Towing 4K with NEW 1500 Silverado?

[Mr_Bojangles]

Hello:
Recently towing Freedom Express model 170RB (19 FT., 4K LBs.) in the hills of Pa. Rt 322 north of Harrisburg, Pa. and had to bring engine (See Signature for Vehicle) to 4K rpm to reach 60 MPH from 45 MPH at 2500 RPM.

Now I just replaced a 2008 Doodge 3500 6.7L diesel with this vehicle and would not even feel trailer on the truck. Sooo, maybe I'm imagining things but I was nervous running at these 4K RPM's.
IS this normal?
HELP! Anyone help me evaluating the situation?

[APT]

A little more experience and you'll be an expert. 🙂

[Mr_Bojangles]

Sinecure and APT:

Thanks for your inputs.

My knowledge of Transmission action on this truck is getting better.
Everyone really helped......

Bye guys.

[APT]

I agree with what Sincure said about manual mode. Check owners manual for explanation and use of Manual and Tow/haul modes. It is a bit of a misnomer. Manual mode in the 6-spd GM trucks is more like Max top gear the automatic will still use all gears including the gear shown in the display and below. The shift pattern is the same as Drive. There is one exception for M2. M2 in normal mode will not into first. It will start in second gear, sometimes helpful in low traction situations. M2 in Tow/haul trans mode will start in first gear and use the same shift points as drive for 2-6.

Changing from drive to manual mode will display the current trans gear and prevent any more upshifts. So if you put in manual mode when you start the truck in from park, it will display '1'. Use the toggle buttons to select 5 for example.

What will this do for towing on the highway? 65mph will pull comfortably on flat highway at about 2000-2200rpm. The trans will not attempt to hold 6th gear, then downshift as it can't hold the speed with the aero drag. A couple shifts every mile are annoying as well as generate extra heat in the trans. It can get really bad if you lose enough speed in 6th gear where it thinks it needs to downshift to 3rd to recover. The driver sees 1600rpm, then 4500rpm, 1600rpm, 4500rpm. Holding a higher gear prevents this as well as provides better throttle response for changing grades, wind gusts, etc. The gear spacing of 6+ speed trans allows a better fien tuning of this vs. 4-speeds for example where you had really 2 gears to accelerate and 3rd for cruising.

You can also use M to downshift on downhill grades to help hold a certain speed.

[Sinecure]

To answer your question about using Manual gear selection, you can put it into manual at any speed. It will automatically display the current gear you are in. From there you can push UP, but it won't go to that gear until your truck has enough speed to need it. Think of it as a "highest gear selector". On the other hand, if you press DOWN your truck will downshift, so don't select too low a gear while you are traveling at speed.

[Mr_Bojangles]

OKAY Barney..... your correct.
I mixed up Signature and Profile in my text and thinking.

I guess your knowledge and ability to keep people straight is why you are a MONITOR. Thanks.

[BarneyS]

No, not "Okay". First you say in your opening post, "Now I just replaced a 2008 Doodge 3500 6.7L diesel with this vehicle and would not even feel trailer on the truck." So I went to your

PROFILE

to see what you replaced the Dodge with. It said a 1500 Silverado so I made my post. If you were turning that Dodge diesel at 4000rpm that is too much. It won't last long at that speed.

As to your

signature

, it STILL doesn't tell what your truck is. It shows a tiny picture of a white truck. It is beyond my vision capabilities to tell what kind of truck it is. I got the "Silverado" information from your

Profile

, not your

signature

.
Barney

[Mr_Bojangles]

BarneyS:
Upon rereading the post I see that you said:

Your signature does not tell what vehicle you are towing with and the picture is too small to tell also. I went to your profile and see that your tow vehicle is a 2014 Silverado 1500 5.3L 8 cyl.

Re-look Barney, You wont see "Silverado" in picture, that is the Dodge 3500 6.7L diesel, the verbage of "Signature" talks "Silverado.
Okay?

Been parked for a few days, but can't wait to use M (manual) transmission on them hills.
I was afraid to shift into M while doing 65 MPH, even 40 MPH.
TO everyone who commented here to help me understand.

Even thought:
I should Put M into 5th while stopped, then at 65 MPH it would put Manual Transmission into 5TH, then I could "Down Shift".

What I'm getting confidence about is I can go into M (manual) at any speed and transmission will recover and downshift using engine.
Correct?

[APT]

4500rpm, 65mpg sounds like about 3rd gear. If your goal was to hold 65mph up a hill, that sounds about right. I generally try to hold 5th gear and let the speed drop from my cruising speed of 65ish to about 60mph before I downshift to 4th which generally holds 60mph until the crest of the hill. I only have to downshift to 3rd if I want to accelerate back to 65mph.

Welcome to towing a high walled RV with a naturally aspirated gas engine.

[Mr_Bojangles]

Thanks everyone for their reply's...... feel better now.

The engine (gauge) only goes up to 6K RPM, and it never got beyond 4500 RPM no matter how hard I pushed on throttle (at least it seemed that way) but at 4500 RPM it was at speed limit of 65 MPH.
Thanks again folks.

[jerem0621]

Welcome to gasser heaven.

[dodge_guy]

No problem at all. the engine is running the way it was designed! you probably have 3.42`s or higher (numerically lower).

[APT]

Your peak torque is in the 4200rpm range. It is just waking up.

Use Tow/Haul and M5. If you want to accelerate uphill, then you'll need more power than 2200rpm offers.

[Campfire_Time]

4k rpms is normal. You can run all day at 4k rpms. You'll eat gas, but it won't hurt the engine any.

[Turbo_Diesel_Du]

Your rear gears are a lot higher than the 3.73s you were pulling in your 6.7. JMHO