8.1 6-speed trailer help!

tvandevelde · May 9, 2005

2001 3500 DRW 8.1 6-speed.

I brought my boat home from winter storage yesterday and was totally dissapointed in the towing performace. I have a 30' boat that I estimate at 10,000# with trailer and gear. After a few miles of city driving, the clutch didn't want to come off the floor. I checked fluid levels and it seems fine. I wonder if it needs to be bled? Clutch wearing out? I'm not driving correctly? How do you tell?

This is the first time I have towed with this rig. My previous truck was a 2001 Dodge 2500 Cummins AT.

MemphisDoug · May 9, 2005

When the clutch pedal would not come off the floor was your clutch also slipping? I'm thinking that the pedal is pulled back to the released position by a spring under the dash. Have you checked that out?

8.1Texan · May 10, 2005

I have a 2001, 8.1 6 speed as well, and as of late, my clutch won't come up off the floor without hesitating...if at all.

but I haven't had time to take her in anywhere, so I can't offer any help, but if you hear soemthing, let me know.

tvandevelde · May 11, 2005

The clutch wasn't slipping. It was more like I couldn't get it to engage.

I talked to the local stealer and they recommended checking for dampness to see if it had been leaking. The place I bought it from could have just topped it off before they sold it to me. They said it may have an inspection hole to check the wear of the clutch without taking it out to inspect it. Does anyone know if this inspection hole exists?

I took it out last night and beat it pretty hard. It's not slipping at all and seems to drive fine when not under duress. Perhaps I'm feathering it too much and overheating it?

Frozen001 · May 11, 2005

I seem to rember reading about this problem in dieselplace dot com... If I remember correct some where saying that it was due to overheating causing the fuild to expand... but then again I could be wrong also... Seems to me GM should fix the problem...

MemphisDoug · May 11, 2005

If your clutch was leaking fluid, then you would be having the problem of not being able to get the clutch to disengage. You wouldn't be able to put it in gear if the engine was running. If it is not engaging, then it sounds like more of a mechanical problem that is preventing that from happening.

tvandevelde · May 11, 2005

I went home for lunch and crawled under it to look for past evidence of leaking fluid. It is dry. I did notice if you start it, put it in gear, take it out of gear, then release the clutch, there is a loud "clank". I'm thinking mechanical now too. It's going to the stealer tonight. I still think it's wierd that it drives fine without the boat in tow.

I've done a clutch before on a small car with a small tranny. I'm not yanking that 6-speed out of there without the proper lift and tools.

I'm going to Lake Cumberland next weekend and would hate to get into the hills in Kentucky and get stranded.

I'll let you know what the dealer says tomorrow or Friday.

Tim

rascal · May 12, 2005

I don't know but seems like in a thread on here, someproblem with the pilot bearing sticking when it got hot.

Haulin' 8.1 · May 12, 2005

That would have to the the Throw-out Bearing sticking when hot to make scence. That would explain it.

Vernon

tvandevelde · May 13, 2005

The dealer said nothing is wrong with the clutch and they're going to install a spring to bring it back off the floor if it gets hot.

I was hoping something would be wrong. Oh well. I guess I'll try it out and see if it helps.

Something else I didn't agree with...they said the 4.10 rear end is too small to tow 10,000#. He recommended changing the rear end to 5.13 and buying a 5th wheel and a new trailer to tow the boat. I told him if that's what GM recommends to pull a lousy 10,000#, I'll go back to a Dodge where my 3.73 gears and a Cummins pulled it just fine.

I'll update again after I tow the boat this weekend. If I don't like it, I'll go truck shopping.

MemphisDoug · May 13, 2005

Just in case your 10,000 lb estimate is way off, next time you have the boat hitched up to the truck why not run over to the nearest truck scales and have it weighed? Maybe you are trying to pull way more weight than you thought and that is what is giving you problems. I pull a 10,000 lb 5th wheel camper with my 8.1/Allison/3.73 gears and have no problems at all. I would say you should be able to also, especially with 4.10 gears.

tvandevelde · May 13, 2005

I know from the manufacture's website the boat weights 7,000#. I'm throwing in the other 3,000 for trailer, gas and beer. I use to tow it with a 2000 Expedition with a 5.4. It wasn't great, but it moved it. If were much heavier than that, it would have killed the Ford.

silverado3500 · May 19, 2005

The dealer said nothing is wrong with the clutch and they're going to install a spring to bring it back off the floor if it gets hot.

I was hoping something would be wrong. Oh well. I guess I'll try it out and see if it helps.

Something else I didn't agree with...they said the 4.10 rear end is too small to tow 10,000#. He recommended changing the rear end to 5.13 and buying a 5th wheel and a new trailer to tow the boat. I told him if that's what GM recommends to pull a lousy 10,000#, I'll go back to a Dodge where my 3.73 gears and a Cummins pulled it just fine.

I'll update again after I tow the boat this weekend. If I don't like it, I'll go truck shopping.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2 questions:

1. What size tires are you running? 4.10 gears should be fine for stock or slightly over. If your rulling something in the 35" size, then I would consider a 4.56 ratio.

2. I would go ahead and weigh the boat/trailer combo, as while the manufacturer states that it weighs 7,000 lbs from the factory, it could have water in the hull (from a small hairline crack, etc) Boats have a nasty habbit of gaining extra weight. I towed over 10,000 lbs with my 2000 3500 with a 454 (less power than an 8.1) and it tows great. Your 8.1 should not be having much trouble at all with 10,000 lbs

8.1Texan · May 20, 2005

I know from the manufacture's website the boat weights 7,000#. I'm throwing in the other 3,000 for trailer, gas and beer. I use to tow it with a 2000 Expedition with a 5.4. It wasn't great, but it moved it. If were much heavier than that, it would have killed the Ford.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a lot of beer...

tvandevelde · May 23, 2005

Towed the boat 400+ miles this weekend. I got about 50 miles away and went to down shift from 6th to 5th, put the clutch to the floor and nothing. No resistance in the pedal at all. No clutch engagement. Since the dealer put the spring on it, I pumped it a couple of times and then it worked fine. It would hold for 30 seconds or so. It made for an interesting trip, but nothing I couldn't handle.

A mechanic friend thinks it's an internal leak when the fluid gets hot. He wants to start with replacing the master cylinder.

Other than the clutch, the truck towed extremely nice! I could use 6th gear, run around 70-75mph with the cruise on. I loved the power of the 8.1. Once the clutch gets worked out, it'll be an awesome tow vehicle.