Towing to Lake George for the weekend

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 02-17-2005, 07:52 PM

We'll be leaving tomorrow for Lake George NY and towing 5 ATVs on an 18' Mid-Atlantic utility trailer. This will be my 1st real tow with the Titan and am anxious to see how she does.
It's not all that heavy, probably around 4000 LBS or so but, I had to install a brake controller (bought and installed the Teconsha Voyager controller). I'm excited because I had to drive the truck with the loaded up trailer to set the trailer brakes and run down to fill all 5 ATVs with gas and the truck acted like I had nothing hanging off the back! If it weren't for the fact that I can feel the trailer brakes a little bit, I wouldn't know it was there.
Now the question..

With reletively low trailer weight, and mostly highway miles (it's only about 3 hrs from here), do i need to use the TOW MODE? I know to keep it out of OD until up and running on the highway but wasn't sure about the TM switch.
Also...any comments or suggestions, from experience, on how to properly set up and tweek the brake controller? Thanks guys!

nursecrickett · 02-17-2005, 09:24 PM

I always use Tow Mode....
I always tow in 4th, and the only time I put it in 5th is when I am on a long straight away with no incline.

Have a GREAT time!!!
Crickett

Armada · 02-17-2005, 09:25 PM

Please read the other threads here, several very current on proper break in of the differential. 4000 lbs. is not close to a maximum load, but will definitely bring the ring gear and pinion gear mesh pattern into a deeper and much fuller contact. You risk gear breakage in my opinion unless you go through several heat up, cool down cycles, as many as you can and preferably enough to get you 500 miles of total towing.

I'd stay under 60 mph, if not 50 and stop every half hour and let it cool down for at least several heat up, cool down cycles, if you don't want to do the full 500 mile routine. Do as many as you can. You only have to do this for a total of 500 miles of towing and then you're good to go forever.

For people just pulling a small single axle trailer and maybe 1000-2000 lbs., I doubt there is any need to do anything but hook and go. But 4000 is enought to break it in right.

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 02-21-2005, 07:47 PM

Well.....back with no problems....other than a blow-out on the trailer but, I was 1 mile from a camper place and the trailer was a dual axle. They had me on my way in about 45 mins.
Anyhow, other than the occasional wind gust to let me know it was there (it was very windy), I didn't even know I was towing anything. I used the TOW MODE and threw it into D while cruising on the highway. I didn't check the mileage...mostly because I'm not too concerned with it, but it didn't seem to be too much more than while not towing.
All in all I was extremely impressed with how she towed and I was never lacking power to pass etc. But I have to say....there are some morons out there that think a big truck with a trailer in tow can stop on a dime in traffic! They weave in and out like they're on fire.