Any pull a travel trailer with the Pepper?

stealthn · 05-29-2011, 04:18 PM

We have been looking at trailers and I am thinking of pulling it with the CTT. The newer ones are pretty light (3700-3900lbs) dry and I know the pepper is rated at 7700, but I am hoping not to get anywhere near that.

My only concern is the short wheelbase, but with the newer trailers people are saying they can tow with a v6.

Any info out there, as well as what kind of a hitch/stablizer setup to get.

Thanks in advance,

Bob James

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

Don't know about a travel trailer but just towed a 6 by 12 Uhaul trailer packed full from Albuquerque to Las Vegas without a problem. I suspect the weight was at least that much or more.

stealthn · 05-29-2011, 08:18 PM

Any special weight distribution hitch or sway bars?

Thanks,

Bob

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

Nope, just the factory setup.

stealthn · 07-04-2011, 11:16 AM

Alright so I thought I would follow-up. Got a brake controller and got the dealer to install it. I also bought an Equalizer weight distribution hitch with sways.

Truck is interesting to tow with, it knows it's pulling something and stays in gear a lot longer than normal before the up shift. So far so good towing with it, but still getting used to it.

Here's a couple of pictures of the setup.

Pete R · Pete R's Garage

Good thing you got the "sport" camper. 100mph tows should be okay now

Do you have any problems with tranny temps? Is there a guage? A friend of mine was asking me about pulling with his Cayanne. I told him I knew he had enough hp, just not sure about the longevity of his driveline and suspension. Any issues?

stealthn · 07-04-2011, 06:41 PM

Good question,

would like a gauge but there isn't one just for tranny; I do think it's got an extra cooler (I'll have to look) I am more worried about the turbos, and I do notice the coolant just slightly higher but nothing more. I haven't had a real good hiway trek yet, but I'll post when I do.

Bob

Pete R · Pete R's Garage

An external cooler would be good, I would expect you have one, given your hp alone. Why are you worried about the turbos? because they are spooled up more? I wouldn't worry about that. Porsche has a lot of turbo's experience, I spun my turbos enough the other weekend to get about 7mpg in a 944, it's all good. I'd worry more about Porsche's automatic tranny experience (or any fliud driven coupling for that matter)especially pulling a few extra tons..hopefully they hired an engineer from Allison for that. The Rolex 24 doesn't teach you about campers.

I know.. by the time the wife and kids get all there crap in, a 3500lb trailer becomes 6000 quick

gumba · 07-06-2011, 08:30 AM

I made 3 trips from San Francisco to Santa Fe pulling a 16' v nose race trailer weighing around 3,000 lbs. Two trips with cars and stuff inside, adding another 3,000+ lbs. Once out of CA. I cruised at 70-75 mph. No equalizer bars on the trailer. No issues except lousy gas mileage averaging 9 mpg. It towed great even with 45 mph cross winds on the last trip. We have a '05 turbo.

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

Just towed my open trailer with 911, tools, and 4 fuch spares with tires from Albuquerque to eastern Virginia without incident ...other than 4 flat tires on the trailer...one about every eight hours. Probably due to the 100 plus heat and sustained speed of close to 80 with old, but visually good tires.

stealthn · 07-25-2011, 05:36 PM

Ok so I towed our trailer a couple of times now, the first try I kept up to traffic doing 110 kph, the pepper stayed in 5th gear and was at .4 bar almost the whole way. I got 8.1 mpg.

On the way back I thought I would keep it around 100 kph (60mph) and watched the gears and boost and it was much better; I got 11.1 mpg.

Not great but a lot better than 8.

So yes I'll be that guy doing less that max speed down the road, but at least I'll be able to do more than 200 miles

Pete R · Pete R's Garage

Eight? wow, that's only about twice as much as a tractor trailer. So you basically stop at EVERY gas station. Other than that, I take it all was good?

Streetcrawler · 08-01-2011, 06:45 PM

[QUOTE=Pete R;6116883 I'd worry more about Porsche's automatic tranny experience (or any fliud driven coupling for that matter)especially pulling a few extra tons..hopefully they hired an engineer from Allison for that. [/QUOTE]

Transmission is a huge Aisin unit! I wouldn't worry much about it's capabilities.

I tow a car hauler with a 951 on it and love the way it tows.

Pete R · Pete R's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streetcrawler

Transmission is a huge Aisin unit! I wouldn't worry much about it's capabilities.

I tow a car hauler with a 951 on it and love the way it tows.

951's don't count.. I pull one of those with my V6, 250hp Toyota Tacoma lol

though I did wimp out when it came to pulling 2 tons of pellets last weekend.. stole a Chevy 2500 diesel for that.

I'm glad eveyone pulls fine with these. I going to pass along "pull away" too my friend

Streetcrawler · 08-03-2011, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete R

951's don't count.. I pull one of those with my V6, 250hp Toyota Tacoma lol

though I did wimp out when it came to pulling 2 tons of pellets last weekend.. stole a Chevy 2500 diesel for that.

I'm glad eveyone pulls fine with these. I going to pass along "pull away" too my friend

Do you pull it on a 2500lb trailer up over 11,000 foot mountain passes?

Pete R · Pete R's Garage

touche

mikeesik · 10-24-2012, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealthn

Ok so I towed our trailer a couple of times now, the first try I kept up to traffic doing 110 kph, the pepper stayed in 5th gear and was at .4 bar almost the whole way. I got 8.1 mpg.

On the way back I thought I would keep it around 100 kph (60mph) and watched the gears and boost and it was much better; I got 11.1 mpg.

Not great but a lot better than 8.

So yes I'll be that guy doing less that max speed down the road, but at least I'll be able to do more than 200 miles

This is the setup my Son and I would like to have.
Wish to purchase a 12-15 foot trailer and a small fishing boat.

BUT...I CANNOT believe the gas mileage you are getting?? This is high-way driving as well ?
A Countach would do just as well!!
What gives??-OR- Doesn't give?

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

I wouldn't hesitate to pull up to the almost 8000 lb rating and have towed close to that from coast to coast several times without any problems...crossing quite a few mountains.

Quote:

Quote de Pete R

951's don't count.. I pull one of those with my V6, 250hp Toyota Tacoma lol

though I did wimp out when it came to pulling 2 tons of pellets last weekend.. stole a Chevy 2500 diesel for that.

I'm glad eveyone pulls fine with these. I going to pass along "pull away" too my friend

Do you pull it on a 2500lb trailer up over 11,000 foot mountain passes?

Streetcrawler · 10-25-2012, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeesik

BUT...I CANNOT believe the gas mileage you are getting?? This is high-way driving as well ?
A Countach would do just as well!!
What gives??-OR- Doesn't give?

That doesn't really surprise me. Towing takes a lot of extra work. Hell, I've gotten down to 4-5mpg in my Dodge 2500.