Towing with a Manual

We bought the trailer in my signature last year in Edmonton and towed it back to the coast with the truck in my signature and it towed like a dream (my truck also has the G56 manual transmission). We have since towed the trailer (which weighs 16,000 lbs) on countless trips and the truck handles it extremely well. As others have said, the Cummins has a zero launch feature so you can let out the clutch with the transmission in first gear with no throttle. The truck will take off like nothing is even hooked to it. You can start the truck off in second gear with no trailer connected. As others have said, don't lug the engine (the Cummins will tow that trailer in 6th gear at 1500 RPM or less for most of the trip), and there really is no reason to bring it above 2500-2700 RPM. When you do reach a large hill that will require a downshift, downshift it a gear fairly early to keep it around 2000-2500 RPM and it will march up the hill easily.

Ensure that the exhaust brake is on FULL setting (one push of the button on the centre portion of the dash and the icon in the instrument panel will light up yellow). If the icon is green then the exhaust brake is on AUTO setting which is not as good for towing. I usually descend moderate hills with my truck and trailer in 5th gear and steeper mountain passes in 4th gear and rarely have to use the service brakes.

You will be surprised how well the truck handles that trailer and the trip will go quickly! Drive safely in the summer traffic.