the 200-210 mark even while towing.

try to keep it around those temps and you should be fine. if you dont have one, maybe installing or even upgrading the trans cooler will help you out too.

good luck.

When I'm pulling our Troop Trailer up Afton mountain with my foot in that 454's as$:burn: my temp just does broach the 210 mark ( 454 TH400 w/4.56 gears...she's screamin along ) ...but by hat time I've crested the hill and going down the backside toward Staunton...and the temp drops.

Anthony

[02Z]

We had a 98 CCLB 3500 454 4L80E and towed a 46ft gooseneck toy hauler. Two racecars and all the gear...weighed 10K+. We towed in OD all the time, temp never got over 200 and never had any problems out of the truck.
Drop her in OD and roll.

[Turbo J]

Thanks Guys, I'm feeling good about my next trip to Des Moines with the camper for some XC Quad Racing...