Using an 04 Titan Off Road with Towing Package and towing an 8,000 travel trailer. At 45-50 mph on level road with no wind tansmission fluid gauge rises to high normal level and drops when speed is reduced. Anyone have similar problems, especially with a tow and in the mountains?
Towing
NOVICETOWER
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Well thank you.loufish said:
We love it. It's a 25' Attitude made by Eclipse RV out of San Bernardino, CA. The box is actually 26' though and total from hitch to bumper is almost exactly 30'. She is no lightweight (Especially loaded with a 520lb Quad, Nearly 1,000lb Golf Cart, and 1,000lbs of Water) but the Titan pulls her with no problem. Over Thanksgiving we went to Dumont Dunes, CA and I even pulled right by my buddy pulling a lighter toyhauler with a 2500HD Chevrolet with a 6.0L Gas motor. You can bet I was giving him Hell at the first gas stop. Max trailer to safely tow
Just purchased a LE crew with big tow. I noticed that several here have
towed 8,000 lb. trailers. Am looking at a 7,000 lb unit and an 8,000 lb unit,
both dry. I've read other forums where people say a Titan should not be used
for such a unit. Please respond with your experience. Thanks.
Just purchased a LE crew with big tow. I noticed that several here have
towed 8,000 lb. trailers. Am looking at a 7,000 lb unit and an 8,000 lb unit,
both dry. I've read other forums where people say a Titan should not be used
for such a unit. Please respond with your experience. Thanks.
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368 Posts
It depends on how much of a safety factor you are comfortable with and how much you are going to be towing that much. Personally, I try not to tow more than 80% of the maximum towing limit on long trips. Shorter trips around town you can get away with going to the limit. If you are towing that weight a lot then that has to be considered as well. You can tow up to the max, but you're obviously putting more strain on all the truck's systems and it won't last as long that way.hale0007 said:
I tow an 8,000 lb boat and trailer (total loaded weight) on short trips to the lake all the time and then visit other lakes about 2-3 hours away a couple times a year. If I were making more long trips then I would probably have chosen to get something bigger than a 1/2 ton. The Titan is as qualified, or more, than any other 1/2 ton truck available to handle heavy tow loads. If they are telling you that "a Titan should not be used for such a unit" based on it being a 1/2 ton truck, I could see their point because many people feel that the trailer outweighing the truck by that much is not safe. That's a personal choice. But if it's based on the Titan being a Japanese truck or something to that effect, then that is BS.
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I'm one of the ones all for using forth gear to tow, but I remember looking in the owner's manual to strengthen my point when the original question was posted. I couldn't find it in my '04 manual. Could you show me where in the manual you found it? Thanks.562 said:
I tow an 8,000 pound plus trailer. I have gone up some crazy hills, and rolling terrain, and windy days. I have never had the transmission temp increase above normal. In fact, when I'm not towing, the temp stays really really low. Maybe the thermostat is stuck open...but no temp problems for me at all. Even in 100 degree weather.
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368 Posts
When not towing, my tranny temp guage usually takes a while to get up to operating temperature, especially in the winter. Operating temperature for me is right at halfway up the guage, or maybe a tick above half. After driving for a half hour or more if your guage isn't up to that point then ours are acting differently. I couldn't tell from your post if you are towing in 4th or "D", but if your getting low temps while towing in those conditions in overdrive, then yours is definately working differently than mine. But I don't know that that's a bad thing. I don't have any problems as long as I keep it in 4th while towing.
