Torture test towing: 104 degrees, 5% grade, 3600lbs trailer, 4 adults & more

[Snox801]

So I made another trip to NC from Michigan and back. This one was extra spicy. Just below the max towing in my enclosed trailer. 3600lbs trailer and load in trailer 4 adults and some extra tools and gear In the bed. 45 lbs air in the air bags.

Now I’ve haul over double this weight through the mountains before but this time it was 103-104 degrees.

I hit the big hill on my route back. 5 percent grade for almost 7miles. Cruise set at 68mph this time.

Maverick only downshifted once. Held speed and temp got to 219 then dropped back to 217 and stayed.

Trans temp stayed right at 198-202.

This thing never missed a beat in this absolutely nasty heat and humidity.

Keep in mind I run a Livernois 87-93 flex octane tune for the last 75k miles. And was using 93 Oct fuel and the tune.

Truck has been tuned almost the entire time I’ve owned it .currently 80k miles on it.

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[Cherokee]

Cool beans, these are tough little trucks !

Still, I’d never buy a used one.

 

[Nw_adventure]

Do you hear/feel the radiator fan go @ DEFCON 1 ? My 4K/FX4 did once- its something you will notice pretty quickly -

 

[matmondro]

Built Ford Tough!

 

[dalola]

The LMS tunes are really solid, I'm sure that was helping you a bunch. I had a LMS tow tune as one of the options on my F150, and the difference over the OEM tune was very noticeable with moderate/heavy loads.

 

[Snox801]

Do you hear/feel the radiator fan go @ DEFCON 1 ? My 4K/FX4 did once- its something you will notice pretty quickly -

Mine does it a lot. I believe it’s adjusted to do it much sooner with the Livernois tune. I know my f-150 does it as soon as I load the tow tune.
But it only does it when I stop for gas never notice it when driving.

 

[Snox801]

The LMS tunes are really solid, I'm sure that was helping you a bunch. I had a LMS tow tune as one of the options on my F150, and the difference over the OEM tune was very noticeable with moderate/heavy loads.

Same with the maverick. That was the main reason I got it. Small loads it downshifts up small hills. With the tune nope. I had 418k tuned mine in my last 150 till it got hit and totaled. Now I rarely drive my new 150 but it’s tuned by them also

 

[Dad]

A similar gauntlet was made by these guys.

 

[HeyBales]

Levi needs his own video!!

How hard to go back and recreate it with cameras and such?
Make sure the passengers are all praising the driver at multiple times!

 

[Snox801]

Levi needs his own video!!

How hard to go back and recreate it with cameras and such?
Make sure the passengers are all praising the driver at multiple times!

Next time I make a crazy heavy run I’ll do it. Lol
I’m not sure the comments my passages would make would be suitable for consumption.

 

[Snox801]

I can say based on mpg for these trips. I’m not sure that the heavier load would make a difference in the heat.
I think once I hit close to the 4k it seems to get about the same mpg. More likely caused by the frontal area and wind drag.
Headed back to Atlanta tomorrow am and my maps is already telling me severe heat warning. But I will not be hauling a trailer this time.

 

[Snox801]

This is the second. Trip with the same trailer pretty shocked I get 16.8mpg pretty consistently at 68mph.

 

[Snox801]

This is the trailer I haul most the time.
Had it built with two heavier axles. Also had it built with a 2-5/16th hitch.

 

[CajunMick]

Question: How did you measure transmission temperature?

FYI, I had a F250 diesel towing a fifth wheel RV. On many “steep“ roads climbs, with cruise control on at 65 mph, the truck would downshift, engine speeds up, turbo pressure rises, trans temp would shoot up. When turn off cruise control, I drop speed to maybe 50 mph, hold steady, then trans temperature would fall, hold steady.

May be Ford Tough, but transmission fluid do have a peak high temperature rating, call it flash point, and start to break down.

 

[Snox801]

Question: How did you measure transmission temperature?

FYI, I had a F250 diesel towing a fifth wheel RV. On many “steep“ roads climbs, with cruise control on at 65 mph, the truck would downshift, engine speeds up, turbo pressure rises, trans temp would shoot up. When turn off cruise control, I drop speed to maybe 50 mph, hold steady, then trans temperature would fall, hold steady.

May be Ford Tough, but transmission fluid do have a peak high temperature rating, call it flash point, and start to break down.

I have my mycal handheld from Livernois hooked up to monitor.
have been also running amsoil trans fluid since 20k miles

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