Anyone pulling a travel trailer with a 89-93 1st gen?

[Firstgenfanantic]

I would like to see some picture examples of 89-93 Dodges pulling 5th wheels and bumper pull trailers. Gathering ideas... ... ... ... .

 

[Flexiheep]

Here is mine, I put a picture in another thread a while back... .



Built a 93 clubcab into a crew using an 85 crew cab body. Details are in the crew thread (conversion forum) a couple pages from the end.



Trailer in 30' long, and 10-11K depending on the length of the trip. Only problem is heat from the non lock up converter in OD (3. 54 gears FWIW).



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[Firstgenfanantic]

Wow!!!! That is an awesome looking crew cab conversion. I would absolutely love to own one/build one. I just don't have the time/place/tools to do it.



I noticed you mentioned heat buildup while towing, what kind of mods do you have inside your transmission? What are you trans temps looking like while pulling the trailer uphill, flat highway, etc)???

 

[Flexiheep]

I noticed you mentioned heat buildup while towing, what kind of mods do you have inside your transmission? What are you trans temps looking like while pulling the trailer uphill, flat highway, etc)???

My goal was to be able to hold the pedal to the metal and not have temp problems. To that end I pulled out the 93 radiator and intercooler and installed a set from a 2000 truck. I also dumped the stock oil to water cooler for the transmission because I was tired of engine temp and transmission temp fighting each other and being interdependent. I installed two of the largest Derale fan assist plate and fin coolers I could find in the frame between the Tcase and fuel tanks.



transmission was replaced at 250K with a standard ATS transmission and TC. Overall I am happy with the transmission, I feel llike the TC could be tighter (maybe just a lower stall by 200 rpm) though after hearing people talk about the DTT one, still MUCH better than the stock one. transmission fluid has always been changed yearly at 10-15K miles, never appeared burnt even in stock unit after 250K.



Running down the road in under 70 temps empty (in overdrive) the transmission sits at 130, climbing my 6% pass to work I get to about 190. With the trailer in tow I run about 190 on the flat at 60 in od, and hills the temp climbs pretty good in od. I go into 3rd gear with the trailer and to be honest I can run 150 in the flat and about 190 on a 6-7% grade at 55. In 3rd gear I can't get the transmission over 210.



A couple things I have noticed:

transmission temp drops if I can hold 70 up hills in od vs 60 (stall speed on TC must be between those speeds). I think lower gearing or a tigter converter would help this.



Right now I can keep transmission temps under 230 in OD as long as I stay under 15-18 lb boost. This is for hills or headwinds, whatever loads the truck.

With the 2000 intercooler and full 4" exhaust and "normal" pump tweaks I do not see over 1300 egt as an absolute max (5-8 min under full load climbing, not a "spike like the 1/4 mile").



Max boost is 27-28 psi, keep boost under 22-23 psi and EGT stays at 1000 degrees. This seems to match common wisdom that the H1C falls off around 23 psi and is less efficient.





This kind of started to ramble didn't it, well I hope you can find what you want in it.

 

[Firstgenfanantic]

Thanks for all the great info on towing with your transmission. The numbers give me something to compare to. My first time out will be an experience for me.



Before I forget... ... ... ... do you have any interior pics of your crew cab? I'm curious as to what they look like inside. Thanks!

 

[Flexiheep]

Before I forget... ... ... ... do you have any interior pics of your crew cab? I'm curious as to what they look like inside. Thanks!

I don't have any pictures, but really it looks like a longer clubcab. My crew cab was a bare shell that I fitted out with the trim from my 93. I had a headliner built that looks just like the stock one, even pealed the carpet on the back cab panel and glued it onto the back of the crew. I used the club trim around the back window of the crew and cut the side part around the club window so I could use it on the B pillar between the doors. The only trim for the crew I couldn't use/modify from the clubcab was a second set of the over the door trim to cut up for over the rear doors (still needs painted and installed).



I did mine with the parts I had or could find easily, I don't know what the "correct" crew trim looks like to be honest. Maybe I should take some pictures and explain it on the crew thread as a low cost option to hard to find correct parts.

 

[Firstgenfanantic]

I am wondering if any other TDR members pull their trailers with a 1st gen?

 

[dcoffman]

I know where you can buy one. It was once owned by Petty Enterprises. It has the 5. 9 gas , auto and is a real beauty. He built a dually trailer to match.

 

[dcoffman]

this was for firstgenfan

 

[Midnite]

You might PM "Gary - K7GLD". He used to tow either a 5th wheel or a larger TT with his old 1st gen, and I remember him posting pics from time to time in the 1st gen forum.

I sold my '92 to my old boss and his wife, and they used it to tow a 33' TT down to Reno from AK. The only mod they did over what I already had (ditched muffler, Bosch 185 injectors, minor pump tweaks) was to upgrade the rear brakes with 3" shoes and wheel cylinders with 1 1/16" bores for a 1 ton truck.

