Hey guy's , need to know if I should watch anything specific with the new 06 Dmax while towing in real hot temps.. I will be towing my 7k # TT over the mountain pass (4500') today and it is going to be in the low 100's all weekend (in washington state if you can believe it !!!) whats the norm for gauge readings....ect ...Any input asap would be great as I am leaving in about 1 hour....I am pumped about towing with this truck but I just need to have a warm/fuzzy about what to expect from herin this kind of heat ...Thanks Kevin...

If you dont have an EGT Guage, watch the tranny and coolant temp. Tranny shouldnt go much over 150' and coolant around 210'

What about tire pressure with 700# hitch weight w/distribution ....Should I run lower or max in the TT tires to allow for expansion?

I live in Phoenix, Az. 105+. Just bought an 06 LBZ. My Tranny temp runs over 150 on a regular basis. Probably around 180-185. I hope this is normal? I have not towed anything as of yet.

On my trip over the 4th of July towing my trailer, around 9000 lbs. over a grade that climb from 5000ft to 7000ft, outside temp was 96, A.C. on in tow/haul mode. Coolent temp got up to 230, the fan clutch kicks in and it goes back down to 210, most of the time the trans temp was 190, highest it got was 210 for a short time.

donny, thanks for the input ....Rooftop , 180 ??? and the shifting is OK ? I will be towing 7000# and I was expecting to run about that temp w/trailer ....More than likely it will be higher as I am climbing the mountain pass ...

bansheezz, Thanks for the reply ...Did the trans temp drop pretty Quickly after the climb ?

Think it took a couple of miles to get it back down to 190, best I can remember.

On my trip over the 4th of July towing my trailer, around 9000 lbs. over a grade that climb from 5000ft to 7000ft, outside temp was 96, A.C. on in tow/haul mode. Coolent temp got up to 230, the fan clutch kicks in and it goes back down to 210, most of the time the trans temp was 190, highest it got was 210 for a short time.
this is what most would experience. same with me. keep the rpms around 2400-2600 so the fan spins good and you should be fine. remember do not! back down when temps start climbing. be patient and keep going, things will stabilize. remember 2 thermostats and sometimes they react kind of slow. you will be fine.

I'm traveling in the same type of weather...higher than normal humidity for California, and temps regularly over 104 or so for a couple of weeks. Even empty trans will peak around 180-190 especially in traffic and i'm running transynd, engine oil never higher than 210, while coolant temps rock steady and no higher than 205-210 or so. When fan engages you'll know it...and it cools down temps fast.

Even though my tranny temps are well within normal I'm going to purchase Mike L. tranny cooler.

I towed thru weather like this last week (105-ish, over 6% grade mtn passes, towing 6500 lb open car trailer).

Trans temp would get up to 180-190. Coolant only got over 210 one time (barely), and fan kicked in to bring it back down QUICK.

Wierd conditions to tow in last Saturday afternoon heading north on Hwy 101. In the matter of about 90 miles, outside temp dropped from 106 in Paso Robles to 57 in Salinas :eek: !! Trans temp dropped from about 170 down to under 140 :).

Hey guy's , need to know if I should watch anything specific with the new 06 Dmax while towing in real hot temps.. I will be towing my 7k # TT over the mountain pass (4500') today and it is going to be in the low 100's all weekend (in washington state if you can believe it !!!) whats the norm for gauge readings....ect ...Any input asap would be great as I am leaving in about 1 hour....I am pumped about towing with this truck but I just need to have a warm/fuzzy about what to expect from herin this kind of heat ...Thanks Kevin...

Hey, where exactly are you? I live in Wa also, what pass are you going over? 4500 feet would have to be stevens or north cascades?

I have not towed heavy in the heat so nothing really to add, although I do drive a fire truck that has an allison and it runs 200 all the time with no problems, so I am sure our allison can handle 200 also.

I would not worry too much, 7k is not a heavy load for these trucks.....

If it starts to get warm and you are concerned you can always turn off the ac, but I doubt you will need to. Remember to use the tow/haul also, which should help keep the temp down a touch.

Take care
Mike

200 degrees is not too hot for the Allison, most flat towing it will be 175 or less but when the load is on and the conditions are hard it will get a tad above 200, but that is normal. The hottest I have ever seen mine is one notch above 200 in hot weather on the longest steep grade in this area and I had a combined weight of 18,500 pounds.

I checked my Tranny temp on the way home just to make sure I was correct when i stated mine ran at 180-185 in the summer with no load on flat ground. Sure enough, on the way home it was running about 185ish. It was 117 here in Phx today.

I live in Bakersfield, CA and tow 14k with my lbz everyday...got 13k miles now...

Tranny runs about 190-200 when loaded all the time...regardless of city, highway or mountian passes...

Truck will occasionly pass 210 when towing regardless of where or what I am doing...fan clutch kicks on and all is fine!

You wont have one problem!

Black04, sorry about the typo on the tranny temp, aparently i didnt get enough sleep that night. I have towed up here in New England in 80-90 deg weather and hit 175 on the tranny temp, I had 6 sport bikes in an enclosed trailer I'd say no more that 5000 pounds. with the added weight and Higher air temp out there I'd guess 200 is about right. peaking slightly over is fine but i wouldnt run sustained temps over 200 :iamwithst

Made my first tow last weekend with the Jeep on the trailer behind the new CC SB 2500HD with 530 mileson it. Weight of trailer and Jeep ~ 6400 lbs. Truck was basically unloaded, with just the wife and I and our luggage. Long Island to Pennsylvania, approximately 500 miles round trip, most miles on I-80 in NJ and PA.

Outside temps: 90 to 95 degrees.
Traffic conditions: Varied from metro NYC stop and go for miles at a time to 75 mph.
Engine temp: Never exceeded 210 degrees. Fan kicked in about 3 times in stop and go traffic.
Tranny temp: Never exceeded 185 degrees.
Average fuel economy: 12.2 mpg per the DIC.

I don't miss my 5.3L 1500 CC one bit...:D

Dam talk about the hot hot heat!!!

Hey guy's thanks for all the feedback , We got back a few hours ago ...trip was great ! truck ran superb but it was freeking HOT HOT!!!!...I'll get back to you with a little trip report tommorrow....I am beat need to get some rest ....Kevin