Towing with a dt466

[CatawamBus]

Hey guys, my girlfriend and I just recently pulled the trigger on an 8 window, 2004 Bluebird with a dt466e and an Allison 2000 transmission. In a week we'll be driving it from Park City, Utah to Buffalo, New York where we will be converting it to our super rad home on wheels! We were thinking about getting a hitch put on and towing my Corolla back to New York with a car dolly. The GVWR of my bus is 33,000. My question for you guys is will the dt466 engine have enough power to pull an extra 3k lbs across the country? I drove it back to Utah from Colorado where I bought it and it slowed to about 40-45mph chugging up any sort of significant incline on the highway. I was wondering if that's just how buses are, the governor was choking power, or the dt466e albeit a very good engine is still a 6 cylinder with a decent amount of body weight. Welcome to any input.

Also I just wanted to say this site has given me a lot more confidence in making the switch to skoolie life this past year or so, I appreciate you lending your expertise. Thanks!

 

[david.dgeorge07]

Most of us have busses that will slow down on grades. Worst I had was a very steep road in the coastal mountains of California I could only do 9 mph. (I have a 210 hp CAT 6 cylinder and MD3060. 13 window, towing a Jeep.)

I’ve climbed 16% grades in it though. I can do 65+ on the highway and stay with traffic but just like a lot of tractor trailers you got to take your time going up or down big grades.

It will do it though. Towing a corolla will not be a big deal. Just be very sure your equipment is all good. I nearly lost my Jeep once. That’s a heart attack inducer. Let’s just say a torque wrench is your friend. Don’t assume everything is right until you have verified and double checked.

 

[Drew Bru]

We pulled our 5000lb Xterra back to Illinois from Colorado with our 11 window DT466, Allison MT643 transmission. Honestly, I'm not sure the engine even feels the Xterra back there. I can't really speak to the uphill speed issues, but I suspect you'd get pretty much the same performance with or without the Corolla back there.

 

[cadillackid]

once you are rolling the extra weight of towing is not bad.. it really is when you go to stop that its most important.. and also make sure the transaxle in your corolla is up to being flat towed vs needing ti put the front wheels in the air..



your allison 2000 will allow you to downshift on up anbd downgrades.. shut your cruise control off in the mountains.. I-80 has less steep mountains than I-70..(no switchbacks and max elevation of 8700 feet vs 12000 on I-70) I just drove 80 from oregon to ohio and once i got past cheyenne wyoming the hills were a lot less. I was in a 40 year old gasoline bus with an AT-540 (worst trans for mountains).. I took it easy and slow on the steep ups AND steep downs.. there are curves.. so the speed limit may say 65 but then you come up to a curve that says 40.. (and 40 means 40 or slower in a bus).. so i ran flashers on and in the slow lane till i got into more level areas..

-Christopher

 

[EastCoastCB]

DT466 is in many a tow truck.

 

[2kool4skool]

Our 5.9 can do it, so can you!

 

[#1FordFan]

My U-RV has a 12V 5.9 in it. it weighs about 15K and i tow my jeep on a trailer (another 6K) every year.