Towing Heavy with 6.0L/7.3L

rowekmr

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I am seeing a few older F350/450 towing 3/4 car trailers with 6.0L and 7.3L's with loads that I approximate are 22K-25k at least.

I know the 7.3L is legendary in longevity but I thought with 275hp (stock) and trans some consider weak it wouldn't be towing heavy. Do you think they mod the engine and have built trans to tow that heavy? Or are they just driving slower and taking it easy on the drivetrain?

Same thing with the 6.0L I know when bulletproofed they can be very reliable and the trans is much more stout but weren't they rated to tow about 15-18k in factory form? I was told that heavy towing heats up the oil and at a point the oil cooler won't be able to keep the temps in check? Are they just pushing it or with the mods can they reliably tow 25K or more?
 

superpsd

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All depends. First there is the legal side of towing. Then theres the can it even do it side. There are modifications to make a truck tow heavier than originally equipped. Also towing 20K for example is a different story from the flat lands in the mid west to the high elevations and steep grades of a mountain pass....
 

Zeb

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I tow very heavy (30,000-45,000 lbs gross) on a regular basis with an 06 F450.
Load range G tires all the way around (good to nearly 58,000 lbs on the tires), proper tags, insurance, etc. Suspension is stock, trans is stock, but the motor isn’t.
We’re at low elevation here (650-1,200’), and I run a mix of interstate, and 2 lane roads. Lots of narrow, steep, twisty stuff.
You’d kill a stock truck doing what I do with this one.
Best thing I did to this one (besides head studs and oringed heads) was build a big, auxiliary, air to oil cooler with a thermostat on it.
I’ve never gotten the oil over 218* since I put that on.
 

rowekmr

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Those F450/550’s have plenty of payload (higher GVWR). I am sure I won’t overload or exceed the GVWR or axle ratings.

All depends. First there is the legal side of towing. Then theres the can it even do it side. There are modifications to make a truck tow heavier than originally equipped. Also towing 20K for example is a different story from the flat lands in the mid west to the high elevations and steep grades of a mountain pass....
 

superpsd

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Very true. You started the thread with towing with a 350/450.The 450/550 is a different game from the F350.
 
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rowekmr

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That's good news!
Are you running a stock tune? Any more mods to engine? Do you think the stock oil cooler could keep up with a 20-25k trailer? If not would you recommend an aftermarket unit like Bullet Proof Diesel remote mounted oil cooler (I can't fabricate)?

Thanks

I tow very heavy (30,000-45,000 lbs gross) on a regular basis with an 06 F450.
Load range G tires all the way around (good to nearly 58,000 lbs on the tires), proper tags, insurance, etc. Suspension is stock, trans is stock, but the motor isn’t.
We’re at low elevation here (650-1,200’), and I run a mix of interstate, and 2 lane roads. Lots of narrow, steep, twisty stuff.
You’d kill a stock truck doing what I do with this one.
Best thing I did to this one (besides head studs and oringed heads) was build a big, auxiliary, air to oil cooler with a thermostat on it.
I’ve never gotten the oil over 218* since I put that on.
 

Zeb

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That's good news!
Are you running a stock tune? Any more mods to engine? Do you think the stock oil cooler could keep up with a 20-25k trailer? If not would you recommend an aftermarket unit like Bullet Proof Diesel remote mounted oil cooler (I can't fabricate)?

Thanks

So, just to be clear, you want to TOW 20,000-25,000lbs, not GROSS 20,000-25,000 lbs?
 

psduser1

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Upgrade/add coolers, and increase you pm schedule, especially the trans and rear axle, itll live.
The more power you add, the more important those two items become. Neither platform is designed to shed enough heat towing 20k for any extended timeframe.
 

Zeb

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Upgrade/add coolers, and increase you pm schedule, especially the trans and rear axle, itll live.
The more power you add, the more important those two items become. Neither platform is designed to shed enough heat towing 20k for any extended timeframe.

This is SO true.
I tell guys, look at how the pm schedule in your owners manual goes to SHORTER intervals from normal to severe service. You CANNOT go to a longer interval just because you are putting miles on faster. They want to compare it to a semi and say “they go 15,000, 20,000 miles on an oil change”, but some how forget that same semi has 12 gallons of oil in it, etc. Anyway, that’s my rant on extended maintenance intervals.
 

