UZJ-100 pulling a Jayco Baja (1 Viewer)

[Beagle]

How screwed am I?

We are planning on towing a 14.5 ft Jayco Baja from TX to WA state with our 2001 UZJ100 in Sep. The trailer weighs 2800# dry. I have airlift airbags on the LC as well as brake controller. It's a short trailer and we are thinking of just not really filling the water tanks etc more than 1/4. Ideally we'd go up through CO and over across Wyoming, maybe avoiding high passes.

What sort of situation am I in for? We haven't gotten a sway controller yet as some advised it wasn't needed with this length. I don't have a way to monitor Trans Temps which is one fear that's growing. Is this trip even possible? I'm not even sure what questions to ask. Towing around Austin has been fine. But getting up into Montana and the PNW, Idaho, or WY...I don't want to blow something. I love my rig. Thinking we might just have to cut out CO totally.

If the Colorado/ WY portion is too much elevation, I do want to see Montana so maybe going straight up from TX and staying east of the Rockies.... and then head west is better? Doing I need an alternative route?

Wife has greed to under-pack. There will be 2 dogs. Yes, I said 14.5 foot trailer. I'm also googling state mental institutions in case I need to be dropped off.

Are we going to be ok? Am I going to destroy my LC? Sorry my post is scattered. I just woke up. I have searched through the threads and seen some info but a lot conflicts. I need confirmation bias and encouragement.

Edit: I gather that I need Overdrive off most of the time and Power ECT on if I'm correct....?

Pic of trailer attached.

 

[mjosoba]

You’ll be fine, assuming all your fluids and services are in good order. Leave it in drive until/if it starts to hunt for gears, then kick OD off. Depending on where the tank is, make sure you have enough tongue weight. Don’t go too heavy obviously, to where you’re squatting a ton, but too light and you’ll be all over the place. If you’re worried about trans temps, just use the scenic pull offs and such to pull over for 15-20 minutes every once in awhile. Leave it running and wander around a bit to enjoy the scenery. I’ve seen lesser vehicles pulling more on many CO passes.

 

[Beagle]

You’ll be fine, assuming all your fluids and services are in good order. Leave it in drive until/if it starts to hunt for gears, then kick OD off. Depending on where the tank is, make sure you have enough tongue weight. Don’t go too heavy obviously, to where you’re squatting a ton, but too light and you’ll be all over the place. If you’re worried about trans temps, just use the scenic pull offs and such to pull over for 15-20 minutes every once in awhile. Leave it running and wander around a bit to enjoy the scenery. I’ve seen lesser vehicles pulling more on many CO passes.

I downloaded an add-on so now I can see AT Fluid Temp. Just driving around for 20 min w/out the trailer at night and it ranged from 140-178f. Not sure if that's healthy..

Tongue weight should be just right. Adding one more (total of 2) battery for the mini-solar system.

Thanks for the advice! Good to know. We have dogs so there will be many pit stops to cool of the rig.

 

[mjosoba]

I think on the earlier 80’s (A442) the temp light comes on at 300° drops back out at 250° or so. I believe you have the A343 still? So it should be similar, I’d think. Those temps are fine, its pretty hard to overheat these LC trannies, in my experience. My uncle had an old power wagon with a 700r4 and at 60, not pulling anything, he couldn’t keep it below 220°. You should be fine.

Edit: One thing to keep in mind, your tranny will run cooler with the torque converter locked. So if it starts hunting for gears, try to pop OD off (if you have the ‘OD off’ button?) and keep it at a speed where it will stay locked up in 3rd. Even if you can’t keep it locked, you’ll still be fine. Just keep an eye on the temp and take advantage of pull offs if needed.

 

[AlpineAccess]

There is some bad advice in this thread so be cautious. I'd go with your main thread in the tech section.

 

[mjosoba]

Any updates? I’d be curious to hear what bad advice I gave. I drive professionally, and have for over a decade. But I’m sure @AlpineAccess is more experienced. I’m sure he’s driven ‘Cruisers for over 200,000 miles with nearly zero issues.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Any updates? I’d be curious to hear what bad advice I gave. I drive professionally, and have for over a decade. But I’m sure @AlpineAccess is more experienced. I’m sure he’s driven ‘Cruisers for over 200,000 miles with nearly zero issues.

