Towing Break in? Whoah.

[2019RamInSC]

Another Ram newbie question?

The Manual says to tow under 50 MPH for the first 500 miles! YIKES!

I am a believer in break in periods. I go easy for a couple of hundred miles. Vary speed. Then floor it a few times. Daily LOL.Vary speed. Break it in like you want it to run I say. I always change oil at 1000 first time. Your mileage may vary.

BUTTT 500 miles towing under 50. Did anybody actually do this?

I would have to hook up the Travel Trailer and leave it hooked up for a month while going to Walmart LOL

WTFO??

 

[MADDOG]

What I did was to not tow for 500 miles, then towed at whatever speed I chose.

The instruction to tow under 50 for the first 500 miles is, I believe, applicable to the first 500 miles on the truck not the first 500 towing miles.

 

[2019RamInSC]

What I did was to not tow for 500 miles, then towed at whatever speed I chose.

The instruction to tow under 50 for the first 500 miles is, I believe, applicable to the first 500 miles on the truck not the first 500 towing miles.

Oops, maybe I read that wrong.
Will double check.
Thanks

 

[mtofell]

Not sure about new trucks but my 2014 was as OP says - first 500 miles of towing stay under 50. Seems crazy and hard to do and I'm sure very few actually do it.

 

[pacofortacos]

CAUTION!
• Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(805 km) the new vehicle is driven. The engine, axle
or other parts could be damaged.
CAUTION! (Continued)
• Then, during the first 500 miles (805 km) that a
trailer is towed, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps
the engine and other parts of the vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.


From my 16 owners manual.

 

[pacofortacos]

This is exactly how I broke my truck in

 

[2019RamInSC]

Phewww.......I guess I was not hallucinating LOL

So, back and forth to Walmart several times a week. Lets see 8 miles one way. 16 miles round trip.

Only 31 days to go..........UGHHHH! Might take 3 months

 

[mtofell]

I've always figured the manufacturers know no one is going to follow their recommendations so they make them ridiculously strict hoping people will at least take it a bit easy.

 

[2019RamInSC]

I've always figured the manufacturers know no one is going to follow their recommendations so they make them ridiculously strict hoping people will at least take it a bit easy.

Or to use it against you if you make a warranty claim.

I have no idea, but the black box concept with auto ECM/computers is pretty scary when you think about it.

https://www.npr.org/sections/alltec...new-car-has-a-black-box-wheres-the-off-switch

https://www.komando.com/video/komando-picks/your-cars-hidden-black-box-what-you-need-to-know/674543/

Not paranoid, not paranoid...................

 

[mtofell]

Or to use it against you if you make a warranty claim.

I have no idea, but the black box concept with auto ECM/computers is pretty scary when you think about it.

https://www.npr.org/sections/alltec...new-car-has-a-black-box-wheres-the-off-switch

https://www.komando.com/video/komando-picks/your-cars-hidden-black-box-what-you-need-to-know/674543/

Not paranoid, not paranoid...................

Yeah, the technology is definitely out there. I have to imagine word would spread pretty quickly if manufacturers started using the info and technology. I honestly didn't think of that with respect to break-in. Interesting for sure...

 

[kaHonu37]

Phewww.......I guess I was not hallucinating LOL

So, back and forth to Walmart several times a week. Lets see 8 miles one way. 16 miles round trip.

Only 31 days to go..........UGHHHH! Might take 3 months

Or a couple of short trips to a State Park

 

[KeithP]

My dad bought a new 1969 F100 w/302 from a small farm town dealer. When he picked it up the dealer took it out with dad along for the ride. Less than 10 miles on the odo. Ran it up to 100mph, told dad it would be broke in or broke down. Best running Ford I’ve ever been around. I’ve always just driven my new vehicles from day 1 like I’d drive them on day 1000. So far....never any issues with engines or transmissions. Not saying I recommend everyone do the same, just saying what I’ve done and what my personal results have been.

 

[bm02tj]

New gears create a lot of heat
So if a cold day not to much of a problem real hot day take it easy

 

[2019RamInSC]

Or a couple of short trips to a State Park

We have a State Park only 30 miles away. So about 8 trips.

 

[2019RamInSC]

My dad bought a new 1969 F100 w/302 from a small farm town dealer. When he picked it up the dealer took it out with dad along for the ride. Less than 10 miles on the odo. Ran it up to 100mph, told dad it would be broke in or broke down. Best running Ford I’ve ever been around. I’ve always just driven my new vehicles from day 1 like I’d drive them on day 1000. So far....never any issues with engines or transmissions. Not saying I recommend everyone do the same, just saying what I’ve done and what my personal results have been.

I agree with that mostly. Always varied speed to include flooring it getting the revs up. Dont baby it. Then change oil at 1000 miles.

Towing may take a bit more care.

 

[JohnnyMac]

Yeah, the technology is definitely out there. I have to imagine word would spread pretty quickly if manufacturers started using the info and technology. I honestly didn't think of that with respect to break-in. Interesting for sure...

I recently sold my boat. It had an 8.1 Vortec 450hp beast in it. The guy that ended up buying it was worried about abuse of the engine so he brought a friend who plugged into the black box port with some special software. It showed how many times the engine had started and how long it ran. The actual run hours (which he compared to the hour meter to make sure I wasn't BS'ing that) it also showed how much time it spent at idle, above 2k RPMs, 3K RPMs, 4K......etc. It also showed how many times it exceeded the red-line (which surprisingly was only once) and exactly at what hour that was on the ticker. That motor was a 2007 Model so I'm guessing they can see a whole lot more now and probably real time.

 

[2019RamInSC]

I recently sold my boat. It had an 8.1 Vortec 450hp beast in it. The guy that ended up buying it was worried about abuse of the engine so he brought a friend who plugged into the black box port with some special software. It showed how many times the engine had started and how long it ran. The actual run hours (which he compared to the hour meter to make sure I wasn't BS'ing that) it also showed how much time it spent at idle, above 2k RPMs, 3K RPMs, 4K......etc. It also showed how many times it exceeded the red-line (which surprisingly was only once) and exactly at what hour that was on the ticker. That motor was a 2007 Model so I'm guessing they can see a whole lot more now and probably real time.

Intersting. Was that an OBD2 Port he plugged into??
What year was the motor??

 

[JohnnyMac]

Intersting. Was that an OBD2 Port he plugged into??
What year was the motor??

I believe it was. It was in the ECU box. As stated, I'm pretty sure it was a 2007 motor. The previous owner blew up the original Ford 351 and replaced it with this one.

 

[pacofortacos]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, I think I had at most 200-300 miles on my 2016 1500 when I strapped a 5000 lb. boat/trailer to it and towed it 3600 miles. Got home did the first oil change and rear gear oil change.
My motor is whisper quiet still with 36k on it, the trans has always been perfect, the rear is quiet and I change rear gear oil every year or so since I do that tow once a year.

 

[Travelin Ram]

I have regeared a few 4x4 and the issue is the gears need to polish and wear in the surfaces. There’s a lot of heat generated in the initial miles, decreasing as they wear in. To some extent towing heavy would change the wear pattern slightly and be a do over if you will of the initial break in.

I use an IR temperature gun to observe the temps on fresh gear sets and it’s remarkable how hot they can get in the first hundred miles. 200+ easily.

If I was towing something smaller like a utility trailer after the initial 500 then IMO it’s insignificant and I’d just saddle up and roll.

On the other hand with brand new trucks pulling larger gooseneck or fifth wheels I’m fairly observant of the factory recommended process. It’s not really difficult to take secondary roads for the first 500 miles in most cases, and save the interstate for later.

YMMV