I have a 2006 1500 4x4, 5.7 liter, tow package, I will be towing my wifes 2001 jetta across country from washington to florida in this december. I assume the truck should handle it know problem. There are alot of mountains to go through the first part of the trip, anything I can do to put less strain on the truck during the trip. This will be my first trip towing a car. I thought about getting a Mag Hytec transmission pan to increase cooling. I have know other mods except I replaced the stock muffler with a magnaflow for some sound. but thats it.
Thanks

 

hit the tow/haul button when yr hitting hills. it changes the shift points.

 

Are you flat towing the Jetta? I would look in renting a U-Haul car trailer. Looks like you will have a lot of miles ahead of you on the road. The trailer should have brakes, the Jetta flat towed won’t!

Just keep the tow/haul in use all of the time that’s what it’s for.

 

Do NOT use the tow haul the whole time... it will jack up your gas mileage (will not hurt anything other tan that but still...) your truck is easily capable of hauling the car without it. As to doing any mods, if you have the tow package you should not need them either. Finally as to UHaul, do not let them rent you a TD, insist on an AT. Use those letters when you talk to them. the AT woill cost more but it is way ewasier to tow, way better designed, way harder to damage and you can actually back up with it... Just FYI I spend a lot of my time puting broken TDs back together because customers accidentally misused them... they are a great product if used correctly but have way less margin for error.

Finally make sure you get the Safetow insurance. Covers you, covers your car, covers the trailer.

Nuff said.

 

I pulled my daughters car half way across the country on a u haul car dolly. Wants a big deal at all. If I had it to do over, I would have put it on a trailer with brakes.

 

I agree with frog on this one, you should have no problem.

 

how about if you have the same set up except only a 4.7 like on mine?

 

Again, should not really be a problem. The 4.7 is going to be a pain on hills, but hitting the tow button should help a little. Also for both of you, UHaul may not rent to you if you only have a regular cab. The truck must weigh 750lbs more than the trailer car combination.

 

A jetta ??? no problem, but I would use a car trailer, tow dolly's are two hard on the cars rear tires over a long cross country trip, I puuled a chevy suburban on a trailer 100 Km to auto wrecker with my 5.7 hemi, never knew the suburban was behind me until it came time to stop, and on the hill's I have drop down from 6th to 5th but still pulled fine at 60 mph.