Heading up to the Smokies near Cherokee, NC. I have a Yukon Denali with 6.2l and HD tow pfg. Pulling a 26 ft Crossroads Slingshot. With our gear, it may weigh in about 5000 lbs. +/- a couple hundred lbs. I always pull in tow mode but most trips were in Texas until I moved to SC. In Texas Hill Country the hills don't have the grades we will see in the Smokies. So, my question...does the tow mode compensate for steep grades or do I still need to downshift manually? I expect I will feel the stress on the rpm's and shift accordingly. But was wondering what others may have experienced.

It's an automatic it will shift automatically.

martinto wrote:Heading up to the Smokies near Cherokee, NC. I have a Yukon Denali with 6.2l and HD tow pfg. Pulling a 26 ft Crossroads Slingshot. With our gear, it may weigh in about 5000 lbs. +/- a couple hundred lbs. I always pull in tow mode but most trips were in Texas until I moved to SC. In Texas Hill Country the hills don't have the grades we will see in the Smokies. So, my question...does the tow mode compensate for steep grades or do I still need to downshift manually? I expect I will feel the stress on the rpm's and shift accordingly. But was wondering what others may have experienced.Depending on how you get there, There aren't any really bad grades from the South. Saluda Grade on I-26 is about the worst, until you get off the main roads.So depending on your TV. Going up will be the easy part. Coming down is always the hard part. So when you do, and you have a gas engine. Gear down to no higher than 2nd, and if that lets you go too fast. Gear down to 1st. Find a gear that will hold the speed you want to come down at.If you have a diesel. Some will hold the TV back in tow haul. If not, Use a exhaust brake, or trany brake. Or just go down real slow.

martinto wrote:Heading up to the Smokies near Cherokee, NC. I have a Yukon Denali with 6.2l and HD tow pfg. Pulling a 26 ft Crossroads Slingshot. With our gear, it may weigh in about 5000 lbs. +/- a couple hundred lbs. I always pull in tow mode but most trips were in Texas until I moved to SC. In Texas Hill Country the hills don't have the grades we will see in the Smokies. So, my question...does the tow mode compensate for steep grades or do I still need to downshift manually? I expect I will feel the stress on the rpm's and shift accordingly. But was wondering what others may have experienced.Those are all baby hills eastern US. You should pull them in the highest gear.

Apply pressure to the foot pedal on the right hand side of your tow vehicle . The truck will shift when it needs to .

Your truck in tow mode knows what to do :)

Mountain grades | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

_DJ_1
Explorer II
Jul 09, 2013
If your truck is equipped with Tow/Haul mode then it is recommended you use it whenever towing or hauling.

But as mentioned before you need to learn what your T/H does. Some of the older rigs only disabled the overdrive. My '11 Ford does not disable the overdrive. Still goes into OD whenever the computer deems it safe. But the T/H does change the shift points to keep the RPM's from going too low.

I've never been back East so I can't comment on the grades. But here is some interesting reading.

Top Ten Toughest Pulls
Terryallan
Explorer II
Jul 09, 2013
Seattle Lion wrote:
Terryallan wrote:
whistlebritches wrote:
Supercharged is right, the Smokies aren't bad at all, just wait until you get to the Rockies!

Drove over both. Rockies aren't any worse. In fact the steepness of the grades on the interstates are the same.

Actually the grades on the Rockies can be pretty steep. One pass over the Grand Tetons has a 10% grade. Going up that, my Prius sounded like a lawn mower going insane. Of course, now I have much more powerful vehicles that can easily handle the grades when we go back. (Ford F150 Eco-Boost to pull the TT, Ford Mustang GT for my daily driving).

Bob

Is that an interstate grade? The standard for Interstate grades is 7%. As mentioned, Off the interstate the grades can and do get much steeper. We have grades much steeper than that as well, but off the interstate.
L_R_G
Explorer
Jul 09, 2013
Regarding whether or not to use tow/haul mode, research how it operates on your specific vehicle. Different makes/models/years operate differently in some cases. Generally speaking though if you're towing or hauling then use tow/haul mode :).
christopherglen
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
remember to go down the grade in one gear lower then you would go up it. IE if you would go up in 4th gear, go down in 3rd. Drag the brakes and you will overheat them, then they fade, then you push harder on the brake pedal, which causes them to overheat more, which makes them fade more............
Seattle_Lion
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
Terryallan wrote:
whistlebritches wrote:
Supercharged is right, the Smokies aren't bad at all, just wait until you get to the Rockies!

Drove over both. Rockies aren't any worse. In fact the steepness of the grades on the interstates are the same.

Actually the grades on the Rockies can be pretty steep. One pass over the Grand Tetons has a 10% grade. Going up that, my Prius sounded like a lawn mower going insane. Of course, now I have much more powerful vehicles that can easily handle the grades when we go back. (Ford F150 Eco-Boost to pull the TT, Ford Mustang GT for my daily driving).

Bob
Supercharged
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
Terryallan wrote:
whistlebritches wrote:
Supercharged is right, the Smokies aren't bad at all, just wait until you get to the Rockies!

Drove over both. Rockies aren't any worse. In fact the steepness of the grades on the interstates are the same. Of course, Once you get off the big road. It gets worse in both areas.
Come with me, and lets tow go up, or down highway 80, Or 226. You'll be beggin for the Rockies.

BTW. The Rockies are the babies, The Appalachian are the older.
Just little baby hills back east, they are very short pulls, maybe a 1941 Chev sedan would pull most 35fts. up them back east.
Pig-Smoker
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
Terryallan wrote:
whistlebritches wrote:
Supercharged is right, the Smokies aren't bad at all, just wait until you get to the Rockies!

Drove over both. Rockies aren't any worse. In fact the steepness of the grades on the interstates are the same. Of course, Once you get off the big road. It gets worse in both areas.
Come with me, and lets tow go up, or down highway 80, Or 226. You'll be beggin for the Rockies.

BTW. The Rockies are the babies, The Appalachian are the older.

yep , that says it all , and is right on
martinto
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
Thanks for all the feedback. A few different opinions, but all are helpful. As circumstances dictate, I'll probably try most suggestions, but always default to safety first as we will have our grand kids with us.

Smokies this year...maybe the Rockies next year!
Dick_B
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
Stay out of Cruise Control in the `hills'.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Jul 08, 2013
whistlebritches wrote:
Supercharged is right, the Smokies aren't bad at all, just wait until you get to the Rockies!

Drove over both. Rockies aren't any worse. In fact the steepness of the grades on the interstates are the same. Of course, Once you get off the big road. It gets worse in both areas.
Come with me, and lets tow go up, or down highway 80, Or 226. You'll be beggin for the Rockies.

BTW. The Rockies are the babies, The Appalachian are the older.

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Mountain grades

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