5.03 truck 3.08 rearend towing 6000 lbs

[Arnold_Wagaman]

I am planning on towing a 6000 lb. trailer 3000 miles over the Rockies three times. any one towing with a GM 1500 5.03 motor and a 3.08 rear-end how well will this set up tow?

[jaycocreek]

Heheh .... if I were to get down to 20 - 23 mph I would be considering another truck as the load is too much. Just me 2 cents.

Been there done that with the mighty 454 and Ford 460 big blocks..Pick a gear that works and set back and cruise up the hill like the logging trucks and semi's.

Living in Central Idaho I'm surrounded by hills and grades.I worry more about the RVer going fast and furious over the grades than the ones going slower..There's been about 5-10 wrecks per year of RV's on Whitebird and other grades around here and almost all were from inexperienced drivers going to fast and yes,3/4 and 1-Tons pulling trailers and fifth wheels not 1/2 tons so far.:?

30-35 mph in the appropriate gear is better than faster popping in and out of gears and passing gear.That's what I pulled my 34' Terry at with more than one 454 engine.

This need for speed going up hills kills people.I have seen to many of them over the years hauling logs/grain,lumber,machinery and about anything you could fit on a flatbed behind my semi.

[time2roll]

Maybe I missed going over the Rockies three times and coming from AK.... Get the 4.10 before the trip.
Driving will be a bit easier even if a bit slow at times.

[time2roll]

2012Coleman wrote:

smkettner wrote:
With a 6 speed transmission you will be fine with 3.08 gears. Yes you will slow at times down into the 20 to 35 mph zone and this is regardless of the gearing. You may not spend much time in gear 5 or 6 but so what. Just keep the RPM between 3000 and 4000 when it gets steep (up or down) and enjoy the ride.

"Slowing down to 20 to 35 mph... Would that be uphill on his 3000 mile trip? Where do I sign up for this?

Have you ever climbed 7+ % grade at over 8000 feet elevation without a turbo?
LOTS of people are going 35 mph or less. How about 15 mph curve in similar conditions? Do you think you pop right back up to 55+?

Sure my truck slows a bit on these hills but I still keep up with at least half of the MHs and vehicles towing.

Yes 4.10 gear would help some and not necessary for a single trip. If the OP plans to do this more often then by all means get the gears changed.

[The_Painting_Te]

According to the GM website, the max tow rating of the 3.08 axle is 7,300 lbs, while the 3.42 boosts it to 9,300. Methinks you'd be OK on the flat, but the Rockies will sap your power quickly as you go higher and higher. A formula I found gives the loss as "elevation X .03 X horsepower" to determine the actual loss of about 106 horsepower. Back in '84 in a Ford station wagon with a 351 engine I couldn't make the summit of Trail Ridge Road and had to turn around and take a 200 mile detour. Hope this helps. Camp on!

[Wishin]

With a 2014 and 6-speed, you will be fine as long as you have adequate transmission cooling. I pulled a 5600 lb trailer for years with my wagon with a 250 hp 5.7L V8 and 2.93 gears with a 4-speed. I elected to never go to the Rockies with it but we went many places in the mountains out east with no issues.

[Huntindog]

Those that advocate the 6 speed trans vs the old 4 speed as a sustitute for lower rear end gears are looking at it as a simple math problem. They think that so long as the final torque multiplication number is about the same, that the result will be the same as well. Not so. Performance will be close,but durabilty will not be. Where the torque multiplcation occurs in the drivetrain matters.
When the rear end has lower gears, then all components upstream of it will have an easier time.
When it happens in the tranny,then only the engine benefits.

[2012Coleman]

smkettner wrote:
With a 6 speed transmission you will be fine with 3.08 gears. Yes you will slow at times down into the 20 to 35 mph zone and this is regardless of the gearing. You may not spend much time in gear 5 or 6 but so what. Just keep the RPM between 3000 and 4000 when it gets steep (up or down) and enjoy the ride.

"Slowing down to 20 to 35 mph... Would that be uphill on his 3000 mile trip? Where do I sign up for this?

[Calicajun]

My ex 2013 Chev Tahoe had 3:08 gears with 5.3 V8 engine. We towed our 31 foot TT 900 miles from Lancaster, CA to Klamath Falls, OR weighing about 7,000 pounds loaded. Towed ok but did slow down to 45 MPH going up the Grapevine. The MPG was only 8 MPG, we stop a lot at every other gas station.

[wmoses]

smkettner wrote:
With a 6 speed transmission you will be fine with 3.08 gears. Yes you will slow at times down into the 20 to 35 mph zone and this is regardless of the gearing. You may not spend much time in gear 5 or 6 but so what. Just keep the RPM between 3000 and 4000 when it gets steep (up or down) and enjoy the ride.

Heheh .... if I were to get down to 20 - 23 mph I would be considering another truck as the load is too much. Just me 2 cents.

[time2roll]

With a 6 speed transmission you will be fine with 3.08 gears. Yes you will slow at times down into the 20 to 35 mph zone and this is regardless of the gearing. You may not spend much time in gear 5 or 6 but so what. Just keep the RPM between 3000 and 4000 when it gets steep (up or down) and enjoy the ride.

[trail-explorer]

intheburbs wrote:
I would have significant reservations using a 5.3 with the 3.08 rear, UNLESS it's a newer truck and you have a six-speed.

Ditto.

6000 lbs behind a truck with 3.08 gears will result in a very long and arduous climb over the mountains.... 25mph is likely.

[wmoses]

Arnold Wagaman wrote:
I am planning on towing a 6000 lb. trailer 3000 miles over the Rockies three times. any one towing with a GM 1500 5.03 motor and a 3.08 rear-end how well will this set up tow?

Arnold,

Speaking from direct experience it is not advisable. That powertrain is rated at 6900# and there is not enough margin for pulling in hilly terrain. You need at least a 3.42 with that engine and transmission, given you have tranny cooler etc.

[itsmike]

Wow...

I need to update my Sig..

[itsmike]

Any harm if you get into "Trouble" on a mountain pass to Pull over, Shift into 4l and Creep up the hill?