Towing With My New Truck ?

[chevyhutch]

I went and picked up my inlaws camper today while going down a hill the tranny down shifted BUT it shifted to low and the RPM wound up to 4500-5000, I thought the motor was gonna blow ? I don't know much about towing so i need some help (didn't like the tranny shifting that low). The camper weights 4000#s I towed in D with the T/H on. What should I be towing in so it don't down shift and blow my motor up ? I only have 200 miles on the truck, and i'm going camping this weekend up a mountain so i'll be going back down a steep grade. Give me some advise !!! I have the 5.3 with 6 speed tranny.

Thanks, Rodney

[Stevens03]

Personally, I think its to soon to be towing. I like to have more than 500 miles with a fresh oil change on the engine and rear diff. 2nd Make damn sure you e-brakes are working before you leave. GM doesn't hook them up, its up to the buyer to do so. Your not going to hurt the motor running 4000-4500 rpms These motors like to scream, within reason.

 

4000lbs isn't alot of weight, but going up hills, your going to feel it some. I'd tow in 3rd and use the tow haul, and keep an eye on the transmission temps. I'm sure you'll be fine. If you've not towed much before, towing mountains isn't really a good place to learn. The trailer brakes can get hot fast, so take it slow on the decents, and down shift the truck to help slow your roll.

 

Good luck

Steven

[music]

If you remember, consider posting your towing experience after the trip.

 

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=93683

[huero626]

It is too early to be towing, you should wait till u have at least 500 miles on your truck to tow or haul heavy loads.

[InertiaFaze]

Rodney,

 

I agree with Steven that it's too early to tow. From the owner's manual:

 

Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles

(800 km) the new vehicle is driven. The engine,

axle or other parts could be damaged.

 

Also, with regard to using Tow Haul with a 4000 Lb trailer....Again from the owner's manual:

 

Tow/Haul is designed to be most effective when thevehicle

and trailer combined weight is at least 75 percent

of the vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).

 

If you've got the HD cooling package your GCWR is 14000LB and 75% of that is 10500LB. Your truck weighs what?...6000Lb, so you're right at the minimum for using tow haul. If you don't have the HD cooling package you're well over the 75% bogey.

 

The reason to consider whether or not to use Tow Haul is this. The downshifting that you observed is designed to use engine braking to help you slow the truck(it's called Grade Braking). Your foot has to be on the brake for Grade Braking to activate, but it's more involved than just having your foot on the brake. Grade Braking is specifically designed to assist at GCWR's of 75% and up and it only works in D in Tow Haul. If you would rather drive in Tow Haul without Grade Braking you can move the shift lever to M and tap to M6.

 

As for the engine speeds, you won't blow your engine running 4500-5000 rpm 's, it's performing as designed.

 

One last point, I think when Steven suggested towing in 3rd I'm sure he was referring to a 4 Spd. You'll be fine towing in D (or M6), but if you can also experiment by towing in M5 (etc) to see if that works better for you.

 

Hope that helps.

 

IF

[TorkFaze]

I went and picked up my inlaws camper today while going down a hill the tranny down shifted BUT it shifted to low and the RPM wound up to 4500-5000, I thought the motor was gonna blow ? I don't know much about towing so i need some help (didn't like the tranny shifting that low). The camper weights 4000#s I towed in D with the T/H on. What should I be towing in so it don't down shift and blow my motor up ? I only have 200 miles on the truck, and i'm going camping this weekend up a mountain so i'll be going back down a steep grade. Give me some advise !!! I have the 5.3 with 6 speed tranny.

Thanks, Rodney

 

 

First, I'll echo the comments on it being too early to tow. More miles empty, then short distance with the load 'til the truck breaks in. Axles are the primary concern, but not the only concern. Consult the owners manual, but I thought there was a 1000 mile recommendation, and even at that, I wouldn't tow on the heavy side.

 

To disable grade braking, shift into M5 or lower when in T/H. or take it out of T/H. You were probably in second and not low when you were spinning high 4's, and musta been on a pretty good downhill.

 

The advice for towing in 3rd is OK for the 4-speed, but not for the 6-speed. Once you get it broken in, I'd tow in Drive unless you want to defeat grade braking.

