I Have a 7000lbs toy hauler and I live in a neighborhood that requires us to go up a semi steep grade. Last time I took my trailer up it I had 3:55 gears and this uphill tow required me to replace all off the smoked clutches in my trans. I now have 4:56 gears, the question is whats the best way to go up? Do I lock it in 1st and take the slow approach? Or do I go for speed and momentum? Which way is easier on the transmission?

 

I find it's best to keep momentum going as much as you can and keep your rpms up. I have a hill in my neighborhood that's really steep too and the speed limit is 35 mph.

If I can keep my momentum going (no traffic in front of me), I keep it in D and just mat the pedal. It'll eventually downshift to 1st and by then I'm going 25 mph pulling 4000 rpms! I still have 3.55 gears, but my trailer is only #5000..

With your 4.56 gears, you should be able to hold 2nd gear at least? Don't baby it going up hills... Give it as much gas as it needs to keep the rpms up over 3000 and that should keep your TC locked up in 2nd.. If you do go into first, it should be okay as long as you keep the rpms up..

Mitch

 

Last time when i got to the top and still had my 3:55's my trans temp was well over 220. It was bad, I hope this time will be better.

 

Get a bigger trans cooler to go with those new gears.

 

Are ya sure that going up that hill smoked your trans? Usually reverse is what kills them... backing up parking the heavy trailers.

 

Have the trans cooler but yes, It very well could have been reversing up into my driveway. The new gears helped out a ton. I just got home with the trailer and my trans temp only reached 198F at the top of the hill then right back down to 185F. This time I let the truck cool down before I backed it up in the driveway. Worked out great. Towing the trailer on the freeway trans temps never went over 168F.

 

You might benefit from a small fan on the trans cooler. Most people don't need them, they are of little benefit at highway speeds. I put a small motorcycle radiator fan from ebay on mine, and have never really needed it. I do turn it on when backing the trailer into its spot after a trip. Like Mitch said, managing your momentum and keeping the rpms up is beneficial in a lot of towing situations.

 

Now, this is exactly what I like about the manual hubs and part time on my '77, just leave the hubs in unlocked and pull that lever to 4WL, suddenly she pulls like those 3.50s were 7.00 gears. Very easy on the trans.

I'm going to figure out the best way to keep my hubs (IWEs) open on this '07 selectively so I can use it's 4WL position fore slow hard pulls / pushes before I let go of the old '77.

I also don't like full throttle hard pulls for long hills, favor lower gear and half throttle and slower speeds, but keep rpms up.

 

Like tbear mentions, you don't state whether your truck is 2WD or 4x4. If 4WD, using the low-range gears might be an alternate option. I recently installed a switch setup to allow me 2WD-LO, and have already used it several times. I, too, have a steep driveway, and while my 19' T/T is well under 7,000#, it's still a great help to have the low-range gears.

I also installed an F-250 trans cooler this spring. Being in the direct airflow of the radiator fan does help at lower speeds (in addition to the larger surface area).

Andy

 

My Trans cooler did come with a fan, I also still have the factory cooler installed as well. My Truck is 4 wheel drive and I never thought to use 4 Lo. The only issue is my hill is almost a 1/4 mile long, It would be a slow craw in 4 Lo but I guess It would help save my trans. The 2wd Lo would be great! Also allowing me to steer.

 

I use 4lo to back my trailer into it's spot. Are you saying you backup for a 1/4 mile??

I wouldn't bother using 4lo to pull it forward up a hill.. You should have plenty of gear for that now.

I have to basically jack knife my rig to get it parked and I'm turning on pavement part of the time until I hit the gravel part of the parking stall on the side of my house. I built some ramps as such to get over the curb and 4lo really helps get it over that with little to no effort on the trans.

I've not experienced any ill effects of turning on pavement while in 4lo... Maybe because it's going in reverse and I have to turn lock to lock for the most part, so it's getting a full range of turning radius... By the time I'm on the gravel, the wheels are essentially straight. It's always shifted in and out of 4lo without issue and I've been doing this in the same spot for over 7 years now...

My trans temp doesn't even rise while backing in using 4lo....

Mitch

 

You do know its just a chain in your transfer case?? When I turn on the street in 4x4 it will churp the back tires, but with a trailer holding it down.....then it would have to be a front wheel and thats a lot for the CV's and the transfer case. You know you can unplug the vacum lines on the front and it won't lock the diff???

 

I came off the beach onto pavement once in 4lo after pulling some one out that was stuck, I forgot it was in 4lo and turned too sharp on the dry pavement and broke a CV Joint. If I unplug the vacuum off the solenoid will that give me 2lo? I just don't like turning at all in 4lo on dry pavement. It doesn't sound good, especially with 35's.

 

4lo turning isnt a good idea in the slightest unless for some reason its a last resort.

 

35s and 3.55s? No wonder you killed the trans!
Seriously though, it should work just fine now with 4.56 gears. I would say lock out overdrive, but the trans will downshift and keep it in the power band anyway. Get a little momentum and just keep it moving.