Towing in 3rd gear on a 1300 mile trip
I have a 1997 GMC k1500 Z71 5.7 liter with 20000 miles and a 4L60e transmission with only 2000 miles, I will be towing a 3000# dry weight TT from Louisiana to Colorado. I plan on breaking the trip int...
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You're looking at your truck the wrong way. A truck is a tool, just like a hammer, or a fan. If the tool you're using works best ( optimal ) at it's peak horsepower option, so if that's 3k, then it's 3k. Using your tool at it's maximum output does not harm the tool, contrary to what so many people seem to think. You don't ruin a hammer by using the hammer properly, do you ? A transmission merely exists to make driving more sustainable for you and me, transmissions were invented in the first place to make driving at higher speeds more feesable without the sound, and wear and tear on a motor.
You can look at your motor specifically though, it makes it's max HP at 4800 RPM, but it makes just 20 less horsepower at 3000 RPM, and 4000RPM, beacuse i has a flat curve, it's basically a straight line. Using a truck at it's maximum performance will in no way cause it harm. The transmission won't be harmed by using your engine at it's maximum capacity at a longer than normal time. Not to mention that motor was basically designed to be ran the way you're planning on running it. It has almost NO power under 3k RPM's , wouldn't matter how many gears you had, you'll get very little power.
You can look at your motor specifically though, it makes it's max HP at 4800 RPM, but it makes just 20 less horsepower at 3000 RPM, and 4000RPM, beacuse i has a flat curve, it's basically a straight line. Using a truck at it's maximum performance will in no way cause it harm. The transmission won't be harmed by using your engine at it's maximum capacity at a longer than normal time. Not to mention that motor was basically designed to be ran the way you're planning on running it. It has almost NO power under 3k RPM's , wouldn't matter how many gears you had, you'll get very little power.
