Towing Gear?

Superman TNT · June 7, 2005

For those of you out there with the Ally tranny and who use it as a truck, what gear are you towing in? In my old truck (1500 Z71) I use to manually shift it out of over drive and tow one gear down. The last two weekends I hooked up to my 5th wheel and have been towing it in regular old "drive" with the tow/haul mode selected. It seems to tow it just fine and doesn't down shift unless I hit a major hill. I tried shifting it out of drive and towed with it in 3rd for a while, just fine at low speeds but the engine in screaming when you get up towards 60mph.

I have the 8.1L, 4:10 gears, and Ally. Is everyone else towing in drive gear also? Will this hurt anything?

silverado3500 · June 7, 2005

The people that I know that have the allison tow with in in drive.

Moving the shift lever to 3 actually downshifs from 5th (OD) to 3rd, skipping over 4th gear. If I remember correctly you have to use the tow/haul button twice or hold it in for a few seconds or something like that to shift just back to 4th, but it its not necessary most of the time.

N900WM · June 7, 2005

Leave it in D!

The Ally is not like the 700R4 or later equiv. It's smart enough and tough enough to know what your doing and know what it needs to do.

I have the same set up as yours and tow heavy in fairly hilly country. I switch on tow/haul and let her do her thing. I love this tranny! Of course, Westers helps.

Shaners · June 7, 2005

Silverado3500 is right... at least for my '05.

By holding the tow/haul button in, you disable OD or 5th gear. It still leaves you with 1st through fourth.

However, it sounds like you are doing fine in "D" (OD). If the tranny seems to be getting hot, then it's time to cahnge your stratagy!

BlackSilver · June 7, 2005

I pull 12,500# and more in all kinds of terrain, including high-elevations and grades. Tap the T/H button, drop it into "D", C/C if on the road, and just let it do it's work. It's a lot smarter than we are.

Shooter_va · June 8, 2005

I pull in "D" with T/H engaged.

KyleBst264 · June 11, 2005

Put it in "D" and leave it. The truck knows what it's doing.

MCourson · June 13, 2005

Just use tow/haul here

rmk800ak · June 13, 2005

thrower in D and let it rip

FlaMan · June 18, 2005

Two days ago I towed an 8,200 lb Anderson 30' flatbed trailer to Ocala, Fl and had 7,600 lbs of Idaho Alfalfa hay bales put on it. I drove 165 miles to my home in Monticello, Fl on I-75 and I-10. Kept Tow/Haul mode ON at all times and left it in Drive. That is what is recommended and it did just fine. I don't use the cruise unless it's pretty flat and it will downshift occasionally but not all that much. Personally, I'm sticking with GM for one reason: Allison! (And I have has Ford PSD's and a 1995 Dodge Cummins 2500.) Transmissions are a BIG concern when you are towing! Agreed?

For those of you out there with the Ally tranny and who use it as a truck, what gear are you towing in? In my old truck (1500 Z71) I use to manually shift it out of over drive and tow one gear down. The last two weekends I hooked up to my 5th wheel and have been towing it in regular old "drive" with the tow/haul mode selected. It seems to tow it just fine and doesn't down shift unless I hit a major hill. I tried shifting it out of drive and towed with it in 3rd for a while, just fine at low speeds but the engine in screaming when you get up towards 60mph.

I have the 8.1L, 4:10 gears, and Ally. Is everyone else towing in drive gear also? Will this hurt anything?

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