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Hey all. Just bought a 27’ camper and will be towing with 2014 1500 Sierra with 5.3 L engine. I will put in tow mode but should I let the auto trans figure what gear is needed or put in manual mode and not go higher than 4th gear?  Would appreciate any tips or experiences. Trailer is about 7200 lbs.

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If you have the tow package and an equalizer hitch. Turn on tow mode, adjust your trailer brake, and let it do its thing in auto.

Even more fun, use cruise control in all except for the steapest inclines. It will lock you in within 5 mph of the set speed and run your gears and brakes for you. 

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8 hours ago, Zak_2014_silverado5dot3 said:

If you have the tow package and an equalizer hitch. Turn on tow mode, adjust your trailer brake, and let it do its thing in auto.

Even more fun, use cruise control in all except for the steapest inclines. It will lock you in within 5 mph of the set speed and run your gears and brakes for you. 

Totally agree!  Let the computer do the work for you.

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I agree with letting the tow/haul mode do its job.  It does it well.  Manual mode is a nice feature on our trucks and gives the driver a feeling of some better control in certain situations.  Usually this is for driver preference not because the Automatic can't do the task.  Driving in M5 (M7) mode to cancel V4 for example is a driver preference.  Your tow/haul mode will greatly reduce shifting up and down creating a smoother ride and less wear on your transmission.  Engine braking will also be more noticeable in tow/haul mode.

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I tow a lot, and run Class 8 Kenworth's moving up to 45ton class excavators. Never let a computer do the thinking if you have the choice. There is a reason heavy haul is still all manual. Because the driver knows better than the machine. You can foresee things that cruise control driver aids can not (pre-emptive downshifts, sharp turns, idiots cutting you off). Sure put it in cruise in the flats, but when lives are on the line in the hills or in the twisties, please do not use cruise control. By the time something happens and you notice or react, it's probably too late. Put in in M5 and leave it, but use your foot to drive when attention is required, feel the load in your hands and ass. I firmly believe anyone pulling a load grossing 5,000kg + should have a commercial license. You see a lot of new retirees graduate from a Smart FourTwo or Toyota Corolla to a CC Duramax dually with a 40 footer trailer grossing 12,000kg and have zero experience, then have people say just put it in cruise and go! Dangerous, as most have no idea how to control a towed vehicle. That is a good load for that truck so make sure you set up your hitch properly, and drive with caution. 

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See my post about truck curb weight. I just towed a 10,000 car trailer from Palm Springs to Seattle. I ran the first day at 62 mph and got 10.6 mpg then got bored and drove 70 the second day and got 9.2 all with the tow switch on. On flat ground the 8 speed stayed in 6th gear, I used the cruise a lot, small grades would kick down to 5th and the big mountain passes I pulled in 4th where it turned 4000 rpm at 60 mph. Have fun. 

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I had my brake gain on 5 with a loaded trailer and only 2.5 empty or it would lock the trailer brakes. I was surprised to see that the transmission never got over 195 even pulling the long mountain grades. The engine temp would creep up about 20 degrees on a long pull. The only complaints were from my wife about the hitch bounce. 

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1 hour ago, 10SierraA.T. said:

I tow a lot, and run Class 8 Kenworth's moving up to 45ton class excavators. Never let a computer do the thinking if you have the choice. There is a reason heavy haul is still all manual. Because the driver knows better than the machine. You can foresee things that cruise control driver aids can not (pre-emptive downshifts, sharp turns, idiots cutting you off). Sure put it in cruise in the flats, but when lives are on the line in the hills or in the twisties, please do not use cruise control. By the time something happens and you notice or react, it's probably too late. Put in in M5 and leave it, but use your foot to drive when attention is required, feel the load in your hands and ass. I firmly believe anyone pulling a load grossing 5,000kg + should have a commercial license. You see a lot of new retirees graduate from a Smart FourTwo or Toyota Corolla to a CC Duramax dually with a 40 footer trailer grossing 12,000kg and have zero experience, then have people say just put it in cruise and go! Dangerous, as most have no idea how to control a towed vehicle. That is a good load for that truck so make sure you set up your hitch properly, and drive with caution. 

absolutely agree.

i grew up towing trailers, 28'-30' deckovers on my duramax, loaded with farm tractors, towing campers etc. learning when to use trailer brakes separately from truck brakes, backing up, parking, driving in parking lots, when to accelerate harder to keep bad things from happening in hairy situations, etc. i dont have a CDL, but ill agree with your statement 100%. people buy a nice rig, and camper, go camping, and cant keep it within the lines or know how to maneuver the trailer. look at the new ford trucks, they have a yuppie knob that you twist in the direction you want to trailer to go while backing up, with remote backup cameras! what a joke.  same will go with lane assist features, and backup cameras, teaching people they dont have to use their mirrors. technology is ruining peoples driving skills daily.

 

but for the OP, tow haul, and drive. if your asking what to do, you have no clue pal. sorry to be a dick. set your brakes correctly, and drive it, leave enough space to stop etc.

 

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2 hours ago, Dans Denali said:

I had my brake gain on 5 with a loaded trailer and only 2.5 empty or it would lock the trailer brakes. I was surprised to see that the transmission never got over 195 even pulling the long mountain grades. The engine temp would creep up about 20 degrees on a long pull. The only complaints were from my wife about the hitch bounce. 

That's good info.  A set of airbags will minimize/eliminate that hitch bounce.

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19 hours ago, 10SierraA.T. said:

You see a lot of new retirees graduate from a Smart FourTwo or Toyota Corolla to a CC Duramax dually with a 40 footer trailer grossing 12,000kg and have zero experience, then have people say just put it in cruise and go! Dangerous, as most have no idea how to control a towed vehicle. 

At one time I thought this may be the case.  However, I have yet to find an example to support this theory.  I find that when I talk to RV'ers with the huge trailers/fifth wheeters they tend to be retired bus or truck drivers.  I'm sure there are RV drivers exceeding their abilities.  With respect to driving in M5, how is this going to improve the tow haul function of these transmissions?  When I'm towing, my truck never leaps unexpectedly into 6th gear.   I would far,far  prefer pulling my trailer with a manual transmission.  It wasn't that long ago that these were the recommended transmissions for towing with a pickup.  However, imo, the manual mode on an automatic transmission is misrepresented when compared to the functionality of a manual transmission.  I do use M mode to smooth my ride in city traffic or sometimes for braking or just for fun. 

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