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@calmotion posted:

@DannyP YAP and that’s why I mentioned LOVING the auto pilot 👍❤️

I have one of those too, but you know, not the same as Marty's. Mine is named Michelle LOL!

FYI, I drove around a little the other day with the trailer and put the tow mirrors on that @LI-Rick gave me. They worked great, thanks Rick!

I'm curious how it will work out with my autopilot driving the truck and enclosed trailer next year.

Danny I pulled a LOT of miles with my trailer with the cruise control on.  Run it up to 70mph and hit cruise for the next, oh, eight hours or so (dual 29 gallon fuel tanks) and just watch the scenery go by.  The speed would vary +/-  2  or 3 mph around 70 when set, but that was a diesel.  Your gas job should vary about +/- 5 - 6mph.

After the first day of trailering under cruise, you'll be totally used to it.  

"Ain't no big thang."

@DannyP posted:

With cruise on, speed is maintained very well, except for the REALLY steep grades.

Towing is all about torque. In the case of the mighty, mighty Northstar 4.6 L V8 limo, there's less torque on hand than the trailer and extra 4 ft in the middle requires, so the 4T80E transmission unlocks the torque converter and downshifts to 3rd, then 2nd as the grade increases. We spent some quality time on the side of an exit ramp allowing the transmission to cool off a bit yesterday.

This rig doesn't strictly love the mountains, but it gets 'er done.

Wow.   I thought a Limo would be based on a 400+CI engine and that beefier, 6-speed transmission, but I guess not.

My F/250 loved hills.  Never even unlocked the torque converter when trailering Pearl and I never needed to use "trailer mode" (which mostly just unlocked the convertor all of the time).  It was a 6-speed automatic, too.  The only thing I ever noticed was the turbo boost gauge climbing up there and the transmission temp gauge would go up something like 5 degrees and hold there, but it took a really long, steep uphill (at 70 - 75mph) for all that to happen.

Now....   If I had an enclosed trailer that was not in the wind shadow of the truck bed cap it would have been a whole 'nuther story.  My little trailer and car acted like there was nothing back there.

Last edited by Gordon Nichols

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@Stan Galat posted:
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...In the case of the mighty, mighty Northstar 4.6 L V8 limo, there's less torque on hand than the trailer and extra 4 ft in the middle requires...



I think aerodynamic drag from the presidential fender flags is making the critical difference.

The 4T80E transmission was designed to handle the form factor of a standard presidential limo trailing a standard presidential auxiliary vehicle.

Once you add the flag package, the stock cooling can't keep up. Most embassy staffs that mount flags add an external tranny cooler with thermostatically-actuated fan in the rear driver's side wheel well.

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Last edited by Sacto Mitch

Wow.   I thought a Limo would be based on a 400+CI engine and that beefier, 6-speed transmission, but I guess not.

My F/250 loved hills.  Never even unlocked the torque converter when trailering Pearl and I never needed to use "trailer mode" (which mostly just unlocked the convertor all of the time).  It was a 6-speed automatic, too.  The only thing I ever noticed was the turbo boost gauge climbing up there and the transmission temp gauge would go up something like 5 degrees and hold there, but it took a really long, steep uphill (at 70 - 75mph) for all that to happen.

Now....   If I had an enclosed trailer that was not in the wind shadow of the truck bed cap it would have been a whole 'nuther story.  My little trailer and car acted like there was nothing back there.

Yeah, I'm thinking you would have been very happy with MY truck and YOUR trailer, even with the 5 speed. I can put it into tow mode or manual shift mode as well as

Diesel with your car/trailer was overkill.

Me, towing my 4500 pounds of aerodynamic brick/box is a different story. I do have 407 ft. lbs. of torque, but it's a bit higher in the rev range than a diesel would be.

My next truck WILL be a diesel.

I did the conversion and Stan's 4.7 liter is a 286 - My little '66 Mustang had a 289!

