trailer pulls hard

[perchjerker]

Originally Posted by Nosebleed

Thanks for the advice but 50mph is dangerous on the interstates around here traffic is 75-80 so I need to do 68 to avoid being a hazard.

I'll get my brother to tow it with his tundra and we'll see what he gets.

The thing that doesn't add up in my head is that even on a medium down hill it never want's to coast it will decel when I let off. Seems like it should glide down hill. makes me wonder how much wind i'm pulling in and around the boat. I'm hopfull the tarp will help.

I checked the tires and they're rated 50max and they had- 46,46,41,37.5. set them to 50, sounds like maybe i should go more? they're new and not weather checked or anything. Maybe i could go 60psi

And as far as the motor looking big it IS! 600lbs. I'm glade the cowling is so V shaped. It's up there all alone in the wind on the road.

if it has surge brakes they could be applying slightly when you are going downhill. The weight of the trailer is pushing on the trailer ball, causing the brakes to apply.

really shouldn't happen, but it sometimes does. Maybe the master cylinder push-rod needs to be adjusted.

Pull over and feel the wheels with the brakes on them, they should be warm but not hot.

[Fun11cat]

When you try the tarp make sure its tight, A loose tarp will create more drag. I think the combination of your gear ratio and the tandem axle trailer is hurting you, the price of fun.

[REW]

Nose and Brian both have good points.
Your comment about not "gliding" down the hill gives one pause.

It does sound very much like your trailer brakes are slowing you down.

What happens to your rig, if you are on a nice downhill slope and take the truck out of gear and take your foot off of the gas. Your speed should stay essentially the same or possibly increase as you go down the hill.

if you start to slow badly - and if your truck does not do this when you don't have the trailer behind you - your trailer brakes are likely being turned on and are slowing the rig.

For a test, you might put the reverse lock out pin in the brakes and take in on a down hill run to see any difference. If you have the brake lockout engaged, the brakes SHOULD not be able to slow the rig.

Good luck
REW

[Jimmy Jig]

I think everyone is looking at the wrong things here. A pickup with that load behind it at 70-74 mph isn't going to get any better than 10 - 11 mpg. If the truck is getting 11.4 average it sure isn't getting near 20 very often.The only way to do much better is to SlOWN down or leave the boat at home and put the trailer empty!

[Lundexp]

Most likely it has nothing to do with your trailer. What size tires do you have on your truck and how many psi do you have in them?

[T Mac]

It takes more hp to pull the trailer. It takes more fuel to make more HP.
You have plenty of hp available ..so, the result is inevitable.
If the towing cover is on... then you are doing as well as can be expected considering all the hp you have...
Hope for a Tail Wind... that's what I do.

[Nosebleed]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Jig

I think everyone is looking at the wrong things here. A pickup with that load behind it at 70-74 mph isn't going to get any better than 10 - 11 mpg. If the truck is getting 11.4 average it sure isn't getting near 20 very often.The only way to do much better is to SlOWN down or leave the boat at home and put the trailer empty!

probable 3000 of the 17000 miles on the truck are interstate. mileage is very consistant

65-70mph= 18-19
75mph= 16.5
80mph=13.5-15

It get's high teens every time on the hwy.

As far as the the tires..... Stock 20's 44psi. It's not the truck it get's 17-19 consistantly, that means the truck/mods/etc are fine.

I'm sure this has been hit on here before but what do all you guys get, and whats your truck/motor/boat combo? Let's say on a flat interstate doing 70mph.

[Lundexp]

Originally Posted by Nosebleed

probable 3000 of the 17000 miles on the truck are interstate. mileage is very consistant

65-70mph= 18-19
75mph= 16.5
80mph=13.5-15

It get's high teens every time on the hwy.

As far as the the tires..... Stock 20's 44psi. It's not the truck it get's 17-19 consistantly, that means the truck/mods/etc are fine.

I'm sure this has been hit on here before but what do all you guys get, and whats your truck/motor/boat combo? Let's say on a flat interstate doing 70mph.

It seems like you have a real hard head. It's your freakin truck!!! Yes it gets awesome mileage empty but once you hook up a trailer yes the mileage will drop considerably even with a 5.2 gas no matter how many more horse you add to it it doesnt have the torque like a diesel which makes the most difference. Try pulling a car trailer or whatever and see how much your mileage drops then you will see it's not just your boat trailer.

Since you asked, I am running a F250 7.3L powerstroke with 3.73 gears and 265/75 R 16 tires and it gets 16-18 empty on the highway and when I hook up my 18ft explorer it gets 13-14 at 70-75mph. . . Mind you, this is with a diesel, with a gas it will be considerably worse.

Have you even pulled anything else with this truck other than the boat?

[Nosebleed]

Originally Posted by Lundexp

It seems like you have a real hard head. It's your freakin truck!!! Yes it gets awesome mileage empty but once you hook up a trailer yes the mileage will drop considerably even with a 5.2 gas no matter how many more horse you add to it it doesnt have the torque like a diesel which makes the most difference. Try pulling a car trailer or whatever and see how much your mileage drops then you will see it's not just your boat trailer.

Since you asked, I am running a F250 7.3L powerstroke with 3.73 gears and 265/75 R 16 tires and it gets 16-18 empty on the highway and when I hook up my 18ft explorer it gets 13-14 at 70-75mph. . . Mind you, this is with a diesel, with a gas it will be considerably worse.

Have you even pulled anything else with this truck other than the boat?

Ok, sheesh..... I'm not on a fishing forum posting in a Trailer section because I need someone do diagnose my truck. I'm an ASE master auto tech. Graduated tech school 10 years ago. Actually GM ASEP specific school. plus dealership exp. My last truck was a duramax (2002 the best year) So maybe I'm having a little trouble adjusting to gas.

I got a lot of good advice on this thread. helpful advice. no need to get pissy.

My truck doesn't slow down going down hill my boat trailer does.....that's not normal. I don't know everything about trailers and surge brakes and boat covers, and all of the otherthings people have mentioned above. That's why I'm here asking.

As far as trailers go, yes. I have towed: 11000lb cargo, 10000lb bobcat, 1500lb motorcycle. I'm not here to ask if someone can tell me how to air up my truck tires, or act like they know what my truck is capible of.

Anyway thanks to everyone for the advice, and I'll see what I can figure out. The boat's at Line-X getting the motorwell and transom sprayed. I'm hoping to hang the motor back on and get out this weekend.

[Lundexp]

Sorry I didn't mean to seem pissy but wanted to point out the differences between the gas and diesel towing capabilities and how much difference the mileage can be empty vs loaded. Since you say your trailer slows you down going downhill, I would believe that's normal as the surge brake works as it's pushing against your truck hitch going downhill or as you are stopping. But if you are getting less mileage than your cargo trailer or bobcat trailer then yes you may have a issue with your boat trailer as it is alot lighter, wish you would have mentioned that before my last post Hope that helps.