I am getting ready to move down to Dallas from South Dakota at the end of the week.

I will be towing a 5x8 single axle Uhaul trailer loaded with what I estimate to be around 4-5klbs including the trailer weight.

I have towed all kinds of strange things for work and I have towed a small car trailer before with my truck but never long distance on a highway before. Truck and mods are in sig.

Is there anything I should be worried about?

Got any tips?

Want to guess how bad my MPG will be? Or how slow I will have to go?

 

Gas mileage will suck. Keep it around 60-65 mph. as you go faster the mpg will drop faster and faster.

 

Thats what I figured I'll see how bad the MPG loss is a decide if its worth the time. Its around a 16hr trip if you go above the speed limit which is 80MPH most of the time.

 

You run that hard and you will be looking at 4-5 mpg.

 

I averaged 12-13 in my 06. 2wd Also has factory 20's on it

Bone stock, towing a car trailer with a wagon on it. We pulled a few hills too!

My buddies was 10-11 in a 2000 4x4 bone stock.

Both 1500 ECSB 3:73 ratio 5.3L/4L60E His is a 4x4 mine is 2wd

 

So I made it and the total weight ended up being 4900lbs but I did have a little trouble.....

I made it 13hours from south Dakota when I stopped to get gas Had been pushing 75-80 the entire time getting about 11mpg according to my ultra gauge and the same hand calculated. When I walked back to the truck after peeing I noticed some oil under it. Turns out my T case over heated and blew 2.5Qts of oil outall over the DS and then flung everywhere under the truck. Engine temps had been fine the entire trip reading from both gauges I never smelled anything felt anything or heard anything and it was only about 65* out. Luckily there was a shop right next to the gas station and they topped it off for free.

I Lowered the my speed to around 65 and didn't lose any more oil but I noticed my already loud and obnoxious trans has been extra noisy since the trip. Is it possible I overheated it as well?

Has anyone else heard of a T case getting over heated like that?

I was very impressed with its towing power tho Only had to drop to 4th a couple times and that was because I'm impatient.

 

You sure it overheated and it wasnt the pump rubbing a hole through the case issue? Theres no reason at all it should overheat if its a manual or electronic case, the whole unit is locked togther!

 

no way?! i just found out about 6 weeks ago that i'm headed back down there shortly after this deployment, too! small world, ain't it?

i thought the "pump rub" issue was only on the HD t-cases
the only times i've had any issues pulling with my truck (super-similar, except a 5.3 & 4.30s) was a couple summers ago pulling my car (about 5k lb) to a track in Denver and overheating my clutch line (which sits right above my left header). and that was because i was running 70-75 through the mountains at 8-9k ft when it was 95* and no humidity.

i'll definitely be taking it slower again just like every other time i've pulled the car with no issue.
and i want to say around 60, i still get about 12-13 mpg with the car on the back (compared to about 17-18 bobtailing at 75)

 

There is no visable hole anywhere in the case and after filling it up it made it another 4 hours towing without losing a drop.

The oil had clearly come from somewhere on the back half of the T case because everything in front of that was perfectly clean and dry. I was somewhat confused because the fluid was dark colored but it had been flung everywhere by the DS so I figured it was just dirt mixed in it.


Thats awesome! Maybe we can finally race when you get down here!

I was surprised at my MPG When I was just cruising at 65-70 But I feel like a 6.0 will do better my poor little 4.8 just doesnt have the low end torque.

I can believe your clutch line over heated I never even thought about that. I think I might change my trans fluid tomorrow I am driving it empty to Florida later this week for a mini vacation and pick up some stuff.

 

yeah, there'll finally be some decent roads to do it on!