towing in 250 or 275 tunes

[SunsetFarms9530]

I was probably had about 5 ton on the trailer. It was 40 pieces of guardrail 26' long. I just went and picked up 20 6x6x8' posts and 48 4x4x8 posts on the gooseneck and it was doing the samething. It would jerk bad about 4 to 5 times in 3rd gear and then smooth out in 4th and then once it locked up it would start jerking until I let off the throttle and ease into ever so slow. I have about had it with that 210 tp tune when I am hauling, I think I would be better off with the 150 and under tunes bc there wouldnt be an early lock-up right? The whole shifting pattern would be different with the lower the tunes am I right?

 

[Clay]

The whole shifting pattern would be different with the lower the tunes am I right?

Thats a great question and I'm curious too.

 

[Jeff@Spartan]

Correct, but the transmission is going to run hotter and EGT's are probably going to run hotter also.

 

[SunsetFarms9530]

Ok I can understand that. Would you have any clue why the truck would be jerking and bucking like I stated while pulling a trailer? That is the whole reason I got the Spartan is to run the tow tune bc I knew I was going to be pulling a lot of different things around the farm.

 

[jdgleason]

Sounds like its just thottle sensitivity. Control your foot a little better and you should be fine.

 

[SunsetFarms9530]

I have been trying to control it but when if starts jerking and I let off the TQ converter is loocked and every time I just hit the throttle the slightest amount if starts jerking again and I have to slow down until it downshifts and that even with the tow-haul on takes the truck to get below 30 mph until it downshifts.

 

[Erikclaw]

I have had this happen, but I was towing with race tunes. It shouldn't do it in the lower tunes. Contact Spartan, it is their tunes and they should make it right.

 

[Jeff@Spartan]

I think I remember Eric posting up a few months back that he had found the bucking issues to be related to an issue with stock low pressure fuel systems. Some trucks do it and some don't. The only reason I bring this up is because there are plenty of trucks running our tuning with no bucking issues, especially on the lower tunes. I'm not trying to make excuses, but it is definitely a possibility.

 

[Erikclaw]

The bucking issues Eric talked about was from the adjustable pedals. Trucks with adjustable pedals have that issue, but only on the racing tunes. Mine bucked like an idiot towing in ex race, put it in ex street and no more problems. Never heard of it in a tow tune or lower.

 

[Jeff@Spartan]

Oh. Pretty sure I read something about the stock fuel system also. Doesn't matter really. I'm going to discuss it with Matt and see what he thinks.

 

[Erikclaw]

That could be, never paid attention to stock fuel issues. This was a discussion I had with him on the phone quite a few months ago.

 

[Ipkyss]

I have had my truck do the bucking thing. Mostly only on the 310 towing. It does it a LOT easier pulling my gooseneck. There is actually a Ford bulletin about this. It just blames it on the trailer flexing. which is quite possible.

 

[Erikclaw]

Sorry, I don't buy the trailer flexing idea. I've rolled into mine so slowly there is no way anything was flexing. The bucking I referred to earlier was at 57or so mph unloaded. I forgot that, nothing to do with a load behind.

 

[SunsetFarms9530]

Yeah I was wondering if it was a problem with the gooseneck hitch maybe not centered correctly in the back of the truck and I never thought about the adjustable pedals, I do have them on my truck. I dont mind having my truck on the lower 150 tune other than when I am just driving around I know I ma not getting the better MPGs with it and it doesnt have as much pep as the 200+ tunes. I can live without that I just want my truck to be able to to a trailer loaded with no issues, that is the reason that I bought a diesel and put the Spartan in it.

 

[Erikclaw]

I still don't think you should be having those bucking issues. I was mistaken when combining the bucking, towing and pedals. The pedals make it buck when trying to maintain 57 or so mph unloaded. Mine bucked like mad when towing cause of using a race tune at the time, just trying it out. I think their should be a answer to your problems. There are a lot of people using the tow tune with no problems.

 

[Shootingstar]

I have been trying to control it but when if starts jerking and I let off the TQ converter is locked and every time I just hit the throttle the slightest amount if starts jerking again and I have to slow down until it downshifts and that even with the tow-haul on takes the truck to get below 30 mph until it downshifts.

Mine does it too if I have to much tongue weight on the truck. Seems the pinion angle is really touch on these trucks. I have since added air bags so the truck doesn't squat much and I don't have the problem anymore.

 

[BFT]

i get it slightly with a lighter load (empty trailer) but getting on it it normally goes away. i have towed with the bigger tunes and for that very reason i will not any more.

 

[Ipkyss]

Sorry, I don't buy the trailer flexing idea. I've rolled into mine so slowly there is no way anything was flexing. The bucking I referred to earlier was at 57or so mph unloaded. I forgot that, nothing to do with a load behind.

I use to have a shudder on the old spartan 250 around those speeds. There was nothing I could do to make it go a way other than make the truck down shift and speed up. Totally forgot about that issue. Was really aggravating towing something lite.

The issue I just had with my gooseneck has never happen before so I feel it has something to do with it flexing. Does not happen with a tag trailer. It happen so fast and so bad, I thought it was going to rip the trans out of the truck. I was also towing on the 310 tune though

 

[BFT]

shudder or bucking?

 

[Ipkyss]

I think of a bucking as a slower motion and a shudder as a faster motion.