k-stater88

Hey all,

A few months ago, I made a post about how my truck struggled to pull an empty stock trailer at 60-65 mph. The ford dealer said they couldn't find anything on the computer because they can't test it under a load.

Today I pulled an empty gravity wagon (2,000 lbs) 12 miles at 60 mph. I was running in 4th gear with all the power in the world. To go from 45 mph to 60 mph didn't take any effort, but as soon as i moved into 5th, it was dropping speed like a rock. Absolutely no wind. So i decided to leave it in 4th at 2500 rpm's for basically the whole 12 mile trip. When I stopped to unhook the trailer, I got a terrible whiff of what smelled like burning tranny fluid, yet all my gauges registered on the cool side of halfway. As soon as it idled for a few minutes, the smell went away.

I have it scheduled in for Monday, but anybody have any ideas before the dealer tells me there's nothing wrong? I fail to believe that even with a 3.31, this truck is incapable of pulling a measily 2k in 5th. I mean it can't even maintain speed on a flat stretch. And more importantly, where the heck did that hot smell come from ?

Thanks

Wannafbody

Is it possible that your rear brakes are somehow locking up? Any issues when not towing?

k-stater88

Nope. When I don't hook anything up, it runs just fine. It's like any time it detects a trailer, it kills the power in 5th. My 2010 5.4 pulled so much better.

tomt5078

Wow doesn't sound right at all.........My truck has the 3.31 and tows my about 5000 lbs trailer like I don't have anything back their!!!!!

k-stater88

This poor truck has gone through 4 windshields, 5 trips for the driver door alignment issues (still not resolved), 3 trips for malfunctioning sync, and a partridge in a pair tree.

I've been around a lot of old vehicles and farm equipment and have smelled just about every problem smell there is, but this one was unique...it most closely resembled tranny fluid burning, but went away as soon as i was done pulling.

If it was residual oil burning off, it would have burned off in the 70 miles right before i hooked up to the trailer.

schmenke

Does your trailer have e-brakes that are possibly locking up?


I've previously pulled a ~2,300lb trailer for over 500kms with no effort at all. Cruise control enabled with the tranny in 6th gear all the way. Mind you, this was with the 3.73 differential.

2wheelgnnr

sounds like might have to take a trailer with it too dealer and SHOW them what your talking about. It love to here the infamous we cannot duplicate the issue. Take the trailer with and SHOW them with a test drive. truck should pull it like nothing there....2000 lbs in nothing. Im with others maybe trailer brake dragging or something. but i would think you;d know and feel that?????

k-stater88

Agreed. I checked the hubs and brakes and they were good. I found a flatbed trailer and I'll put my 800 lb. Motorcycle on it to see if it happens again. I'll keep adding get weight until I can duplicate it.

venatic

What was the temperature of the transmission while towing?

redranger04g

To narrow down the problem, buy an infrared thermometer (cheap ones are only around $10-20). Tow the trailer for a bit then stop. Measure the temperature of all wheels/tires both on truck on trailer. If one is spiked much higher than another we know the problem has to do with the brakes. If not it is something else.