Towing

[dman1458]

Hey everyone, I have a general question about towing. I apologize if this has already been covered. I tried a search and found nothing. As many of you may know I will be taking delivery of a 2017 LTZ Z71 with 3.42 gears tomorrow. I have a 6000 pound RV that I tow currently with a Nissan Titan. The Titan has a 5 speed and I have always towed in 4th unless I'm on completely flat roads, which in Ontario is rare.

 

Anyway I've read the manual and want to know what the general consensus is for towing a rig like mine. Do you guys with the 8 speeds leave it in D or manually switch it to a lower gear?

 

From the manual:

 

Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the transmission to a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.

[aseibel]

Leave it in drive, but hit tow/haul mode. The button is on the end of the gear shift lever.

[newdude]

X2 on the D and Tow/Haul ON. Tow/Haul will keep it in lower gears all on its own. On the 6 speed trucks that typically means it stays in 5th on the highway, not sure on the 8 speed but most likely won't go past 6th or 7th.

[Ed HD]

I can't speak to the 8 speed, I've never towed with my Dad's 2017, but sometimes it does want to upshift at weird times and lug the engine. You'll just wanna figure out what works best for your setup. There's a reason there's a Manual mode. I'd start out in Drive with Tow/Haul and adjust to your comfort, and what gets you the best mileage.

[Krusty]

Hey everyone, I have a general question about towing. I apologize if this has already been covered. I tried a search and found nothing. As many of you may know I will be taking delivery of a 2017 LTZ Z71 with 3.42 gears tomorrow. I have a 6000 pound RV that I tow currently with a Nissan Titan. The Titan has a 5 speed and I have always towed in 4th unless I'm on completely flat roads, which in Ontario is rare.

 

Anyway I've read the manual and want to know what the general consensus is for towing a rig like mine. Do you guys with the 8 speeds leave it in D or manually switch it to a lower gear?

 

From the manual:

 

Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the transmission to a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.

 

 

Be sure and let her "break-in" for 500 miles per the manual - before towing..........

 

Put her in T/H and cruise on the highway and let it do its thing. Use M if you want a lower gear, such as for manual compression braking down hill - even when not towing. I like to do a good tow at 1,000 miles and work her good.

 

This sand and rock load was my 1,000 tow - up a good grade - cruise set at speed limit and T/H doing its thing...... Pulled it like a Beast.......... A Baby Beast compared to my previous Duramax - but a Beast all the same...........

 

 

 

 

 

[joshc64311]

I tow a 5000# travel trailer and Yamaha grizzly in the bed, all with a 3.08 rear and i live in sw Pennsylvania. Throw it in tow/haul and let it do its thing.

[Nanotech Environmental]

Hey everyone, I have a general question about towing. I apologize if this has already been covered. I tried a search and found nothing. As many of you may know I will be taking delivery of a 2017 LTZ Z71 with 3.42 gears tomorrow. I have a 6000 pound RV that I tow currently with a Nissan Titan. The Titan has a 5 speed and I have always towed in 4th unless I'm on completely flat roads, which in Ontario is rare.

 

Anyway I've read the manual and want to know what the general consensus is for towing a rig like mine. Do you guys with the 8 speeds leave it in D or manually switch it to a lower gear?

 

From the manual:

 

Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the transmission to a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.

If you have an 8 speed, you must have the 6.2, correct? That combined with 3.42 gears will make pretty light work of a 6k lb RV. I'd just put it in tow haul mode and let the trans do the thinking and work for you. There's only about 4 hills in all of Ontario that may make it work hard.

Ignore the 500 mile break-in nonsense. The proper way to break an engine in is to use the mototune method- http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

You need to seat those rings as fast as possible & you only have a short window to do it. The drive home from the dealer is the best time to get on it and break-it in properly. After 20 min of proper break-in, you're good to go. Have used this method on my last 5 vehicles and it does work.

[dman1458]

If you have an 8 speed, you must have the 6.2, correct? That combined with 3.42 gears will make pretty light work of a 6k lb RV. I'd just put it in tow haul mode and let the trans do the thinking and work for you.

 

 

Actually it's a 5.3 8 speed. I've read that site, it looks interesting and definitely some food for thought.

 

I know it will still be good at handling it, based on everything I have read here. With the Titan the fear was always tranny temps and 4th helped keep them down. I know this is a whole different beast. T/H mode, I assume based on the posts here it actually makes changes and is not limited. Again I go back to the Titan (my only reference point) it too has a T/H mode but sadly it only had any effect on 1st and 2nd. It would just hold those gears a little longer than normal. The rest of the tine T/H mode did nothing.

[dman1458]

I tow a 5000# travel trailer and Yamaha grizzly in the bed, all with a 3.08 rear and i live in sw Pennsylvania. Throw it in tow/haul and let it do its thing.

 

WOW! I've driven through your state quite a few times on my way to Florida........I've never taken my TT and always thought/wondered what it would be like. Good to know.

[Donstar]

I agree with the others that recommend using the tow/haul mode. This is the purpose of this function. No need to play with the "M" mode when pulling your trailer.

[Mark Diedrich]

If it's shifting back and forth between gears a lot, then then your trans temp will start climbing, then you will need to put it in "m " mode like your titan