When to downshift
Hi, I tow a approx. 6000lb trailer with a 03 Yukon xl 5.3, 3.73 gear. I took it for a drive today (middle NC) and it was in third, hit a small to medium hill (bump in the road to western people) at 2...
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I set cruise with tow/haul on at 65mph on interstates and 60mph on backroads where that's the speed limit. On rolling hills where speed can be maintained, I've become familiar enough with my truck that if a hill is going to slow us down 5mph and downshift anyhow to regain that lost 5mph, I'll give the loud peddle a momentary push to the floor to cause an earlier downshift to maintain rather than regain speed. My 5.4L F250 with 3.73 runs 3800-4200rpm in those instances. Won't hurt a thing.
I did the same thing with my Cummins Rams with autos except instead of downshifting from direct to 3rd, they downshifted from O/D to direct. Didn't hurt them either.
Lugging to preserve a false sense of perception isn't good for either engine. Engines don't get tired like people do if you have to pedal your bike a little faster in a lower gear to get up a hill. Just the same, we don't walk very slowly for fear we're going to wear out our hearts if we walk at our normal gait. Same applies to our engines. Let them run in their normal rpm ranges. 4k rpm is just getting into the sb gas V8's power band.
I did the same thing with my Cummins Rams with autos except instead of downshifting from direct to 3rd, they downshifted from O/D to direct. Didn't hurt them either.
Lugging to preserve a false sense of perception isn't good for either engine. Engines don't get tired like people do if you have to pedal your bike a little faster in a lower gear to get up a hill. Just the same, we don't walk very slowly for fear we're going to wear out our hearts if we walk at our normal gait. Same applies to our engines. Let them run in their normal rpm ranges. 4k rpm is just getting into the sb gas V8's power band.
