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kwslvdo96's avatar
kwslvdo96
Explorer
Mar 03, 2016

Towing in 3rd gear rpm high?

Hey guys new to the towing a travel trailer and I Have a 1996 Silverado extended cab 4X4 with 5.7 Vortec and factory 3.73 gears and factory size tires 265/75/16 and the truck only has 50K original miles. I'm towing a 21ft Wilderness bunkhouse camper dry weight I believe is 3850lbs (at least that's what the salesman told me) My truck loaded with firewood and all the rest of the goodies im guessing I'm towing around 4500 to 4700lbs. My truck can not tow this camper in overdrive without upshifting and downshifting so I was told to just run it in third gear which in this truck the owners manual says to do anyways to keep transmission from overheating. The problem is at 60mph in third gear I'm at 2400 to 2500rpm! The truck pulls it no problem in third gear but the rpm being so high for a long distance is bothering me. I was thinking instead of doing 4.11 gears because I still don't think I could keep it from downshifting of doing 3.42 gears and when I replace my tires to go just one size up and that would put me at 2300 to 2350rpm at 65 in third gear. What do you guys think?
  • fireman41's avatar
    fireman41
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2016
    Its fine, its a gas engine its hardly truning. Just wait till you pull a hill and it kicks down to second at 60 mph and its spins up to 5k rpm.
  • eipo's avatar
    eipo
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2016
    2500 rpm on the 5.7 motor is nothing to be concerned with.
  • ifd22's avatar
    ifd22
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2016
    My truck has a 4:30 rear end and 6 speeds. I still typically tow in 4th which is drive. I can tow in 5th which is an overdrive gear but it downshifts more then I like and seems to be lugging. 4th gear puts me at 2900 rpm. Gas engines are made to rev.
  • kwslvdo96's avatar
    kwslvdo96
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2016
    Awesome thanks a lot for the info, I still think im going to go one size bigger in my tires to knock off a little rpm.
  • Chuck_thehammer's avatar
    Chuck_thehammer
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2016
    on level ground you could use 4th.. but third is fine..

    let her spin..

    my F 250 .. 6.2L and 3:73's is pulling 10,000 an has 1,500 in the bed.. does the big WV hills fine. mostly third.. sometimes second.
  • colliehauler's avatar
    colliehauler
    Explorer III
    Mar 03, 2016
    kwslvdo96 wrote:
    Awesome thanks a lot for the info, I still think im going to go one size bigger in my tires to knock off a little rpm.
    Then it might hunt gears again. My 6.8 V-10 runs 3k all day long. Would not worry about it.
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Mar 03, 2016
    kwslvdo96 wrote:
    I still think im going to go one size bigger in my tires to knock off a little rpm.


    I towed for 4 yrs with a 2006 Silverado, 5.3L engine, wide ratio 4 spd transmission coupled to GM's ubquitous 3.42 axle and always towed in 3rd, Tow / Haul engaged. I now tow, and have for the last six years, with a 2005 Avalanche - same engine, same transmission, same axle = same results. Since my 3.42 axle is higher than yours I'm running just a bit slower than you would at the same road speed but if anything I could only wish I had a 3.73 to get the revs up a touch. Of course you should be towing in 3rd ... changing the tire size won't achieve anything other than to lighten your wallet.
  • dodge_guy's avatar
    dodge_guy
    Explorer II
    Mar 03, 2016
    You don't want to go to a larger tire, even one size larger! Then it may start hunting in 3rd gear. 2500 is a non issue for your truck. I ran my Dodge conv. Van with a 3.90 gear in 3rd for 3500 miles with no problem. Just sit back and enjoy.

    If you still want to change something it would be gearing, but you'de have to go past 4.10 to get any noticeable change, but then you could run in O/D at a lower rpm. If it's 4X4 then you need to do both axles!
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Mar 03, 2016
    So high.... are you kidding me? 2500 is more like MINIMUM rpm.
    Wait until you go to second gear climbing a hill and set your cruise control at 4200 rpm. :B

    If you get bigger tires then go 4.10 or 4.56 to keep your rpm up. You will still be in 3rd unless you get into 4.88+

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