New pick-up break in?

[Team Daybreak]

Hi All,

We are new to the RV community, but we did finally get our TT.  We had to drive 580 miles thru rain and snow, traversing Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 east of Seattle twice in order to get it, but we made it.  We found a great, vitually unused, 1999 Arctic Fox 25S for a very good price, but it was in Cle Elum, WA.  We live in Vancouver, WA about 230 miles from there.  Had to rent a truck (lucky our son works for an equipment rental firm) and do all this in one day.  It is now sitting, nice and level, in our driveway where it will sit for about 3 more weeks, until our ordered pickup comes in.  This is where my question comes in.

I have heard that a new pick-up should not do any towing until it has a thousand or two miles on it.  If this is true then we are going to have to do a lot of driving in a short period of time since we are both "chomping at the bit" to go out and do some camping!  The pick-up is a 2006 F250 with a 6.0 diesel engine, the TT is about 5200 lbs. gross dry weight.

We would appreciate any info from you more experienced RVers.

John and Ginny

 

[Lowell]

Hi John,

What does your truck's owners manual say about towing?  I recently bought a 2005 Dodge and my owner's manual stated not to tow over 50 mph for the first 500 miles. I suspect your manual also has some guidance about this.  Good luck!

Jake

 

[BruceinFL]

Hi All,
I have heard that a new pick-up should not do any towing until it has a thousand or two miles on it.  If this is true then we are going to have to do a lot of driving in a short period of time since we are both "chomping at the bit" to go out and do some camping!  The pick-up is a 2006 F250 with a 6.0 diesel engine, the TT is about 5200 lbs. gross dry weight.

We would appreciate any info from you more experienced RVers.

John and Ginny

It's in your Ford owner's manual, in the diesel booklet I believe. Check it out. Can't get to mine right now or I would list it for you. Best to follow the guideline so you don't void the warranty just in case. 

 

[Team Daybreak]

Thanks Jake,

I don't know what the Ford manual will say since I don't have the truck yet.  It's scheduled to arrive at the dealer on Dec. 19th.  It'll be a great Christmas gift.  I could live with the speed limitation without any problem.  I don't normally drive very fast anyway.  If that's what Dodge does, then Ford will probably be similiar.

 

[BruceinFL]

Thanks Jake,

I don't know what the Ford manual will say since I don't have the truck yet.  It's scheduled to arrive at the dealer on Dec. 19th.  It'll be a great Christmas gift.  I could live with the speed limitation without any problem.  I don't normally drive very fast anyway.  If that's what Dodge does, then Ford will probably be similiar.

OK, went and got the manual. It's in theOwner's Manual not the Diesel supplement. " Drive your new vehicle for at least 500 miles (800 km) before towing a trailer or snowplowing." Believe me, that 500 miles goes prettty quickly. 

 

[Lowell]

I had second thoughts so  I went out and got my 2005 Dodge manual and read it again. I didn't have it quite right.  The manual say not to tow a trailer at all for the first 500 miles, and not to tow a trailer over 50 MPH for the first 500 miles of towing.

When we got out new TT, we already had a little over 500 miles on the truck so we didn't have to wait to begin towing.  Our first trip with the trailer was down I-10 in Arizona between Phoenix and Tucson.  It was very hard to keep it down to 50 mph when all the other traffic was doing 75.  I feel that being 25 (or more) below the nominal traffic speed is unhealthy, so I came back a different way.  I probably should have thought of that before we headed out, but we were anxious to try the rig out. Now that I have about 2500 miles of towing behind me( no pun intended), I feel very comfortable at about 60-65 mph.  Enjoy that new truck and trailer!
Jake

 

[joelmyer]

The guidance on the Turbo Diesel Register is "Drive it like you stole it!'

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Engineers are a conservative bunch when it comes to what other people are allowed to do with their babies.    Try to get as many miles in as you reasonably  can before towing and then baby it while towing for the first 500 miles or so.

Your new diesel won't be fully broken in for at least 7-8000 miles anyway, so don't lose a lot of sleep over the first 500-1000. Just avoid full throttle loads (like towing up a 7% grade at 60 mph).  If you get into a situation where you have to pull up a steep hill during the first 500 or so miles, choose your gears and speed to minimize engine RPMs, even if that means everybody else passes you.

 

[BruceinFL]

I had second thoughts so  I went out and got my 2005 Dodge manual and read it again. I didn't have it quite right.  The manual say not to tow a trailer at all for the first 500 miles, and not to tow a trailer over 50 MPH for the first 500 miles of towing.
Jake

Huh?  ;D

 

[Lowell]

It means you have to drive at least 500 miles before doing any towing.  After that, yon can tow but you must not exceed 50 MPH while towing until you have towed at least 500 miles.  Two different things ;D

 

[dsl4us]

IIRC from my days at the dealership it isn't so much a breakin period for the engine. Most engines are pre-run at the factory. It is for the ring&pinion to wear in. That is about the only part that needs to seat itself. Read where Cummins says the sooner you work the engine under load the better for the rings.

 

[Team Daybreak]

Thanks for all the responses.  It sounds about like I thought.  I'm pretty cautious, so I'll probably try and get a good 500 to 1000 miles on it before I start towing.  The pick-up is scheduled to arrive on the 19th, and we both have the week between Christmas and New Years off.  So I guess we'll be taking some trips during that time . We are about 80 miles from the Oregon coast and that's where we want to take of first trip, hopefully in January.  We are both like little kids waiting for Christmas! 

Thanks again for all your help.

John and Ginny

 

[BruceinFL]

It means you have to drive at least 500 miles before doing any towing.  After that, yon can tow but you must not exceed 50 MPH while towing until you have towed at least 500 miles.  Two different things ;D

That isn't what my Ford owner's manual says. It only has the 500 mile before towing limit.