Just bought a 7x27 pace enclosed trailer and was wondering what some of you pull a load like this in, overdrive or just drive. Currently driving a 02 f350 with 7.3 and when pulling the trailer home empty I would run right around 3grand at 70mph and around 2000 in overdrive. Seems like it would be a bit much to ask pulling this trailer with 3 sleds and gear a 1000mi at 3000rpm+? Im just wonder if the tranny will hold up pulling this trailer in overdrive?
Towwing 7x27 enclosed with 7.3 in Overdrive or NOT
- Thread starter 880summitxrs
- Start date
yeah, your right in the meat of the torque around 2k... like GT said, unless your hunting for gears, dont mess with it.
also, as much at it sucks, keeping it below 1900 or so and your milage is WAY better then at 2k+ 65 isnt very fun to drive.. but its very helpful.
also, as much at it sucks, keeping it below 1900 or so and your milage is WAY better then at 2k+ 65 isnt very fun to drive.. but its very helpful.
to OD or not to OD
Having a 7.3 in an Excursion and having a trailer hooked to the thing alot, the common rule I go by is on the 2 lane roads no OD, on the 4 lane OD is on. Same as the others if it is not hunting between D & OD leave it in OD. My best 2c worth, invest in a tranny temp gage, don't use the factory gage, it is an idiot light camouflaged as a gage. When the factory gage shows it is hot, most of the time it is too late & the damage has been done. So the story goes with the Super Duty Transmissions they are great just don't get them hot. I have a temp gage in mine & it hardly ever gets above 170. Knowing your actual tranny temp & having peace of mind is priceless when your 1500 miles from home.
Having a 7.3 in an Excursion and having a trailer hooked to the thing alot, the common rule I go by is on the 2 lane roads no OD, on the 4 lane OD is on. Same as the others if it is not hunting between D & OD leave it in OD. My best 2c worth, invest in a tranny temp gage, don't use the factory gage, it is an idiot light camouflaged as a gage. When the factory gage shows it is hot, most of the time it is too late & the damage has been done. So the story goes with the Super Duty Transmissions they are great just don't get them hot. I have a temp gage in mine & it hardly ever gets above 170. Knowing your actual tranny temp & having peace of mind is priceless when your 1500 miles from home.
F
frog
Well-known member
And how is this related to the original question???
7.3 should be fine in OD, if it down shifts in the hills leave it in 3rd until you have made the pull.
N
nickPSD
Active member
Go to your autoparts store, and get the biggest trans cooler they have, and get a trans temp gauge also, put them in and dont look back. Its also worth the money to flush the transmission and switch to a full synthetic trans fluid. The 7.3 dont have a big enough cooler IMHO. I have a couple 7.3 and have put bigger coolers in them. I also have a 6.0 and havent seen the need for a bigger cooler.
Thank you all for the info! Just one more question wear do you tap into the tranny/line to install a temp gauge? This seems like it would be a great idea instead of counting on the factory one to give accurate information. Also does it matter that I have a 3 stage super chip installed I think if I remember right it was 60hp 80hp and 120hp the 80hp being the tow haul setting. I run it on the performance 120hp now and have no problems in two years but then agian Im not into to seeing how fast my 7.3 is just wanted a little better feul milage.
answer from powerstroke forum
Anytime you add power to a diesel you REALLY should add the minimum of egt, boost and tranny temp gauges. (given the truck doesn't have any accurate ones from factory.)
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I had great success using a 31 row 6.0 trans cooler (it bolts right in) on my 7.3 along with an Edge Evo2 for engine monitoring and tuning. I towed my enclosed race trailer (9k) around in the dead heat of summer and never saw any trans temps that would concern me.
Ditto
I don't know if this is correct use or not but this is what I've done on my 2000 Ford F-350 with 410 rear end 198,000 miles at least 100,000 towing a Pace 32ft shadow GT gooseneck that weighs empty (as I have it setup) exactly as much as the pickup according to the Canadian weigh station that I was required to stop at. I almost always have an additional 2,000 in it.
A Digatron EGT datalogger as my gauge.
I run without pushing the OD OFF button at any speed and RPM until it can't pull the load on a hill which is normally at exactly 58 MPH 1850 RPM prior to shift down. Press the button and she glides up to 2,500-2,600 RPM and the heat drops 200* EGT. I can pull any freeway grade in the western US (and have) loaded at no less than 55 MPH in OD OFF. A 4-5% grade will pull the unit down and eventually require the shift button to hold 55 mph and not over heat my EGT. I like to use this as opposed to letting the auto transmission handle the shifting as it is much more smooth. If I shift it exactly at 58 MPH it's not noticeable. Any more or less speed and it is pretty violent. On simple freeway use you can see the fuel leak out at over 2200 RPM which is exactly 65 mph. If I stay at 65/2200 I get 10 mpg loaded...75/2600 normally nets 7-8. Original stock tranny (KNOCK KNOCK PLEASE KEEP GOING)
A Digatron EGT datalogger as my gauge.
I run without pushing the OD OFF button at any speed and RPM until it can't pull the load on a hill which is normally at exactly 58 MPH 1850 RPM prior to shift down. Press the button and she glides up to 2,500-2,600 RPM and the heat drops 200* EGT. I can pull any freeway grade in the western US (and have) loaded at no less than 55 MPH in OD OFF. A 4-5% grade will pull the unit down and eventually require the shift button to hold 55 mph and not over heat my EGT. I like to use this as opposed to letting the auto transmission handle the shifting as it is much more smooth. If I shift it exactly at 58 MPH it's not noticeable. Any more or less speed and it is pretty violent. On simple freeway use you can see the fuel leak out at over 2200 RPM which is exactly 65 mph. If I stay at 65/2200 I get 10 mpg loaded...75/2600 normally nets 7-8. Original stock tranny (KNOCK KNOCK PLEASE KEEP GOING)
