Strutting up a 7% grade towing 15K

[ACamilli]

I am very happy and surprised with my 100% STOCK 06 3500 DRW Auto 4x4 3. 73 8' bed truck. At 12,000 miles I towed my 35' 15,000 5th wheel to Charlotte NC from Pennsylvania. There is a 7% grade that climbs for 7 miles. I kid you not, I started at 70-73 mph... ... . and in the center lane (right lane was for tractor-trailers, Duramax & Powerstrokes) I was accelerating! At 76 mph my wife was clobbering me over the head to slow down... I backed off to 70 mph and held it there. It was in TOW/HAUL mode. I am still surprised! Did I mention that my truck bed had a 60 gallon steel fuel tank filed with diesel... and of coarse the 5th wheel hitch..... and firewood. Add all that and it must be over 1,000 lbs.

I am not kidding when I say I was easily passing Duramax's and Powerstrokes, no. They were all blowing black smoke so I assume their foot was in it. Me... . not being an engineer ... . don't understand 1 puzzling thing. If I hit those grades below 70mph... 65. . 60... I slowed down! It would settle at about 55mph. Is it all in the gearing?... the torque curves?... . rpm's?

I am clueless... . but really happy with my truck. I am NOT bashing Fords or Duramaxes... . I am just sharing my real life experiences.

 

[terrywerm]

Now you know why we all own CTD's! Glad to hear you like yours. Granted, my '01 is not rated as high in HP as yours, but I love mine also when it comes to towing power. When it comes to climbing hills, I'm so happy I have to sit on both hands just to keep from waving at everybody as I go by!Oo. :-laf

 

[MA2LA]

I think the whole falling off below 70 has to be gearing. my 99 did it, aslong as I hit a grade at 70 plus it would pull forever. My 06 isn't asbad but there are a few hills i haven't hit yet.

 

[CRuth]

Nothing I like more than hitting a grade and see someone move over to pass me. As I just pull away :-laf

 

[TowPro]

How about the hill on the other side? I think I know the one your talking about. Its either on 81 or 77 (I forget). As you come down the side there is ramps for run away trucks shooting up the RS of the moutain.

I think that hill is steeper heading north , At least it feels steeper because there is a turn about 1/2 way up that you have to slow down for.

that is a beautiful section of USA when the rhododendrons are in bloom!

 

[TX Gooseneck]

I can max out the speedo and the EGT's on my 04. 5 while pulling 30k



My Ford does ok. We lost the transmission in our 05 and had to take a load to Tulare, CA and the only truck I had running/or present was my Ford. Tripped the scales at 39,040lbs with full fuel (100gal total) and it did fine. The fan was driving me nuts though, always on off on off on off. Apparently that is normal, but highly annoying.



To get an idea of towing prowess you should head to California on I40 and enjoy grades out there

 

[bmoeller]

To get an idea of towing prowess you should head to California on I40 and enjoy grades out there

So, what kind of grades are talking? I have found plenty of 10% grades with switchbacks in WV, and one 13% on hwy 160 in PA.

 

[MamthTorq]

So, what kind of grades are talking? I have found plenty of 10% grades with switchbacks in WV, and one 13% on hwy 160 in PA.

Well you could always take Sonora pass which is 26% , there are just so many grades and passes in the West, it keeps your truck honest that is for sure.

 

[Bertram65]

About 2000rpm or above is where you need to be to hold hills, anything less and the truck just slows when you hit a hill, mine does the same thing, with the 4. 10s I only have to be 65mph or faster though. I am talking 3rd gens.

 

[Prairie Dog]

(right lane was for tractor-trailers, Duramax & Powerstrokes)

:-laf :-laf

 

[ACamilli]

TOWPRO... . you are right, this area you mentioned is the place! BTW, even though my 06 is STOCK, I have gauges. I like gauges because you get to know what is normal for your truck. When your "normal" readings start to change this is usually an early sign that something is going wrong, or is wrong. That being said please know that my PYRO was up to 1346'F and that surprised me. I thought that the factory computer would do something to lower EGT's... defuel... lower boost... something? I left it there for about 10 seconds and then I got off the pedal. Climbing at 65mph it stayed at about 1200'F. I heard aluminum pistons melt at around 1500'F?

 

[Boondocker]

Well you could always take Sonora pass which is 26%, there are just so many grades and passes in the West, it keeps your truck honest that is for sure.

Not just grades, but elevation too. The Sierra Nevadas have some formidable passes, but the Rockies separate the men-trucks from the boy-trucks :-{}

 

[TX Gooseneck]

So, what kind of grades are talking? I have found plenty of 10% grades with switchbacks in WV, and one 13% on hwy 160 in PA.

