FightinGator

I posted this when I made my introduction thread, but that part of the forum obviously does not get near as much traffic as this part. So, here goes.

I am in a bit of a dilemma. I live in Atlanta, GA, but I go to school in Gainesville, FL at the University of Florida. The truck had 11 miles on it when I took it for a test drive, but now it has somewhere around 60. I looked in the owner's manual and it suggests no constant RPM for the first 1,000 miles along with no towing. I am going back to summer school in a week. Obviously, I cannot put 1,000 city miles on a truck in a week, so I am almost forced to drive it on the highway. By the time I leave, I hope to have almost 300 miles on it. The drive itself is 350 miles though and it is all interstate. What would y'all suggest I do? I will keep it under 70 mph the whole time and will vary up the RPM as best I can, but honestly, I don't know how much the RPM will actually vary going from 55-70 mph. After this drive, the truck will see no more highway miles until after 1,000 miles. I just need to get down to Gainesville. I don't want to cause damage to my truck in the first 500 miles of ownership!

TireKicker

Leave early, take back roads and enjoy the scenery.

Sturgisfdb

Buy it, and drive it any way you want. If you have ever been in the factory where they are built; you would know what i mean. I'm not sure if they still give tours of engine test, but i know you can't punish that engine the way the factory does to test them.

shotgun

Why not take a more scenic route on the backroads? Might take a little longer, but it should help you very your speed, gear, and RPMs.

Besides, it's a chance for you to bond with your new truck!

As for towing, I would follow manual's guidelines to the letter.

volvodoc

A little wfo is always good!

vtwin

Just drive it. They run the hell out of that engine before it even gets into the truck.

frt_man

i dont think they do that to every engine or why would the owners manual give you break in steps if it was already done?

cwf150

Mine had 2 miles on it when I test drove it. During the test drive I drove the hell out of it. Bought it drove it to Shreveport , I'm from Houston, then back home. 3 days later left and drove it 1400 miles to Pennsylvania. Been driving the hell out of it ever since. My point Is I don't think your gonna hurt anything at all

bfoster613

I always say "Break it in like You are going to Drive it". With that being said, You can vary your speed on the Highway. Just drop down to 60 for a bit when no one is behind You.

seadragon

I've always believed in some kind of break in period. If it wasn't needed, it wouldn't be in the manual for one thing. I drove my F150 gently for the first 2,000 km and it's running very well. The transmission has settled down nicely and shifts much smoother than it did when brand new. If I had driven it hard, I don't think it wouldn't be shifting as smoothly as it does now.

Not that its exactly the same, but the commuter train I take each day (GO Transit) is replacing their old locomotives with new ones. They don't just slap a new locomotive on and run it like normal. They first pair it with the old loco behind it and run them like that for a few weeks. This is to "ease" the new one into service.

Most engines bigger than a lawnmower should be run at a moderate level before given full load. That's just what I think.