PepperB
Hernando, MS
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The family and I just got back from our first trip in our new Jayco Jayflight 28BHS. It's 5400 lbs dry, and we have an '07 Chevy Silverado V-8, 4.8L with the 3.23 axle. We went to Wynne, AR to the state park. On our way north up I-55, I had no problems. But as soon as I turned onto I-40 heading west, I hit a very strong headwind. I simply could not keep my speed up, just trying to stay at or near 60 mph. I ended up driving the last 20 or 30 miles in 2nd gear, running at about 3500-3700 rpms. My transmission temperature guage went from 175-180 to 192 at the end. Once I turned north again and out of the headwind, it cooled off, even though I went from the Delta to the hills of Crowley's Ridge.
My problem is that this is my first time EVER towing anything, so I have no basis for comparison.
Is this normal? Is it OK to drive that long and that fast in 2nd? Is 192 too high for the transmission (I plan on installing an external trans. cooler anyway). How do you maintain speed going into a 20-25 mph headwind? I had to put on the cruise control to do it.
The only other problem we had was when we got home. I have to back my trailer up my driveway, about 100 feet. Since this was only the 2nd time ever backing up, it took quite a while and more than a few tries. By the time I had my TT in place, my trans. temp. was at 217. But I'm hoping this situation will get better with practice.
MIKE-2007 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab, V8 4.8L
TIGER-2008 Jayco JayFlight 28BHS (bunk house slide)
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Road Ruler
Canada
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Joined: 09/11/2003
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Those tranny temps are not a problem especially for a short period. Synthetic fluid is by far superior at handling heat. You don't have over sized tires do you? For maintaining speed in 20 to 40MPH headwinds we use an Airstream TT with our V6 TV with a 3:31 rear ratio.
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Bearnkat
Fort Worth, Texas
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Joined: 07/30/2004
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I hate to "rain on your parade", and you're not going to like what you hear here, you're way "under-trucked" for your loaded truck and trailer.
Have you weighed the rig yet? If you're going to tow with a ½ ton truck, you need to at least have one that is properly setup for towing with a larger engine, the proper rear-end and a factory installed towing package.
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donn0128
Pronounced Ore-gun
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PepperB wrote:The family and I just got back from our first trip in our new Jayco Jayflight 28BHS. It's 5400 lbs dry, and we have an '07 Chevy Silverado V-8, 4.8L with the 3.23 axle. We went to Wynne, AR to the state park. On our way north up I-55, I had no problems. But as soon as I turned onto I-40 heading west, I hit a very strong headwind. I simply could not keep my speed up, just trying to stay at or near 60 mph. I ended up driving the last 20 or 30 miles in 2nd gear, running at about 3500-3700 rpms. My transmission temperature guage went from 175-180 to 192 at the end. Once I turned north again and out of the headwind, it cooled off, even though I went from the Delta to the hills of Crowley's Ridge. Problem number one, forget that "dry weight" junk. What you need to consider when towing is Trailers GVWR and your trucks GCWR. Now, load up the family, fill the water tanks, and put everything in the truck/trailer that you would normally carry and go to the scales to get some accurate weights. Then you will have an accurate picture of your situation.
My problem is that this is my first time EVER towing anything, so I have no basis for comparison. Too bad you did not ask questions before you plunked down your money on this combination.
Is this normal? Is it OK to drive that long and that fast in 2nd? Is 192 too high for the transmission (I plan on installing an external trans. cooler anyway). How do you maintain speed going into a 20-25 mph headwind? I had to put on the cruise control to do it. NO! It is not normal. What you will likely find is that you are grossly overloaded. That 4.8L is fine to carry the truck around all day and an occasional load of yard debris. However you do not have enough motor, and when you get the weights you will soon see how far out side the acceptable range you really are.
The only other problem we had was when we got home. I have to back my trailer up my driveway, about 100 feet. Since this was only the 2nd time ever backing up, it took quite a while and more than a few tries. By the time I had my TT in place, my trans. temp. was at 217. But I'm hoping this situation will get better with practice. Best thing you can do your yourself, is hook up and take it to an empty parking lot and start practicing. At home I do not let my wife even in the drive way because I know where I want/need to be to get it placed properly. In a camp ground we use walkie talkies and the wife tells me where to go.
Donn
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Grams and PaPaw
London Ohio
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Joined: 02/20/2008
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does your chevy have a towing gear, ours here on the far has a button to push like overdrive we tow big loads with them, in a head wind you re going to loose a lot of speed because of force on the unit. Temp should be ok, next time you tow watch the temp it should stay in that range
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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First off, bad idea taking the first trip without the trans cooler. It only takes one overheat to kill the tranny. When you're towing "heavy" like that, close to the maximum, proper equipment is a must or you'll likely end up on the side of the road wondering what to do.
