I had a weired issue last nite. I was backing a empty 16 foot car trailer into a parking spot and the truck literaly almost would not push it back into its spot. I had to back it into a driveway where the parking spot was offset to the side of the driveway and next to a parked car. In the proses of widdeling it into its spot the front tires of the truck had to climb up and over the curb while backing up. The rear tires where in abought an inch of mud and I had to use 4x4 to get enough traction to pull the truck up over the curb. I had to use exsesive throtle to get ti over the curb. It never did spin a tire but I was at well over 2000 rpm and it was going nowere. It was to the point that a few young kids where walking buy in the street and one even started chearing the truck on kinda coaxing it along. I figured well OK its a heavy truck and the front tires have to clinb up and over a 4-6" curb so I just gave it more throtle till finaly it managed to creap up and over the curb. After that it was only anouther 1/2 truck lenth into the parking spot. I was backing straight at that point and it still needed exsesive throttle to move at all. It took well over 2000 rpm to get it to move at all. My previouse truck was a 6 speed so I am used to no throttle(litteraly) trailer menuvering. I woudl just let the previouse truck idle and it would move even the heaviest of trailers with ease. After unhooking the trailer and driving away everything seemed perfectly normal. The tranie shifted and operated just like always. Is there some thing wrong or is it normal to need this much throttle to back a little trailer??

PS the trailer was barrowed and I am prety sure the brakes did not work on it. I am wondering if somehow the brakes where draging on it while I was backing it into place. That is the only logical conclusion I can come to. If thats not ht ecase and these autos truly are this poopy while backing I will end up back in a 6 speed sooner than I want to. This is unacceptible for a truck made to pull.

 

I would try another trailer to see if it is a tranny problem or if it is like you stated that the brakes were dragging. My .02!

 

Any chance it had surge brakes? That could explain it. We rented a U-Haul with surge brakes a few years ago, and backing it was almost impossible.

 

if the trailer does have inertia(sp?) tongue activated brakes,sounds like they was causing the brakes to lock up or drag.
Doug.

 

To get my 18-foot FB trailer into the parking spot I have to put it in four-lo. Two reasons for mine, square curb and the drag caused by trying to jackknife a tandem axle trailer. Tandem axles cause a lot of drag when turning. If the trailer has a surge brake, you have to lock it out when backing.

 

Nope no surge brakes. It was backing fine till I hit the curb then after putting it in 4wd it almost wouldent move. I dont know what to think of it. Buy that time I had it all straight and it was straight back from there on in. It just dident want to move.

Anouther thing I have been noticing all winter is that when letting off the throttle it has a pause befor ethe electronics let the throttle back off. I may just start a diffrent thread for that one as its a diffrent gripe.

 

Might be that the reverse band needs adjusted. I have had that problem before.

 

I had the same issue with mine one time. I was trying to back my loaded car hauler in the grass at a car show. The back tires were sitting in a rut about 5" deep. I kept pushing on the go pedal until the engine suddenly reved like the tires were spinning. I got out to look and the tires did not spin. That made me cringe because something slipped but it wasn't the tires. I put it in 4hi and pulled forward then it was ok.

 

A lot of that for sure is gonna be the slip in the torque converter. When the '98 still had the 47RE, the stock converter was so loose that you were knocking on the door of stall RPM (~2500) for sharp curbs and very steep inclines. Naturally, 4LO was the easiest solution.

 

TC is the problem. It's loose as a goose. I hated my stock one. Everything else about the tranny was fine.

 

I just got an 05 CTD Quad Cab SLT 4x4 and i'm having the same problem backing up my car trailer. My truck only has 25k miles on it.. I've never had the problem with any prvious trucks

 

On my 03 I have to lock out the overdrive when I am backing up or just messing around towing or backing at low speeds. I think that locks up the TC or tackes it out of the picture. LeRoy

 

48RE has 2.2 reverse ratio and 2.45 low gear ratio. It won't back out of a place it will pull itself into. converter stall ratio of approx 1.8 to 1 is not a big help also. Always use 4 lo if have the option. Many people back up with brakes on to better control unit which applies trailer brakes.
03-HO - using od lockout or trailer tow only eliminates OD going forward, nothing else.