Chevy tow/haul question

beemerphile1 wrote:
I am pulling 6,500 pounds with TV in signature. I have pulled with and without tow/haul. The truck does fine with it off.

What would the pros and cons be for my combination?

Which would use less fuel?

My truck is capable of a much heavier load and tow/haul would be used at that heavier load. At 6,500 pounds it isn't even breathing hard.

It is usually better for the transmission when you use tow/haul. What did your owners manual say?

I would always use it when towing, there is no down side and it's better for the trucks power train.

I feel the computer is smarter than I am so I always use Tow/Hual

Lynnmor wrote:
...What did your owners manual say?

The manual says to use for steep hills/mountains or towing/hauling heavy loads. With a tow rating of 19,600 pounds, my trailer at 6,500 is hardly a heavy load.

The transmission never hunts and the transmission temperature has never gotten high without activating tow/haul.

Beemer, when I had my cabover and boat in tow I just used tow/haul on steep grades. My combined haul and towing weight was about 7,000 lbs.

You don't need it hardly at all. When you go downhill and want to shift down to protect your brakes, use tow/haul. If you are in a up and down hilly section and your transmission is shifting, use tow/haul. Rest of the time just use your normal transmission gear selection.

The fuel economy would not normally change. It takes the same horsepower to go the same speed within normal engine operating ranges. The engine will produce the power necessary.

When I had my Chevy if it was in Tow/Haul the trans clearly downshifted pretty hard when slowing down to stop.

I use Tow/Haul when doing either of those.....towing or hauling

I also use it when NOT doing either......running empty

Especially in slow city traffic. Less shifting/torque converter lock up/less heat generated

Beemer I "did" have almost the same combo as you. (06 Dmax and 7000K trailer.)

I almost never turned it on unless I was in the mountains. It worked way too aggressive for that weight.

Depending on the terrain I would get better mileage with it off which makes sense because I was always adding fuel when going down hill. On the flats it did not seem to make any difference that I could tell.


Fast forward. Late last year I bought a heavy as lead Arctic Fox TT. I think it is 11 or 12K gross.
I tried to do the same thing............once. Never going to do that again! Now the procedure is get into the truck and put my seatbelt on and put tow/haul on EVERY SINGLE TIME! So as the saying goes, things change.

So if "I" were "you, with the setup you have right now" I would leave it off most of the time unless you are in the real steep stuff.

beemerphile1 wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
...What did your owners manual say?

The manual says to use for steep hills/mountains or towing/hauling heavy loads. With a tow rating of 19,600 pounds, my trailer at 6,500 is hardly a heavy load.

The transmission never hunts and the transmission temperature has never gotten high without activating tow/haul.

Then you're FINE.