[mattgob86]

So let me get this staight, the grade braking wont just work if you take your foot off of the gas like the allison? You have to be using the brake for it work. that is ok but it would be better if it did it according to rpm in t/h mode. Just a suggestion

[TorkFaze]

So let me get this staight, the grade braking wont just work if you take your foot off of the gas like the allison? You have to be using the brake for it work. that is ok but it would be better if it did it according to rpm in t/h mode. Just a suggestion

 

 

Hmmmm....I only drove one Allison with the 8.1L with a trailer (about 3+ years ago), but I own a 2003 with a D-max. I know my diesel doesn't do gradebraking without brake pedal (although the coast downshifts happen at higher speeds in T/H), and I don't remember the 8.1 doing grade braking unless the brake pedal was pressed.

 

The 2009 6-speed trucks will downshift without brake pedal if you're in cruise control.

[InertiaFaze]

So let me get this staight, the grade braking wont just work if you take your foot off of the gas like the allison? You have to be using the brake for it work. that is ok but it would be better if it did it according to rpm in t/h mode. Just a suggestion

 

TF, does the Allison activate Grade Braking without your foot on the brake? Not to my recollection, but I could be wrong.

 

Either way, the trans needs an indication that you want to slow down. The most obvious indication is seeing the brake pedal depressed. Taking your foot off the go pedal doesn't necessarily indicate you want to slow down, it would be pretty aggrivating, I would think to take your foot off the gas in a situation where all you wanted to do was coast, and then get a downshift that decelled (sp?) the truck.

[TorkFaze]

TF, does the Allison activate Grade Braking without your foot on the brake? Not to my recollection, but I could be wrong.

 

Either way, the trans needs an indication that you want to slow down. The most obvious indication is seeing the brake pedal depressed. Taking your foot off the go pedal doesn't necessarily indicate you want to slow down, it would be pretty aggrivating, I would think to take your foot off the gas in a situation where all you wanted to do was coast, and then get a downshift that decelled (sp?) the truck.

 

Guess neither of us is watching the 'game' too intently right now due to the way things are going, and instead are typing similar comments to these posts at the same time.

 

Come on, Spartans!! At least make it close!!!

[InertiaFaze]

TF, does the Allison activate Grade Braking without your foot on the brake? Not to my recollection, but I could be wrong.

 

Either way, the trans needs an indication that you want to slow down. The most obvious indication is seeing the brake pedal depressed. Taking your foot off the go pedal doesn't necessarily indicate you want to slow down, it would be pretty aggrivating, I would think to take your foot off the gas in a situation where all you wanted to do was coast, and then get a downshift that decelled (sp?) the truck.

 

Guess neither of us is watching the 'game' too intently right now due to the way things are going, and instead are typing similar comments to these posts at the same time.

 

Come on, Spartans!! At least make it close!!!

 

 

Amen.

 

It's on to football season now. Go Buckeyes!

[chevyhutch]

Well i'm in a fix, we are going camping this thursday and there's no way i'll have 500 miles on my truck by then. So what would you suggest ? I have nothing else to tow with ? I manage to put some miles on tonight it has 260. I may be able to put 400 on it by thursday ! I'll be pulling a steep mountain (Fancy Gap Va.)

[svensk]

Well i'm in a fix, we are going camping this thursday and there's no way i'll have 500 miles on my truck by then. So what would you suggest ? I have nothing else to tow with ? I manage to put some miles on tonight it has 260. I may be able to put 400 on it by thursday ! I'll be pulling a steep mountain (Fancy Gap Va.)

I honestly would not take that vehicle towing yet...I would rather post pone the trip than risk damaging something or screwing the break in.

[66nova]

Well i'm in a fix, we are going camping this thursday and there's no way i'll have 500 miles on my truck by then. So what would you suggest ? I have nothing else to tow with ? I manage to put some miles on tonight it has 260. I may be able to put 400 on it by thursday ! I'll be pulling a steep mountain (Fancy Gap Va.)

 

Take a couple long drives. You should be able to put 500 on it before then. Go see some friends, go out to dinner, etc.

 

 

If I had a brand new truck, I would have no problem being talked into driving it a couple hundred miles in a week.

[svensk]

Well i'm in a fix, we are going camping this thursday and there's no way i'll have 500 miles on my truck by then. So what would you suggest ? I have nothing else to tow with ? I manage to put some miles on tonight it has 260. I may be able to put 400 on it by thursday ! I'll be pulling a steep mountain (Fancy Gap Va.)

 

Take a couple long drives. You should be able to put 500 on it before then. Go see some friends, go out to dinner, etc.

 

 

If I had a brand new truck, I would have no problem being talked into driving it a couple hundred miles in a week.

 

Yeah, no kidding I would be sleeping in the damn thing!