Advice Needed After purchasing this truck

Is it typical to hit a maximum speed of 50-55mph while towing a fifth wheel with my 1995 F-450? It has the E4OD transmission, and I mostly drove with overdrive off. After purchasing the truck, I changed the rear differential from 5.13 to 4.10 when I had the transmission rebuilt.

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That is fairly decent, try a previous model that has a 7.3 IDI. For years, I had an 11-inch Stahl service body on a 91 F-Super Duty. :joy::joy:

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I have heard that those and the 6.9s can produce a lot of smoke, similar to a freight train. I have seen it myself with my Ford 5900 tractor, when towing about 7,000 pounds up a slight grade, it looked like an old locomotive.

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The 7.3 is pretty sluggish. The saying don’t expect to be the first one there, but you will get there definitely applies.

In our 2000 model, without a load, it felt like it maxed out around 72 mph on the freeway. I usually kept it at 65-70 mph and never went above 60 mph while towing.

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Sure, it’s simple to work on, but it’s not quick. I hired a 2021 or 2022 Dodge 2500 with a 6.7-liter engine from Enterprise Truck Rental, and wow, that thing moves quickly. I achieved a fuel economy of 18–19 mpg while towing one of my TDIs and its matching trailer at a speed of approximately 70 mph. However, at this time, I am not planning on upgrading to a newer truck.

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That is a massive trailer for an old truck. It sounds like you are doing really well, I would be satisfied with that performance and wouldn’t push it much harder. :100:

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:rofl: yeah. I didn’t anticipate getting something this big, but I will use the toy hauler/garage area for my e-business until my house is built.

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Add an intercooler, and you will see a significant improvement. Your pistons will benefit from it as well, since it greatly reduces exhaust gas temperatures.