Most likely, you're overloaded once you've taken loading the trailer with gear, and the family into the truck. The 4.8L with 3.23 rear axle ratio doesn't have much of a tow rating, and tow ratings don't take into account anything you load in the truck, like your family.
There's only one thing you could've, should've, done in your headwind situation: SLOW DOWN. If you can't maintain your speed, then don't try. All you'll be doing is running the temperature up on your transmission and wearing things out prematurely.
There's only one thing you can do to remedy the problem: Buy a more capable tow vehicle. Something with a 5.3L V8 and a 3.73 or 4.10 axle ratio would perform much better in a headwind.
The reason your transmission got so hot backing into the driveway is because you were "slipping" the torque converter as you were backing in. On the highway, with tow-haul mode activated, the torque converter spent most of its time in lockup. The engine is driving the transmission directly, so temperatures stay lower. It was still popping in and out of lockup as you tried to force the truck to maintain speed, though. That's why temperatures rose a little.
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moparmaga2
Lubbock, Tx
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Joined: 07/18/2006
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Bearnkat wrote:I hate to "rain on your parade", and you're not going to like what you hear here, you're way "under-trucked" for your loaded truck and trailer.
Have you weighed the rig yet? If you're going to tow with a ½ ton truck, you need to at least have one that is properly setup for towing with a larger engine, the proper rear-end and a factory installed towing package.
I disagree. A larger engine does not a good tow vehicle make.
A better gear ratio will help, but to be honest your trailering experience sounds normal to me.
I would submit that virtually all RV's (except maybe Diesel powered ones, but the price is no longer worth the gain IMO) get bogged down by a headwind.
I sometimes tow my trailer with a Chevrolet 1500 5.3 V8 with towing package.
Even this truck gets bogged down by my trailer in moderate to heavy headwinds. If I want to run 65-70 in a headwind, the truck has to drop down to second gear. If you have an RV, this is pretty much life.
Family Trips in our 34 foot Ford V-10 Fleetwood Bounder Motorhome were the same way. Headwinds would bog you down.
As for the Tranny Temps, those seem normal to me. Backing up will always increase tranny temps. Everything is going to get hot while backing because there is no air being forced onto the cooling coils.
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PepperB
Hernando, MS
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I'm looking at getting an external transmission cooler, but am having trouble determining what transmission I have. That information just doesn't seem to be anywhere in my paperwork, and the VIN decoder doesn't seem to have it either.
On the subject of not buying "enough truck"...we had the truck first. I know getting a bigger truck might be the easy solution, but it is simply not an option. It may be easy for some of you to just trade in a brand new (well, 1 year old) truck for a 3/4 ton, but not for me. If faced with the choice of new truck or stop towing, I'll have to stop towing.
Like I said, I had no problems at all towing except for that 35 mile stretch into a headwind.
As for slowing down, I'm having a logic problem. Aren't I going to have a problem maintaining speed in a headwind regardless of my desired speed? Isn't the truck going to have as much trouble maintaining 70 mph as 40 mph? Will it really be easier if I'm shooting for 50-55 instead of 60-65?
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donn0128
Pronounced Ore-gun
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Joined: 04/21/2005
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Since it is painfully obvious that you do not have enough truck, and stopping towing is not really an option unless you plan on parking the TT in your yard and letting it rot, I think the next and probably only suggestions for you are, 1, get a really big trans cooler, and 2 change the rear end gear ration to 4.10. Hopefully you do not have a 4X4? At least those two things will give you a fighting chance of getting to your camp sites in one piece. And finally chalk this up to lesson learned!
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kknowlton
Wisconsin Border Country, IL
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Joined: 05/27/2005
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Quote:As for slowing down, I'm having a logic problem. Aren't I going to have a problem maintaining speed in a headwind regardless of my desired speed? Isn't the truck going to have as much trouble maintaining 70 mph as 40 mph? Will it really be easier if I'm shooting for 50-55 instead of 60-65?
Yes, because at a slower speed you're asking less of the engine, which can then concentrate on providing power for the tow itself. Headwinds are always tough on those of us towing trailers that are quite a bit higher than our tow vehicles, but your truck will like you a lot better if you don't try to push the speed when conditions don't warrant.
And, as already pointed out, if the truck is struggling to maintain speed, above all do NOT use cruise control!!!! That'll kill your tranny for sure.
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