02/06/2026
I put the cooling package to the ultimate test, and it passed with flying colors!
Babe got pulled out of her winter garage slumber to rescue a Dodge.
The Dodge blew a radiator hose, and later diagnosed as a blown head gasket, towing a small trailer up the continental divide in Butte, Mt.
I started out finding the split upper radiator hose on initial inspection, found a replacement, drove and got it, grabbed my truck, installed the hose, and spent the next 3 hours trying to bleed air from the cooling system. I even tried my 12v air compressor for airing down, but it wouldn't pull enough of a vacuum to vacuum bleed it.
We then decided we had no other option but to tow the truck and trailer up the pass to get to the next pull out about 3/4 of a mile away. (7900+44200lbs)
After we got the truck and trailer up there, we disconnected the trailer, amd had the dodge towed to my work, and I hooked onto the trailer.
I then used 4low to get the trailer going up the grade, made it to one crest, shifted into 1st high range and off we went, and was able to stay out of low range until I backed the trailer uphill into the shop.
Babe towed it so well you couldn't even tell the trailer was back there! Just kidding, oh the trailer was very noticable how heavy it was, how much it lugged the truck down especially when taking off from a stop, and on downhills it pushed significantly. Babe has great brakes, hydroboost, and good trailer brakes it did just fine coming down the grade, but i most definitely went slow and used my gears!
Honestly I am very impressed with how well my truck did towing so much weight at elevation, especially not being set up to tow that heavy.
I could not be more pleased with the fan and clutch setup, as i just left it on defrost which keeps the fan locked at 60% duty cycle and all temperatures were incredibly manageable, almost low considering how much weight and the grade I was towing up.
The truck absolutely had more power to pull hills and the grade faster. If i had pushed the truck harder, it would have made more boost, but i knew how hard i was already working it and definitely didnt want to push it to the point of failure. With one truck out of commission, i figured best to not make that two. Besides i veiwed it as an absolute win to make it home without any other eventfulness.
Stats:
Max towing speed 48mph, max downhill about 58 mph
7.3 idit, zf5 13" luk clutch, 3.55s 35s
continental divide/homestake pass 6300'
7%Grade according to Google
dodge and trailer combined weight 44,200
rough estimate of trailer is 34-36k, it had 12 pallets of sand each weighing 2200lbs
my truck weighs 7960.
Towed the trailer about 28 miles
35s and 3.55s were not helping me much at that elevation with that much weight, However babe did it, temps were incredibly manageable throughout it.
Coolant temp max 205*
Oil Temp max 222*
max egts 1050*
Max boost 17 psi
ambient temp 38*
