Question about towing.

SKEET · 03-08-2007, 05:36 AM

I had a new rearend installed 2k miles ago and was wondering at what point as far as weight is it necessary to do the break in procedures for our rearends.I remember reading about varying your speed and not going over 50 mph for like 500 miles but I don't know how much weight it takes before this procedure is necessary.I can't find my oweners manual.A friend of mine bought a 19 1/2ft Kenner bayboat yersterday and we're going fishing Monday (he owns a Ford) and wants me to pull the boat.He says the boat and trailer weighs 2700lbs would I still need to do the break in procedure for this amount of weight?Thanks.

**vipzach** · 03-08-2007, 06:18 AM

This is a copy and past I found in my 04 manuel.

Do not tow a trailer or haul a heavy load
for the first 500 miles (800 km). Your
engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
c For the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.

SKEET · 03-08-2007, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vipzach

This is a copy and past I found in my 04 manuel.

Do not tow a trailer or haul a heavy load
for the first 500 miles (800 km). Your
engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
c For the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.

Appreciate it.It says heavy load I just don't know what they consider heavy for something that can tow 9000lbs.50 mph on the interstate for 90 miles would really be a bit** just hauling a boat.I'll probably take my chances my three other passengers would probably want to kill me for driving 50mph because we would probably get run over.Thanks again.

Wiscdave · 03-08-2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKEET

Appreciate it.It says heavy load I just don't know what they consider heavy for something that can tow 9000lbs.50 mph on the interstate for 90 miles would really be a bit** just hauling a boat.I'll probably take my chances my three other passengers would probably want to kill me for driving 50mph because we would probably get run over.Thanks again.

Drive it like you stole it, if it breaks it ain't meant to be. those 10 miles on your truck brand new - I probably romped on your truck before you bought it

SKEET · 03-08-2007, 07:55 AM

I'll probably do just that.If 2700lbs breakes something I don't think I want it anyway.500 miles does seem like overkill at 50 mph.Besides do you know what kind of hell I would catch from my passengers if I told them I couldn't drive but 50mph with less than 3k pounds.

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 03-08-2007, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKEET

I had a new rearend installed 2k miles ago and was wondering at what point as far as weight is it necessary to do the break in procedures for our rearends.I remember reading about varying your speed and not going over 50 mph for like 500 miles but I don't know how much weight it takes before this procedure is necessary.I can't find my oweners manual.A friend of mine bought a 19 1/2ft Kenner bayboat yersterday and we're going fishing Monday (he owns a Ford) and wants me to pull the boat.He says the boat and trailer weighs 2700lbs would I still need to do the break in procedure for this amount of weight?Thanks.

You're already 1500 miles past having to do a break in. You're all broken in. It's just the 1st 500 miles that they say not to tow heavy loads so you can give the rear a chance to break in. That's done. You're good to go.

SKEET · 03-08-2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValleyTitan

You're already 1500 miles past having to do a break in. You're all broken in. It's just the 1st 500 miles that they say not to tow heavy loads so you can give the rear a change to break in. That's done. You're good to go.

Good to know now I can haul arse with confidence.I fell better now.

BuckyBadger · 03-08-2007, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vipzach

This is a copy and past I found in my 04 manuel.

c For the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.

I read it different

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 03-08-2007, 10:02 AM

I never read that but....after 26k miles with no rear end problems while towing our heavy TT, the 500 mile original break-in I gave it did the trick.

SKEET · 03-08-2007, 10:44 AM

I thought I remembered reading about the 50 mph for the first 500 miles of towing but in my mind if it can't handle 2700lbs it want handle 9400lbs no matter how you break it in.I don't know I'm just trying to get an idea of what other people have done.

BuckyBadger · 03-08-2007, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKEET

I thought I remembered reading about the 50 mph for the first 500 miles of towing but in my mind if it can't handle 2700lbs it want handle 9400lbs no matter how you break it in.I don't know I'm just trying to get an idea of what other people have done.

I have 1500 miles on mine but, havent towed yet. Were getting a 29ft TT in the next week or two, so I'm just gonna load my flat bed trailor and tow it around the I system for a day or two.

Steamguy · 03-08-2007, 12:23 PM

I did not tow for about 1,500 miles on the new truck. When I hooked up for the first time, I held it to no faster than 55, took it easy on starts and acceleration. Our trailer weighs about 7,000#.

I was a Journeyman quite some time ago, and I was always told by the Masters in our shop that axle gears tend to mesh more deeply, the more they are loaded. So by that reasoning, there are parts of the gears that you are polishing that weren't in mesh before. If you climb a long hill, take it easy, let it slow down a bit until you get those miles on the axle. The rear end will be heating up due to the friction.

Hope this helps.

Oh, and we have over 55,000 miles on the truck and no troubles.

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 03-08-2007, 04:48 PM

Makes perfect sense.

SKEET · 03-10-2007, 10:02 PM

I've never heard of a break in period for any other truck for towing.Do others recomend this or just Nissan?

Armada · 03-11-2007, 03:34 PM

Every manufacturer has a break in period for towing.

And it DOES NOT MATTER HOW MANY MILES YOU HAVE ON THE TRUCK, if you have not pulled a heavy trailer.

Here's why: Under a heavy load, the gears mesh much deeper, all the way down each tooth very close to the base. Under normal driving conditions less of tooth depth is meshed with the adjoining tooth.

So, under normal driving you anneal or heat treat only part of each tooth, but the lower part of the tooth is not yet heat treated.

Then you hook up a heavy load, even if you've got 50,000 miles on the truck and break a tooth on the ring gear and don't know why. The lower parts of the teeth meshed, probably for the first time. They were not heat treated, remained too soft and they failed.

The towing break in procedure is for the FIRST TIME YOU TOW A HEAVY LOAD, regardless of the miles on your odometer.

Here are some articles on the subject:

http://www.differentials.com/install...and%20Break-In

http://www.precisiongear.com/pgtechbreak.htm

http://www.4x4now.com/gt0999.htm

http://www.ringpinion.com/FAQ.aspx#37

BTW I tow an 8,000 lb. trailer and have had no problems at almost 44,000 miles.

Armada