2024 Gasser/Allison First Tow Report

the8rotor · May 23

Well, finally got around to towing with the new rig. At 1100 miles, I changed oil to Redline and a WIX filter so I could really throw some heat at the ol' L8T and 10 speed this week.

First leg of towing was getting our TT inspected/registered before our 750 mile round trip to Arkansas this weekend. This was just a 40 mile trip in town today. Also got the camper washed :).

I hooked up to our camper and set off. My oh my.... is this 10 speed everything I want out of the truck. Seemless upshifts and downshifts with outstandingly stable downshifts coming to a stop. Getting up to speed is infinitely easier on hills, and making passes on the interstate was a breeze.

Transmission stayed at 178 degrees or so while driving in 92 degree blazing heat up and down hills and city driving. I was idling for 30 minutes at the truck wash where the transmission temp spiked to 185 degrees - but then quickly came down once I had some air flowing through the front.

My take on the new allison versus the 6L90 since I've owned both and towed extensively with my 2021 gasser... the 10 speed is outstanding and a game changer for folks like me wanting to tow 10-13k lbs on hilly terrain. If I had a 6 speed gasser would I quick run to the stealership to trade mine in? Absolutely not. If you ask me, the star of the show is the L8T. This engine is impressive and stout. The 10 speed just puts the L8T in its powerband quicker for certain scenarios towing and we still don't have long-term data backing the reliability of this 10 speed.

Edited May 23 by the8rotor

UWSkier · May 23

Looking forward to the tow report after the long trek. Towing over the moutains between PHX and San Diego on I-8 has given me more urgency to make a truck upgrade happen. Talked to a guy with a 6.4L RAM and a trailer like my GD who made the same drive and he never broke 3500 RPM. The GM 6.6 and 10 speed should work even better than his 6.4/8 speed, and much better than my 5.3/8 speed.

Pryme · May 23

2 hours ago, the8rotor said:

Well, finally got around to towing with the new rig. At 1100 miles, I changed oil to Redline and a WIX filter so I could really throw some heat at the ol' L8T and 10 speed this week.

First leg of towing was getting our TT inspected/registered before our 750 mile round trip to Arkansas this weekend. This was just a 40 mile trip in town today. Also got the camper washed :).

I hooked up to our camper and set off. My oh my.... is this 10 speed everything I want out of the truck. Seemless upshifts and downshifts with outstandingly stable downshifts coming to a stop. Getting up to speed is infinitely easier on hills, and making passes on the interstate was a breeze.

Transmission stayed at 178 degrees or so while driving in 92 degree blazing heat up and down hills and city driving. I was idling for 30 minutes at the truck wash where the transmission temp spiked to 185 degrees - but then quickly came down once I had some air flowing through the front.

My take on the new allison versus the 6L90 since I've owned both and towed extensively with my 2021 gasser... the 10 speed is outstanding and a game changer for folks like me wanting to tow 10-13k lbs on hilly terrain. If I had a 6 speed gasser would I quick run to the stealership to trade mine in? Absolutely not. If you ask me, the star of the show is the L8T. This engine is impressive and stout. The 10 speed just puts the L8T in its powerband quicker for certain scenarios towing and we still don't have long-term data backing the reliability of this 10 speed.

Nice write up. Do one after the long drive too! Which running boards do you have?

the8rotor · May 24

2 hours ago, UWSkier said:

Looking forward to the tow report after the long trek. Towing over the moutains between PHX and San Diego on I-8 has given me more urgency to make a truck upgrade happen. Talked to a guy with a 6.4L RAM and a trailer like my GD who made the same drive and he never broke 3500 RPM. The GM 6.6 and 10 speed should work even better than his 6.4/8 speed, and much better than my 5.3/8 speed.

I can confirm the hills around me that my 6 speed would downshift to 3rd screaming at 4k rpm, 10 speed kept me under 3k rpm and still accelerating.

Your situation sounds like mine. Hills with my 6 speed just left something to be desired with my 6L90...

the8rotor · May 24

14 minutes ago, Pryme said:

Nice write up. Do one after the long drive too! Which running boards do you have?

Will do!

I took a chance with these running boards on Amazon. Craftsmanship is easily worth double the price I paid $224.10 shipped. No obnoxious emblems or designs, just well- constructed and powder coated steps.

the8rotor · May 24

@UWSkier the dash picture was actually taken when I was making my "climb" up the hill I mentioned earlier. 2k rpm and I was maintaining 55mph speed limit.

Doodle · May 27

On 5/23/2023 at 4:09 PM, the8rotor said:

Well, finally got around to towing with the new rig. At 1100 miles, I changed oil to Redline and a WIX filter so I could really throw some heat at the ol' L8T and 10 speed this week.

First leg of towing was getting our TT inspected/registered before our 750 mile round trip to Arkansas this weekend. This was just a 40 mile trip in town today. Also got the camper washed :).

I hooked up to our camper and set off. My oh my.... is this 10 speed everything I want out of the truck. Seemless upshifts and downshifts with outstandingly stable downshifts coming to a stop. Getting up to speed is infinitely easier on hills, and making passes on the interstate was a breeze.

