High RPM while Light Towing & Upgrade Transmission?

[Foggy]

Sometimes you just have to drive slower...... when towing.
Use the 3rd gear and Tow/Haul Mode.. And just slow down accordingly.
It's the right thing to do

 

[SunnyInCo]

So what is the total towing weight? I'm assuming you are within the GVWR and GCWR of your vehicle.

Towing in 3rd (on the 4Lxx transmissions) is the preferred gear when getting up there on the towing capacity. Driving in 3rd will basically be like you have a steeper gear ratio.

80 MPH towing speed? That sounds pretty darn fast to me. I would try to slow down, just for safety. But I know everyone drives really fast nowadays.

5,000 RPM is perfectly fine on the engine. That's the range where peak HP is made.

The 6Lxx is a double overdrive transmission; it splits the overdrive in two, one higher and one lower than your 4L transmission. I don't really "think" it makes a huge difference on the highway speeds, where it really benefits is the very steep first gear. Can you upgrade to the 6 speed on your truck? I know the later versions did get the 6 speed. I've never wondered that...

Towing weight is light. Maybe 1,500 lbs with the fully loaded 150 qt cooler. On day trips with limited gear and ice, 1,20 lbs at the most. These include the trailer at about 850 lbs.

 

[SunnyInCo]

Little known or mostly ignored factoid: officially named the "Eisenhower–Edwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel," the Eisenhower part of the tunnel is the westbound bore, named after the U.S. President and opened in 1973; the eastbound tunnel is the Johnson bore, opened in 1979 and named after a former Colorado Governor and U.S. Senator.

Sometimes you just have to drive slower...... when towing.
Use the 3rd gear and Tow/Haul Mode.. And just slow down accordingly.
It's the right thing to do

Agreed. 80 mph is usually reserved for the high planes of western Colorado and eastern Utah where the speed limit is 80. I know this does not mean you must drive 80 or so. The problem is during an assent if momentum is not kept, speed drops fast and RPMs increase drastically. I am not used to punching the gas pedal to keep the momentum.

 

[NickTransmissions]

Hi everyone. I purchased a raft last year and I have a question about towing. As you will see from my question, I am inexperienced in this area. We live near Denver and head to western Colorado and Utah frequently. Because of this, we go up and over a lot of steep, long inclines on I-70 and other highways. You might be familiar with the Johnston and Iselhower tunnels. These could be 6 miles of an avg of of 6 or 7% grade. Towing weight maybe 1,500 lbs at most with a 14' trailer with 15" wheels and 3,500lb axels. My 2008 has low mileage (132,000) and otherwise runs and drives great.

My question is the sometimes higher RPM than I am used to running. The Yukon has a 5.3l and 4sp transmission. I received a suggestion to downshift to the 3rd gear at this point to help with the shifting. This has helped keep (usually) the RPMs down below 5,000 but I do like to keep momentum when possible and maybe drive on the higher end of speed, usually averaging about 80 mph on open flat'ish roads.

In the future if I keep the Yukon, would a 6-speed transmission be feasible or would this potentially or likely just cause more issues?

Keeping the Yukon?

Segment swap to a 4L80E and be done. Easy button if towing frequently and heavier loads up and down grades in mountainous areas.