GM HD News, 6.6L gasser!
35,500# max towing 43,500# max GCWR Duramax is still 445hp/910tq, but has the 10 speed auto New updated frame Same 12" rear diff as the Ram 3500, no word on whether they use a 3.73 or 4.10. No ne...
Forum Discussion
KD4UPL wrote:
I'm not familiar with the new 10 speed. My initial impression is that it sounds really complicated and expensive. I really feel like 6 gears are plenty. Does the 10 speed have grade braking like the 6L90? Does it grade brake to hold the cruise control speed like the 6L90? Those are 2 reasons that I went for an '09 when I bought my 2500 Sub. I wanted the transmission to downshift automatically.
It may be different in the HD trucks and with a larger engine but 6 gears in our 2014 5.3L Yukon XL is miserably short most of the times. The top 3 gears are just for cruising and there are still huge gaps between 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. Even when used to haul just people, I would love a 1.5 and 2.5 gear. A lower rear axle ratio would help but then you lose the empty mileage advantage.
Simply put, gas engines need many gear choices to satisfy higher RPM, lower road speed demands of towing without giving up the lower RPM cruising choices when running empty.