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I BAUGHT MY TITAN LAST SPRING AND PUT ON ABOUT 4000 MILES BEFORE I TOWED ANYTHING, AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY TRANY TEMP. LAST FALL I PULED A 20' MOTORHOME THAT WEIGHED AROUND 6000 LBS, I COULD'NT GO OVER 65 WITH OUT THE TRANY OVER HEATING. I REALLY WAS'NT IMPRESSED!! tHE TRUCK SEAMED TO HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO DO THE JOB BUT IF ITS RAITED TO PULL OVER 9000 LBS AND THE TRANNY COOLER CAN'T HANDLE THE LOAD :rollingey WHATS THE DEAL??? :rollingey
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towing a gooseneck trailer
Does anybody have any experience or advice on pulling a gooseneck trailer with the Titan. I currently pull a 2 horse Sundowner BP trailer with weight distribution hitch and anti sway bar. We have the big tow package. I estimate the trailer to weigh about 6,000 lbs loaded. It pulls like a dream. We would really like to move up to a 3 horse gooseneck that weighs 4900 lbs unloaded. I estimate that the trailer would weigh about 8,000 lbs loaded because we generally only haul 2 horses. What do you think? Is the Titan capable of this? Does a gooseneck change the towing capabilities? Thanks.
Does anybody have any experience or advice on pulling a gooseneck trailer with the Titan. I currently pull a 2 horse Sundowner BP trailer with weight distribution hitch and anti sway bar. We have the big tow package. I estimate the trailer to weigh about 6,000 lbs loaded. It pulls like a dream. We would really like to move up to a 3 horse gooseneck that weighs 4900 lbs unloaded. I estimate that the trailer would weigh about 8,000 lbs loaded because we generally only haul 2 horses. What do you think? Is the Titan capable of this? Does a gooseneck change the towing capabilities? Thanks.
rarjar said:
WELL KRAP, I COULD HAVE USED THAT INFO 3200 MILES BACK BEFORE MY TRIP CROSS COUNTRY WITH A 5500 LB. LOAD. I NOTICED THE TEMP A FEW TIMES AND BACKED OFF. I ALSO NOTED THE TEMP STICK NEAR HIGH AND INSTANTANEOUSLY DROP, NOT GRADUAL. I SOMETIMES MANUALLY DROPPED TO 4TH GEAR, BUT 98% STAYED IN "D", BUT NEAR ALWAYS APPLIED TOW MODE FOR TIMES WHEN I NEEDED TO. I NEVER READ TO TOW IN 4TH CONTINUOUSLY THOUGH. SEE NO ILL EFFECTS SINCE DROPPINGG THE LOAD. REAL QUESTION IS SHOULD I CHANGE THE TRANS. FLUID TO BE SAFE. I KNOW THE FILTER AND MAGNET WILL O ITS JOB. JUST CURIOUS, BUT NEVER KNEW OF 4TH GEAR ALONE.
THANKS
I tow a two-horse slant trailer and always have it in tow mode with the O/D off...I received a lecture from one of my brothers to NEVER tow unless it is out of O/D. I rip, even going up hills. The temperature guages never go up. It seems to haul best at around 65-70 mph (I know, a little over the limit...) - I have a Prodigy brake computer in, which helps in stopping....glad I do because of the continuing brake problems I have with my Titan, but thats another story.
I agree with Titan_TX - probably a troll. But if not, the problem is trying to tow in OD. Put it in 4th and there will be no problem. And that is the recommendation of every truck manufacturer, not just for Titans and Armadas. As to towing capabilities in comparison to other trucks, check this out:RANGERHEMI said:
http://www.trailerboats.com/site_page_1483/article_page_259.cfm
There is going to be a limitation on towing capabilities for any 1/2 ton truck when you get on that 6% grade, but the Titan was clearly superior. You just need to stay out of OD and keep the engine in the power band, which may mean dropping down to 3rd, or with a heavy enough load and a steep enough hill, maybe even 2nd. Just know that in comparison, you truck will be doing better than the competition in the 1/2 ton category.
If you need to go faster than 60 on 6% grade with an 8,000 lb. or more load, move up to a 3/4 ton or 1 ton diesel.
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I have a Titan with the Big Tow package (plan on getting a boat!). Only used it to tow once last year when I moved, with UHaul's 12 ft trailer. My trailer weight wasn't anywhere near the 8000 range like mentioned above, but it was about 4000. I towed it about 600 miles on fairly level ground with the tranny in drive (and tow mode). I didn't notice any abnormal tranny temp rise. The Titan took it like a champ! I never heard/read about towing only in 4th gear, but I will definitely do that in future towing.
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