DEEZUZ

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Bypass all that none sense and go by the only number that matters.... Hours
 

Zeb

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Bypass all that none sense and go by the only number that matters.... Hours

Even tho I mostly agree with that, I’d hate to see a guy that regularly runs 400, or more, miles a day run 200 hours on his oil.
I tell guys to change the engine oil at 200 hours, or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first.
 

Sterling B.

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My 2000 F250 with the 7.3 can see up to gross trailer weight of 28K during hay season, granted the trans and TC are built and chosen specifically for extreme towing duties in the 100+ degree Texas summer heat. It's not as quick as the 6.7 but does just fine using DP Tuner 40 hp tow tune.
 

DEEZUZ

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Even tho I mostly agree with that, I’d hate to see a guy that regularly runs 400, or more, miles a day run 200 hours on his oil.
I tell guys to change the engine oil at 200 hours, or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first.

One should sample their oil to dial in perfect intervals. Last time I sampled I was given the OK to run to like 10k miles and that sample was taken at 8k miles on the oil
 

EPA

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Even if you try to dial in perfect intervals... There would be so many variables that could change when the oil should be changed...
I dont even chance it... Whenever I catch a sale I buy in bulk rotella t6 usually spend about 45-55 bucks for 3 gallons ( I will buy about 20 gal)... I change it every 5k... If I'm out of state I calm my driving habits/tune and will push it to about 7k which hopefully I'm home by then.... Only if not towing. This is only around 1 cent per mile... Small price to pay for happy engine, injectors ect... 280k and counting all original still.
 
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Zeb

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One should sample their oil to dial in perfect intervals. Last time I sampled I was given the OK to run to like 10k miles and that sample was taken at 8k miles on the oil

This might be a subject the we have to agree to disagree on. :)
This is my opinion.

I tried the whole oil analysis, extended drain thing when I had my semi (N14 Cummins). After getting the same results 4 different times, with 2 different brands of oil (biggest issue was oil consumption would sky rocket after 20,000 miles), I quite doing it and went back to changing my oil every 15,000 miles.
I prefer to see guys using oil analysis to check on the health of the engine, but I don’t think it is a very accurate judge of oil condition.
 

Zeb

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That's good news!
Are you running a stock tune? Any more mods to engine? Do you think the stock oil cooler could keep up with a 20-25k trailer? If not would you recommend an aftermarket unit like Bullet Proof Diesel remote mounted oil cooler (I can't fabricate)?

Thanks

In response to this question, here’s how the truck is set up.
06 F450, 4x4, single cab, 9’ flatbed, 4.30 gears, 245/70-19.5 Goodyear G622 load range G tires, stock suspension, stock trans, stock long block with oringed heads, ARP headstuds, IPR egr ******, 155/stock injectors, X4 with an aggressive Tow tune, Irate T-4, SXE362/68/.83, CSF 6013 intercooler, and my auxiliary oil cooler, boost, pyro, trans temp gauges, stock downpipe into a 4” MBRP exhaust.
Set up like it is, it will pull right with, or a little better than our bone stock 2017.
The 2017 rides better, is a whole lot quieter, and I love the 6 speed transmission.
 

Zeb

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I have several friends with Bulletproof coolers and they still struggle with oil temps when towing heavy in hot weather.
That’s why I built my own.
The Bulletproof coolers do a great job of eliminating the chance of the stock cooler rupturing, or plugging, and do well with oil temp until loaded heavily, and worked hard, in hot weather. They seeming don’t have enough heat shedding capability then.
 

Zeb

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I'd rock your setup, zeb.
And I'm stuck on 7.3l s, lol.

Thanks. It works pretty well.
It’s hard to beat the new trucks, but these older ones are a lot cheaper to maintain, modify, etc, and I love not having a bunch of emissions equipment to fail, or deleete, and then need to worry about the possible repercussions from that.....
I wish I knew how to post pictures. I’d put a couple up.
 

DEEZUZ

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Thanks. It works pretty well.
It’s hard to beat the new trucks, but these older ones are a lot cheaper to maintain, modify, etc, and I love not having a bunch of emissions equipment to fail, or deleete, and then need to worry about the possible repercussions from that.....
I wish I knew how to post pictures. I’d put a couple up.

Download imgur app. Upload there then carry over the link here wrapped in IMG tags
 

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