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Ruger3739's avatar
Ruger3739
Explorer
Jun 07, 2014

GMC Sierra 1500 Towing Advice

Hello,

First time poster long time reader.

I have a 2012 GMC Sierra 5.3 6speed with 3.42 gears. I have the tow package with trans cooler.

I read these forums for a long time and tried to buy a trailer that would not overload my truck. I ended up buying 99 Komfort 25 foot bunkhouse.

After all this reading I became paranoid lol. I loaded up my trailer with everything except food that would go in the fridge, beer and drinking water. I loaded up the family and headed to the scales. ( I also had some junk in the back of my truck that added another 100 pounds.

My sticker on the door info:
GVWR:7000LBS
GAWR FRT:3950
GAWR RR:3950
Payload:1560
I also did a stupid thing before I knew I was going to be getting a trailer and but tires 2 sizes larger on. Good news is they are E rated
And I have a p3 break controller and ez lift WD hitch and Friction Sway.

Results from Scale:
Front Axle: 3260
Rear Axle: 3500
Total: 6760
Trailer Axle Weight: 5820

My question is: Is it unsafe for me to be this close to my GVWR? I'm not white knuckled towing it on flats but would like to go up to some lakes in the mountains and there are some tough grades 7% and one 9% (shaver and Huntington lake if anybody knows the area).

I know a 3/4 ton would be much better and I am considering it but I love my truck and have added a lot of nice features that I would not be able to afford to do if I went with a 3/4 ton due to their price.

Weight police welcome. Please tell me I'm crazy and to get a 3/4 ton or I'm over thinking this and am good to go.

Thanks for all the great info I have already read!
  • wmoses's avatar
    wmoses
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2014
    APT wrote:
    But few people towing with 6-spd/3.42 are unsatisfied with the experience.

    We can say that till we're blue in the face and still some people would still be singing the same ol tune. I guess those of us with the actual powertrain must be dreaming. Thanks to you once again for sharing the spreadsheet numbers.
  • APT's avatar
    APT
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2014
    GM 6-spd with 3.42 is actually better than GM's prior 4-spd with 4.56. 5 Usable towing gears vs. 4. Would 3.73 be better? Yes. Would 5.42 be better? Yes. But few people towing with 6-spd/3.42 are unsatisfied with the experience.

  • chr_'s avatar
    chr_
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2014
    I pull a 25 ft 6000# trailer with my 4.6 Sport trac and can actually keep at 70mph on the 6% grades but fuel economy is******if I do that. I am 1000# under my tow limit.

    Of course, the OHC engines in the Fords do make their torque at higher RPM's than the pushrod motors in the GM's
  • Tystevens's avatar
    Tystevens
    Explorer
    Jun 10, 2014
    Nvr2loud wrote:
    Tystevens wrote:
    IDman wrote:
    You will regret having the 3.42 whenever you go up a hill or into mountains.


    No he won't. Welcome to 2014! ;)

    The 5.3/5.42/6spd combo works just fine. Better than the 4.10 gears I had in my '05. Way better, in fact.

    Sounds like a decent pairing to me. Yeah, you won't win any races, and the engine will rev when climbing, but that is what it is made to do.

    Good luck!


    I'd love those 5.42 gears :S where can I get some? J/K


    Yeah, they really pull ... freeway mileage isn't the greatest, though!
  • Nvr2loud's avatar
    Nvr2loud
    Explorer II
    Jun 10, 2014
    Tystevens wrote:
    IDman wrote:
    You will regret having the 3.42 whenever you go up a hill or into mountains.


    No he won't. Welcome to 2014! ;)

    The 5.3/5.42/6spd combo works just fine. Better than the 4.10 gears I had in my '05. Way better, in fact.

    Sounds like a decent pairing to me. Yeah, you won't win any races, and the engine will rev when climbing, but that is what it is made to do.

    Good luck!


    I'd love those 5.42 gears :S where can I get some? J/K
  • Tystevens's avatar
    Tystevens
    Explorer
    Jun 10, 2014
    IDman wrote:
    You will regret having the 3.42 whenever you go up a hill or into mountains.


    No he won't. Welcome to 2014! ;)

    The 5.3/5.42/6spd combo works just fine. Better than the 4.10 gears I had in my '05. Way better, in fact.

    Sounds like a decent pairing to me. Yeah, you won't win any races, and the engine will rev when climbing, but that is what it is made to do.

    Good luck!
  • wmoses's avatar
    wmoses
    Explorer
    Jun 09, 2014
    Nvr2loud wrote:
    wmoses wrote:
    ...That is great mileage. What is the average speed that corresponds to that mileage?

    55 mph

    Thanks. Mileage now makes sense. ;)
  • Nvr2loud's avatar
    Nvr2loud
    Explorer II
    Jun 09, 2014
    wmoses wrote:
    Nvr2loud wrote:
    My transmission runs around 85 C (194 F) when hunting gears and 65 - 70 C (158 F) when I lock-out the higher gears.

    I'm averaged 19 Litrers per 100 km for a round trip of 600 km's for this past weekend. That converts to about 12.4 mpg for 375 miles

    Thanks. That is great mileage. What is the average speed that corresponds to that mileage?


    55 mph
  • wmoses's avatar
    wmoses
    Explorer
    Jun 09, 2014
    Nvr2loud wrote:
    My transmission runs around 85 C (194 F) when hunting gears and 65 - 70 C (158 F) when I lock-out the higher gears.

    I'm averaged 19 Litrers per 100 km for a round trip of 600 km's for this past weekend. That converts to about 12.4 mpg for 375 miles

    Thanks. That is great mileage. What is the average speed that corresponds to that mileage?

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