Attention: TDR Forum Junkies I thought it very appropriate to respond and let you know the results of the advice I received to my previous towing problem, what I did and how it worked.
I am towing a gooseneck trailer with an #18000 bed capacity carrying medium square hay bales (3'x3'x8' weighing #1000 each) to an auction, and delivery to the farmer that purchases them.
As you remember my first experience I carried 11 bales (11,000) on the deck and suffered greatly. I wrote about suspension and received great advice. Here's what I did.
First I found a company to do springs and airbags. They installed two additional leafs on each side, and pulled off the overload springs for the camper special option. Since the Firestone compressor and airbags was on back order, I had to make my next trip on the new springs alone. Empty the truck sits 2 1/2" higher in the rear end. The ride is the same empty. Loaded it no longer bottoms out and rides fine, but its still close to its limit, so I will add the airbags next.
Second, I decided to pop in the TST kit, without waiting until my 100K warranty period was over. The results is the power is there but I notice when starting out it takes forever to get upto speed.
Well here is the story of my second towing adventure... see Towing Capacity, How best to beef up this suspension for my first adventure.
After adding the spring leafs and the TST kit, I popped in the Painless Wiring kit in anticipation of adding the Firestone airbags, which I found out later were backordered. I also added three gauges which I only got one finished hooking up when I took my second load (the boost gauage). I figured I could now carry more hay to the auction, so I watched as my son loaded 18 bales on the bed of the gooseneck trailer. We loaded evenly this time and also loaded 6 bales over the beaver tail of the trailer. The springs seemed to hold up, so off I went.
As I went onto the on ramp on the freeway, it seemed like I had plenty of power but it took forever to get up to 65-70 mph. I believe I need to find an article on the Torque Converter Lockout kit (I understand this may help). The springs did a great job! No bucking going down the freeway!
I made it over the scale 90 miles away just in time for teh auction weighing 30,880#. Remember my truck alone weighs ~6,800#, trailer ~ 6,400#, so I had more hay this time to sell. After the load sold I had to haul it 62 miles to the farmer, that's where the adventure began!
As I was following the farmer, my pickup was slow, but I noticed traveling through rush hour, my brakes were fading. I came over a hill doing about 50 mph. Going down hill the stop light at the bottom of the hill changed. I began to brake... slowing but not quick enough. I boosted up the electric brake and tried again... not enough. I began pumping the brakes... oh boy pump baby pump. I picked out my "out" if I needed it. But I finally stopped about 10' short of the car infront of me. Oh yea! My front brakes were smoking like BIG TIME! There goes a new set of pads I thought.
After I was at the farm and the farmer was unloading, I got out the book on my electric brake control. I checked the adjustments and found when I took off the control to put in the painless wiring system, I must have accidently turned the "agressiveness" control to low. So I adjusted it and can stop on a dime.
Well thanks to all the members that responded to my previous post. I added TST, springs and leveled the load better. A much improved ride. I'll still go for the airbags, get all the gauges working and investigate the Torque Converter Lockout switch to see if that will help with my pickup. I will also investigage a jake-brake of somesort. Although we don't have a lot of hills in Minnesota, I can see where it would really help on saving brakes, but I don't know how well it works with automatic transmissions.
This moring over breakfast my son (15 yrs old) mentioned that once you start Bombing its hard to stop. My wife and I both asked what that is. He said that's what TDR calls people obsessed with upgrading their Cummings Dodge. I thought about it for a moment and knew he was right.
Also on last footnote. Braking is really important and I don't recommend towing more that you can safely control and stop with. But I did research vehicles which were larger and by the time I got to a FORD which was rated large enough for towing my load I was into a 750... oddly enough with a Cummins (same engine).
I am towing a gooseneck trailer with an #18000 bed capacity carrying medium square hay bales (3'x3'x8' weighing #1000 each) to an auction, and delivery to the farmer that purchases them.
As you remember my first experience I carried 11 bales (11,000) on the deck and suffered greatly. I wrote about suspension and received great advice. Here's what I did.
First I found a company to do springs and airbags. They installed two additional leafs on each side, and pulled off the overload springs for the camper special option. Since the Firestone compressor and airbags was on back order, I had to make my next trip on the new springs alone. Empty the truck sits 2 1/2" higher in the rear end. The ride is the same empty. Loaded it no longer bottoms out and rides fine, but its still close to its limit, so I will add the airbags next.
Second, I decided to pop in the TST kit, without waiting until my 100K warranty period was over. The results is the power is there but I notice when starting out it takes forever to get upto speed.
Well here is the story of my second towing adventure... see Towing Capacity, How best to beef up this suspension for my first adventure.
After adding the spring leafs and the TST kit, I popped in the Painless Wiring kit in anticipation of adding the Firestone airbags, which I found out later were backordered. I also added three gauges which I only got one finished hooking up when I took my second load (the boost gauage). I figured I could now carry more hay to the auction, so I watched as my son loaded 18 bales on the bed of the gooseneck trailer. We loaded evenly this time and also loaded 6 bales over the beaver tail of the trailer. The springs seemed to hold up, so off I went.
As I went onto the on ramp on the freeway, it seemed like I had plenty of power but it took forever to get up to 65-70 mph. I believe I need to find an article on the Torque Converter Lockout kit (I understand this may help). The springs did a great job! No bucking going down the freeway!
I made it over the scale 90 miles away just in time for teh auction weighing 30,880#. Remember my truck alone weighs ~6,800#, trailer ~ 6,400#, so I had more hay this time to sell. After the load sold I had to haul it 62 miles to the farmer, that's where the adventure began!
As I was following the farmer, my pickup was slow, but I noticed traveling through rush hour, my brakes were fading. I came over a hill doing about 50 mph. Going down hill the stop light at the bottom of the hill changed. I began to brake... slowing but not quick enough. I boosted up the electric brake and tried again... not enough. I began pumping the brakes... oh boy pump baby pump. I picked out my "out" if I needed it. But I finally stopped about 10' short of the car infront of me. Oh yea! My front brakes were smoking like BIG TIME! There goes a new set of pads I thought.
After I was at the farm and the farmer was unloading, I got out the book on my electric brake control. I checked the adjustments and found when I took off the control to put in the painless wiring system, I must have accidently turned the "agressiveness" control to low. So I adjusted it and can stop on a dime.
Well thanks to all the members that responded to my previous post. I added TST, springs and leveled the load better. A much improved ride. I'll still go for the airbags, get all the gauges working and investigate the Torque Converter Lockout switch to see if that will help with my pickup. I will also investigage a jake-brake of somesort. Although we don't have a lot of hills in Minnesota, I can see where it would really help on saving brakes, but I don't know how well it works with automatic transmissions.
This moring over breakfast my son (15 yrs old) mentioned that once you start Bombing its hard to stop. My wife and I both asked what that is. He said that's what TDR calls people obsessed with upgrading their Cummings Dodge. I thought about it for a moment and knew he was right.
Also on last footnote. Braking is really important and I don't recommend towing more that you can safely control and stop with. But I did research vehicles which were larger and by the time I got to a FORD which was rated large enough for towing my load I was into a 750... oddly enough with a Cummins (same engine).