My F/250 6-liter could be considered overkill, but then again, it was never working very hard.  The trailering package gave it not only the trailer brake controller in the dash, but a beefier transmission and torque converter, larger transmission fluid cooler, a tranny temp gauge, larger engine cooling, bigger condenser for the A/C (part of the "Southern Truck" Package) and a few other things I can't remember (Oh, and the dual DVD hook-up for the back seats, too).  All THAT was the overkill part.  The PO was a lady who hauled a 4-horse trailer so figure 1,600 pounds per horse and another ton for the trailer and you get the idea of why all the beefiness.  

Let's see what I remember...  My 6-liter was pushing 560 ft. lbs. of torque.  I never chipped it.  At 70mph on a flat with no headwind it would run around 2,100 rpm and the boost would be around 10-12.  Going up that 11-mile-long uphill on I-81 from NC into Virginia in Cruise it would remain at 70mph and the revs would increase to 2,300-2,400 but at the steepest part, near the top, the boost would be pushing 40 (!!) and there was this sinister snort to the exhaust.  Kinda like Pearl's exhaust note!

Ahhhh....    The good ol' days!

Last edited by Gordon Nichols

engine speed vs road speed + weight + aero drag.

The limo wasn't meant to tow a car...  heck the car the limo was converted from wasn't meant to tow a car. 

diesel trucks have 2x-3x torque at 1/2 the rpms of that Northstar at peak.

And extra capacity tranny + cooler, +aux oil cooler, bigger brakes, punch a bigger hole for the trailer.... etc.



While Stan may have traveled there in a slower style, he got there and is hopefully enjoying the NC high-country immensely.   (the rest of us are just jealous we aren't there too..  )

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It's a ruse! He only drinks beer made with the sweet water that a 600' deep Morton Illinois well can provide.

80%+ of the foundational ingredients for all the world's vodka originates just beyond the edge of the Borders of Stanistan. (True!!!!) I expect that the exalted leader will annex the plant that makes the stuff as soon as he builds the Destroyer he needs to get across the river.

Stand by peasants!

It's a ruse! He only drinks beer made with the sweet water that a 600' deep Morton Illinois well can provide.

80%+ of the foundational ingredients for all the world's vodka originates just beyond the edge of the Borders of Stanistan. (True!!!!) I expect that the exalted leader will annex the plant that makes the stuff as soon as he builds the Destroyer he needs to get across the river.

Stand by peasants!

Are you delirious from the fever/sickness? Or is pot legal in Florida now?

The Roadster was a new guy. I think his name is Wrenn. It might be @Theron s car. It is pretty sweet, It also has a Berg 5 speed in it. He was able to stay on Stan's tail for a while, so he's a driver.

I sat next to Pieter at lunch today and we talked cars and stuff. He only came out today, but I'm going to go see his shop at some point. He's about an hour West of me on back roads. Perfect for the Spyder.

DUDE, we need to talk about transmissions. I need different gearing, especially with the sway bar and tires. It's annoying.

Gotcha Carlos. I'm working on it. As in, I got a bunch of stuff and I'm waiting on a few items that are backordered. They should be here some time this month.

I'm pretty sure I've got it figured though:

3.44/1.93/1.30(or 1.32)/1.04 with a 3.44 final drive. It's a close ratio 4 speed, taller 1st than you probably have but also a shorter 4th. Should be able to keep the motor "on the boil" especially in the mountains.

Let me know what you have, and we'll go from there.

I'll know next year when I see you, it will be done by then.

Carlos:

Correction on trans ratios, 4th was wrong.

3.44 1st, 1.93 2nd, 1.30 3rd, and 1.00 4th. Still using 3.44 final.

My NEW 4th ends up identical to a 3.88 final with stock 0.89, but 1-2-3 are slightly taller and almost dead-even spacing.

This is probably the most expensive way to build it. Custom mainshaft, 1-2-3-4 all custom Weddle. 3.44 final drive(unobtanium!) and a Super Diff and aftermarket sidecovers(stronger than stock). The only way to make it more expensive would be to use an aluminum Rhino case and Weddle gear carrier...

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