220 Mile run after ATF switch over and Trip Report
Trip report...
Successfully made a 220 mile round trip to Ft. Leonard Wood in MO to pickup an M1082 trailer for a fellow SS member with the LMTV. Truck seems to like 52 to 53 mph on the highway. Transmission shifted great with a LOT of small hills all along the route. It downshifted well and had no driveline issues. Temps on the engine gauge hovered around 190 degrees with an ambient temp around 67 degrees. I had never had the fan clutch engage up till now so I had an eagle eye on the temp gauge on the return trip pulling the trailer. Clutch engaged once on the return trip at around 205/210 degrees. Heard the under dash solenoid release air and the clutch engaged like a frickin' freight train. Temps dropped almost immediately and the fan stayed on for less than a minute.
Have not messed with lubing pedal or linkage so still had the 3-2 downshift lurch on most of the trip. Played with feathering the pedal and pulling up on it with my foot before stop. Sometimes that worked and sometimes not.
Successful 220 mile test drive after the ATF swap with no negative results. Checked the trans and tcase temps with a laser meter and both were just fine. Trans running about 141 degrees on the case and tcase around 161 after I returned home pulling the 1082.
Other stuff
Had an issue with trailer lights on the return trip. ALL the lights on my truck were working but when I connect the trailer using the 24v side connector I only had a left turn signal and no brake or driving lights on the trailer. Checked bulbs and the trailer junction box but everything looked fine. Broke out the multi-meter and tested the pins on the truck side 24v connector and only picked up the left turn signal. NOTE: Put a multi-meter in your toolbox for your truck right now! Trailer did not have a 12v cable so no alternative. Hazards also did not work on the trailer. So, my truck was the culprit. Checked relays and circuit breakers but all seemed fine so just had to roll with it. Will break out the -20 and go thru the troubleshooting procedures. NOTE: Check the output at the trailer plugs on your truck before towing anything
Air brakes are a beautiful thing...
Primary, above all else, was to make sure the air brakes on the trailer worked. Before the trip I checked my rear gladhands and did have a rotted seal on the emergency side so I replaced that and I had 3 more spares if needed. Hooked up the trailer and engaged the trailer brake knob in the truck and a woosh of air filled the trailer air tank. Did 3 or 4 brake checks in the GP motorpool for both trailer brake release and apply everything was a go! Brakes worked fantastic on the trip home and felt the same braking with a 6500lb M1082 as if I wasn't pulling anything. Fantastic!
Side note pulling an M1082 with an A0 LMTV...
Overall impression is, the trailer is obviously made for the LMTV with tracking, braking, and turning just phenomenal. However, the truck really feels underpowered on the highway pulling that much weight. Hills are an immediate slowdown. Didn't have any lugging or temp issues but it just feels like the truck doesn't have enough power for this setup. In town towing was just fine on acceleration. Couldn't imagine having a load in the truck and trailer without some seriously slow hill runs.
OD