Transmission stayed at 178 degrees or so while driving in 92 degree blazing heat up and down hills and city driving. I was idling for 30 minutes at the truck wash where the transmission temp spiked to 185 degrees - but then quickly came down once I had some air flowing through the front.

My take on the new allison versus the 6L90 since I've owned both and towed extensively with my 2021 gasser... the 10 speed is outstanding and a game changer for folks like me wanting to tow 10-13k lbs on hilly terrain. If I had a 6 speed gasser would I quick run to the stealership to trade mine in? Absolutely not. If you ask me, the star of the show is the L8T. This engine is impressive and stout. The 10 speed just puts the L8T in its powerband quicker for certain scenarios towing and we still don't have long-term data backing the reliability of this 10 speed.

Great write up and I agree with many of your points. Although I haven’t actually towed with my 24 yet, I am loving this transmission. It is butter smooth. I also agree if I had a 6 speed I wouldn’t run out and trade it off because of the 10 speed but the 10 speed is a nice upgrade. I towed some pretty stout things with my 23 gas and it performed well.

the8rotor · May 28

Towed just under 500 miles up here to Arkansas. Other than being completely exhausted from the drive (2 year old girl screaming for 5 hours at my wife, son, and I) truck did amazing.

Mileage is exactly the same as my 6 speed 2021 gasser. I had a ridiculous headwind for 200 miles and only averaged 6.8mpgs . Rest of the drive I averaged just under 10mpg.

Where this transmission really shines is right where we all expected it to - maintaining speed and not screaming in 3rd or 4th gear like the 6L90. It was a lot of fun going up and down the Ozark mountains with the truck making slight shifts and I believe 7th gear was the gear I stayed in maintaining 65mph. My wife was most impressed with how quiet the truck was. Besides the screaming 2 year old

Doodle · May 28

11 hours ago, the8rotor said:

Towed just under 500 miles up here to Arkansas. Other than being completely exhausted from the drive (2 year old girl screaming for 5 hours at my wife, son, and I) truck did amazing.

Mileage is exactly the same as my 6 speed 2021 gasser. I had a ridiculous headwind for 200 miles and only averaged 6.8mpgs . Rest of the drive I averaged just under 10mpg.

Where this transmission really shines is right where we all expected it to - maintaining speed and not screaming in 3rd or 4th gear like the 6L90. It was a lot of fun going up and down the Ozark mountains with the truck making slight shifts and I believe 7th gear was the gear I stayed in maintaining 65mph. My wife was most impressed with how quiet the truck was. Besides the screaming 2 year old

Beautiful pickup! I really think this new platform is gonna take some market share away from Ford and Ram for this segment. The more I drive mine the more and more I like it.

UWSkier · May 28

12 hours ago, the8rotor said:

Towed just under 500 miles up here to Arkansas. Other than being completely exhausted from the drive (2 year old girl screaming for 5 hours at my wife, son, and I) truck did amazing.

Mileage is exactly the same as my 6 speed 2021 gasser. I had a ridiculous headwind for 200 miles and only averaged 6.8mpgs . Rest of the drive I averaged just under 10mpg.

Where this transmission really shines is right where we all expected it to - maintaining speed and not screaming in 3rd or 4th gear like the 6L90. It was a lot of fun going up and down the Ozark mountains with the truck making slight shifts and I believe 7th gear was the gear I stayed in maintaining 65mph. My wife was most impressed with how quiet the truck was. Besides the screaming 2 year old

Am I to understand that you averaged 100MPH for the trip, or that the two year old was actually quiet for a portion of it?

KARNUT · May 28

17 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

Am I to understand that you averaged 100MPH for the trip, or that the two year old was actually quiet for a portion of it?

I think he said there was screaming for 5 hours. The little one probably enjoyed the rest of the trip in the bed.

the8rotor · May 29

Trip time was 9 hours with stops. 2 year old screamed for 5 hours of it. Exhausting

UWSkier · June 9

wondering if you stayed in 7th or 8th gear at 65 MPH. On my 8 speed half ton, I run in 6th gear at that speed and feel I could most benefit from another gear between between 3 and 5.

Edited June 9 by UWSkier

lsttype · June 9

Finally towed my 9k camper with my 2020 6.6 gasser. Not trying to hijack thread. I just got rid of my diesel because of all the issues they currently have. Anyways I was very pleased with the power and I liked the 6 speed. I bet the 10 speed is even better. My wife has a 22 F250 with the 7.3 Godzilla but we are scared to tow with it because of all the lifter failures. We are so concerned we're tempted to trade it on a new GMC 6.6 gas with the 10 speed.

the8rotor · June 12

On 6/8/2023 at 9:31 PM, UWSkier said:

wondering if you stayed in 7th or 8th gear at 65 MPH. On my 8 speed half ton, I run in 6th gear at that speed and feel I could most benefit from another gear between between 3 and 5.

I'll report back next tow happening soon