Transmission fluid operating specs without incurring advanced degredation means keeping it under 200*. FSM lists in spec operating temp range at TFT of 122-176*.

Fluid begins varnishing north of 240* and at 300* fluid is compromised even if a one time occurence.

Overdrive off for all towing over 1k on A343 and for any severe use applications. Not doing so killed thousands of A340 series in the early first gen tundras.

Temp light indicates on 100s at 250 and resets south of 160*.

Just as a point of interest, what do you do for work that you drive land cruisers professionally?

 

[mjosoba]

@AlpineAccess I was using my uncles POS 700r4 as an example of what is not good, the PO’s number were way below 200°, ergo, he’ll be fine.

Again, he isn’t close to 240°, so he’ll not have to worry about varnishing and break down.

I referenced A442, plain as day. Not the 100 or A343.

A340 is not an A343, it is much weaker so that’s a moot point. If the FSM states O/D off for any towing over 1,000 lbs then so be it. I’ve never heard such a thing in my life, and have never heard of anyone doing that. An unlocked TC will always produce more heat and introduce more wear than a locked one. Common knowledge is to kick it out of O/D once it starts to hunt more than just an occasional kickdown to maintain speed.

Don’t know how my post made you think I drive LC’s professionally. Although your breakdown of my posts is also confusing. Seems like reading comprehension is not a strong point. I drive trucks for a living. Have driven LC’s for over 200,000 miles.

Edit: I did find that thread you referenced. Conclusion: same as mine. He’ll be fine. He probably hasn’t responded because he’s out enjoying the Jayco.

 

[AlpineAccess]

@AlpineAccess I was using my uncles POS 700r4 as an example of what is not good, the PO’s number were way below 200°, ergo, he’ll be fine.

Again, he isn’t close to 240°, so he’ll not have to worry about varnishing and break down.

I referenced A442, plain as day. Not the 100 or A343.

A340 is not an A343, it is much weaker so that’s a moot point. If the FSM states O/D off for any towing over 1,000 lbs then so be it. I’ve never heard such a thing in my life, and have never heard of anyone doing that. An unlocked TC will always produce more heat and introduce more wear than a locked one. Common knowledge is to kick it out of O/D once it starts to hunt more than just an occasional kickdown to maintain speed.

Don’t know how my post made you think I drive LC’s professionally. Although your breakdown of my posts is also confusing. Seems like reading comprehension is not a strong point. I drive trucks for a living. Have driven LC’s for over 200,000 miles.

Edit: I did find that thread you referenced. Conclusion: same as mine. He’ll be fine. He probably hasn’t responded because he’s out enjoying the Jayco.

K

 

[Beagle]

Update: We made it! Texas to Yakima. Went up the eastern side of CO and into Wyoming. The only areas that we were in that were difficult were some of the passes in WY from East to West into a head wind. Kept Overdrive off and just lugged it. Few times had to put it into 2nd and just deal. Most of the time she was fine. I had a sway control for the wind and i think it helped. Maybe it was psychological. The Temps on the AT Fluid would (on the Fusion Blue tooth thing) were usually between 144-170. It could fluctuate without much rhyme or reason sometimes. Other times there was a clear connection on OD off and hills etc. Engine Temp read around 199.4 most of the time.

She was a beast and got us here. Now, we just have to get back! Will attempt it at the end of the month!
Thanks everyone for the insight and guidance. Will ad pics later. Exhausted and looking forward to a real bed.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm remembering a graph from a study on this topic in a auto trans rebuilder trade magazine about 25 years ago. The trans life vs. fluid temperature curve is logarithmic, and not even close to linear. At 160°f the trans life is essentially infinite. At 200°f it is around a year of continuous operation. At 300°f it is less than 10 minutes.

I've noticed with my '88 4rnnr that keeping the speed up where the trans can stay looked is a crucial key to keeping the engine temperature under control. I have no aux cooler, just as Mr. T built it. When I can't keep my speed in that range (top of Towne Pass going E->W anyone?) I just have to back way off and grind my way along.