Mike

 

[GAmes]

I am wondering if any other TDR members pull their trailers with a 1st gen?

I did. It was a 92 automatic and almost put me into a Ford due to all the problems I had with the transmission and the low power of the engne. I was only pulling a 9000 pound 29 ft 5er and it would lose speed going over freeway overpasses. I hated it and traded for my current 97 when it had less than 70k on it. I'll never own a diesel/automatic trans again because of it. I don't care how many accolades the new automatics get.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

You might PM "Gary - K7GLD". He used to tow either a 5th wheel or a larger TT with his old 1st gen, and I remember him posting pics from time to time in the 1st gen forum.



Mike

Back when I had my early '91 250, I did't have a digital camera, so pics of it were scarce - and what I do have, were frame shots taken off a regular video camera - here's a couple of those, but not much help here:



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That last one also shows my RVing buddy's '99 Ferd PS in the next space.



I quickly learned that those early trucks wanted to overheat if worked hard, so installed a '93 radiator to get away from vertical flow OEM, over to the crossflow type used on later models. The early '91's used a plain 3-speed 727, so no issues wih transmission - but later added an aftermarket US Gear O/D unit - also added the Banks kit of an intercooler (early '91's were not intercooled), and better exhaust system, tweaked the injection pump, and installed a PowerShot 2000 propane injection setup.



I ended up with a reliable truck with plenty of power for our 24 foot 5er - here's a better pic of that, with the current '02 taken over along the N. California coast:



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[Flexiheep]

Mad Max should have some towing experience with his truck, I know he has posted about it, and he owed a large enclosed trailer for a while. Might try to send him a message, he might be busey moving to his new place though.

 

[rumblefish]

i pull, although not very far, a 24' 5er from my mother inlaws to the camground, which is about 3 miles. i dont get over 55, but it pulls like it isnt there. im sure for a longer trip/longer distance i would have more input.



i have a pic, but need to host it. check back later.

 

[Firstgenfanantic]

Nice updates! Thanks for the pics guys! I was honestly curious to see other current/former 1st gen owners who towed with their rigs. I have a 24 ft 5th wheeler an getting ready to head out on my first trip!!! I have done all the basic upgrades and hope that my 93' will keep up with the flow of traffic.



Keep those pics/stories coming!

 

[Grey Wolf]

I'm sure there are still many of us out here pulling our trailers



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[Buffalo]

I have a '91. 5 W-250 with the 4-speed auto. & tow a 25' Nash bumperpull trailer. I had that transmission for 150,000 miles & upgraded to an ATS trans with a TripleLok torque convertor in the summer of 2002. What a difference!!! No more overheating & all the power goes to the ground.



The stock trans. held up well but, got hotter than a firecracker when mountain towing, as with some of the CO. , 10,000' passes. I even installed the under-bed elec. trans. cooler, which, helped. It still got hot!!! Changed the fluid every year at about 15,000 miles & it always looked good.



When I changed out the trans. , it still was working as well as when it was new. I think the fact that it was never solidly hooked up due to the non- lock-up convertor meant that it was never really working hard even though it got very hot, at times. I might be wrong about that, though.



The other thing that I did not like was the 21 sq. cm. stock turbo. Turbo lag was awful!!! That truck was SLOW!!!!! I fixed that with a 16 sq. cm. housing which mad a big difference. Also, some fueling enhancements.



The truck & trailer did a cross-country trailer towing trip in '02 & numerous mountain trips during the year plus a two week vacation towing in the mountains of the West. Did that every year.



Joe F.

 

[Bill Stockard]

This was our first CTD, a '92 D350 with automatic transmission and a 3. 54 ratio rear axle towing a '93 Hitchhiker II 29' 5th wheel. It was our first post-retirement RV and we put nearly 100K miles on it before trading it for a new '97 3500 dually.



Bill

 

[Firstgenfanantic]

I am looking for more pics and testimonials related to 89-93 1st gen pickups pulling trailers. I especially would like to hear from the "automatic-equipped" crowd. :-laf

 

[Midnite]

The stock transmission is definitely a big weak point in the 1st gens. After I got my transmission temp gauge installed I was amazed how quickly temps skyrocketed if I tried pulling a hill in 4th with a load in the truck. I quickly learned to hit the OD Off switch prior to any significant grades. You're definitely ahead of the game by having an additional transmission cooler, as well as the tighter torque converter and shift kit.



Before I had to sell my '92 I had plans of getting a Suncoast torque converter and a Mag-Hytec double deep pan. My preference was for a full DTT work-over on it, but I just couldn't afford that at the time. I'm not familiar with the Hughes converter you have in your sig, but I'm guessing it's way better than stock. If you don't have it already you should consider a higher capacity transmission pan. The Mag-Hytec double deep was the highest capacity pan I could find. I did consider a stock 2nd gen pan since they bolt right up and have a bit extra capacity, and I'm cheap.



Mike