I think coming out of Needles it's around a 6-7%, but it last in total about 40 miles (1st leg is around 15 miles to the top, you drop all the way back down, and you have another 15-20 mile shot up. )



I've also had to do this up Vail Pass and several of the choice mountain passes. I tend to set my EGT backdown at 1500* But I can set the cruise at 70mph and hold it with 3 trailers (anywhere from 26k gross to 40k gross depending on type, size, options, etc).

 

[bmoeller]

I think coming out of Needles it's around a 6-7%, but it last in total about 40 miles (1st leg is around 15 miles to the top, you drop all the way back down, and you have another 15-20 mile shot up. )

I've also had to do this up Vail Pass and several of the choice mountain passes. I tend to set my EGT backdown at 1500* But I can set the cruise at 70mph and hold it with 3 trailers (anywhere from 26k gross to 40k gross depending on type, size, options, etc).

Well you could always take Sonora pass which is 26%, there are just so many grades and passes in the West, it keeps your truck honest that is for sure.

I'd say so.

 

[jeepit]

TOWPRO... . you are right, this area you mentioned is the place! BTW, even though my 06 is STOCK, I have gauges. I like gauges because you get to know what is normal for your truck. When your "normal" readings start to change this is usually an early sign that something is going wrong, or is wrong. That being said please know that my PYRO was up to 1346'F and that surprised me. I thought that the factory computer would do something to lower EGT's... defuel... lower boost... something? I left it there for about 10 seconds and then I got off the pedal. Climbing at 65mph it stayed at about 1200'F. I heard aluminum pistons melt at around 1500'F?

Even 1200 is hotter than I like to see

 

[Prairie Dog]

Third gens have no trouble running at 1350+ and cummins tests them at 1500+ for extended periods of time, its all perfectly normal and wont hurt anything.

Drop the hammer and relax.

 

[ACamilli]

Thanks Prairedog..... what should I set the Pyro alarm to?

 

[Moose Truck]

1st Gen

Let me remenber this, are those hills out on I-85 on the way to the Someky's? I took that trip about 13 years ago, in my 1989 1st Gen, towing my old 25' Chatue (Can't spell French!!) goose neck camper. (About 7500 GW. ) At the time CTD's were still uncommon (it was new to me too!). I was in total Awe that CTD just marched that 25' camper up the hill @ 65-70 MPH with the A/C Ice cold. 2 years earlier, in my 86 Chevy K-20 it was 45 MPH, with the A/C off and the Temp gage was racing up as the Gas gage is racing down toward "E"



The CTD is just the most Amazing, Hauling (Weights and Butt) Machine!!Oo.



Moose

 

[SnoKing]

I am very happy and surprised with my 100% STOCK 06 3500 DRW Auto 4x4 3. 73 8' bed truck. At 12,000 miles I towed my 35' 15,000 5th wheel to Charlotte NC from Pennsylvania. There is a 7% grade that climbs for 7 miles. I kid you not, I started at 70-73 mph... ... . and in the center lane (right lane was for tractor-trailers, Duramax & Powerstrokes) I was accelerating! At 76 mph my wife was clobbering me over the head to slow down... I backed off to 70 mph and held it there. It was in TOW/HAUL mode. I am still surprised! Did I mention that my truck bed had a 60 gallon steel fuel tank filed with diesel... and of coarse the 5th wheel hitch..... and firewood. Add all that and it must be over 1,000 lbs.

I am not kidding when I say I was easily passing Duramax's and Powerstrokes, no. They were all blowing black smoke so I assume their foot was in it. Me... . not being an engineer ... . don't understand 1 puzzling thing. If I hit those grades below 70mph... 65. . 60... I slowed down! It would settle at about 55mph. Is it all in the gearing?... the torque curves?... . rpm's?

I am clueless... . but really happy with my truck. I am NOT bashing Fords or Duramaxes... . I am just sharing my real life experiences.

Lets see 8K for the truck and 15K for the trailer. That is 23K, and I call BS to 70-75 on a 7 percent grade! Sorry SNOKING

 

[MRosinski]

My old 05' w/24ft enclosed @ 10,000lbs. towing illinois flats would see 1500* @70mph with a decent headwind. It had 4. 10's too. Truck had afe, no chip, str8 pipe w/stacks. A 6-7% grade would have melted her down @ 70+mph. I love the mighty CTD's, but stock ones have there respectable limits.