Suburban with 6.0L and 6 speed tranny?
Have a Rockwood Roo 233S. Fully dry weight about 4500 so I'll probably be pulling almost 5500 pounds loaded. Currently own 2007 Lincoln Mark LT with 5.4L, 4 speed tranny, factory towing package and 3....
Forum Discussion
What I do with my silverado which has the same engine and transmission as the 2500 suburban.
I have an ultra gauge which is the same as a scan gauge. I set it up to show engine load. When I approach a hill I push the pedal to get it to 100% load, any more and it will down shift, any less and you are not giving it full effort in the gear you are in. If it starts to lose speed at 100% load in 5th then I will push it harder to let it downshift when I get to about 60. This puts it into 4th then I push hard enough to get to 100% load, 4th at 60 runs 2800 rpm, this will climb most interstate grades with my trailer which is a good bit heavier than yours. On a long grade I might need to let it go to 3rd, so if it drops to 55 or so I push harder to get 3rd and let it run 100% load. I never have ever had to drop below 3rd on the interstate. I can pull my 8000lb trailer at least 55 mph up any interstate grade I have ever come across without exceeding 3500 rpm. If you want to go 65 up any eastern interstate grade then it will do it in 3rd at 4100 rpm. Your trailer is lighter it might do many grades in 4th.
What I don't do. I DON'T TRY TO ACCELERATE UP A GRADE. The truck will do it but it isn't worth the fuel. I don't go easy on the pedal trying to avoid a downshift when I know it can't pull 5th gear up the hill only to have to floor it when it gets down to 45. Then it downshifts and starts to accelerate again, but the rpm freaks me out so I let off again and lose speed. From what people on this board describe this is how they drive a gas truck in the hills. They freak and let off when it downshifts and lose tons of speed.
I also want to mention that the suburban and my silverado have an electronic throttle. The pedal isn't directly connected to the throttle plate. The pedal is more of a request to the computer to go faster or slower. I can set the ultra gauge up to show throttle plate opening and it does not directly correlate to my right foot.
I have an ultra gauge which is the same as a scan gauge. I set it up to show engine load. When I approach a hill I push the pedal to get it to 100% load, any more and it will down shift, any less and you are not giving it full effort in the gear you are in. If it starts to lose speed at 100% load in 5th then I will push it harder to let it downshift when I get to about 60. This puts it into 4th then I push hard enough to get to 100% load, 4th at 60 runs 2800 rpm, this will climb most interstate grades with my trailer which is a good bit heavier than yours. On a long grade I might need to let it go to 3rd, so if it drops to 55 or so I push harder to get 3rd and let it run 100% load. I never have ever had to drop below 3rd on the interstate. I can pull my 8000lb trailer at least 55 mph up any interstate grade I have ever come across without exceeding 3500 rpm. If you want to go 65 up any eastern interstate grade then it will do it in 3rd at 4100 rpm. Your trailer is lighter it might do many grades in 4th.
What I don't do. I DON'T TRY TO ACCELERATE UP A GRADE. The truck will do it but it isn't worth the fuel. I don't go easy on the pedal trying to avoid a downshift when I know it can't pull 5th gear up the hill only to have to floor it when it gets down to 45. Then it downshifts and starts to accelerate again, but the rpm freaks me out so I let off again and lose speed. From what people on this board describe this is how they drive a gas truck in the hills. They freak and let off when it downshifts and lose tons of speed.
I also want to mention that the suburban and my silverado have an electronic throttle. The pedal isn't directly connected to the throttle plate. The pedal is more of a request to the computer to go faster or slower. I can set the ultra gauge up to show throttle plate opening and it does not directly correlate to my right foot.
