Towing with a 12 Yukon

[PlatinumYukon]

I am planning on taking a 6hr trip north this weekend with my quad hooked on a trailer on the back of my 2012 Yukon. Once I get on the highway, any worries turning the tow/haul mode off to highway coast in 6th?

 

[TowGMC]

I am planning on taking a 6hr trip north this weekend with my quad hooked on a trailer on the back of my 2012 Yukon. Once I get on the highway, any worries turning the tow/haul mode off to highway coast in 6th?

You'll enjoy towing a quad with your Yukon. Good friend of mine who also lives in Naperville uses his '12 Tahoe to tow his SpecMiata race car on an aluminum open deck trailer and it tows that 3500 lb load easily. He always leaves it in Tow/Haul mode and it often shifts up to 6th on the highway when on flat ground. For example when towing west on I88 from the Naperville area his TowHoe will spend most of the time in 6th unless he hits a headwind.

For your light load leaving it in D most of the time will probably be just fine. But keep in mind that the Tow/Haul mode does more than just change the shift patterns. According to the GM Light Duty Truck Engineer I spoke with here are some of the other benefits of T/H:
Altered shifting characteristics
Delayed shift into 6th gear
Earlier opening of the tramsmission cooler thermostat
Blinkers will blink 6 times instead of 3 when using lane change feature
For vehicles with electronic shocks- the settings of all four shocks will be recalibrated for a firmer ride control primarily in the rear, and shock valving will be more appropriate for controlling a trailer tha sways.

So personally I leave my Denali in T/H even when just towing a light motorcycle trailer for all the other transmission and suspension benefits.

Enuoy your holiday trip north, the Yukon will hardly notice there's a light trailer behind you.

 

[FishinCricket]

You'll enjoy towing a quad with your Yukon. Good friend of mine who also lives in Naperville uses his '12 Tahoe to tow his SpecMiata race car on an aluminum open deck trailer and it tows that 3500 lb load easily. He always leaves it in Tow/Haul mode and it often shifts up to 6th on the highway when on flat ground. For example when towing west on I88 from the Naperville area his TowHoe will spend most of the time in 6th unless he hits a headwind.

For your light load leaving it in D most of the time will probably be just fine. But keep in mind that the Tow/Haul mode does more than just change the shift patterns. According to the GM Light Duty Truck Engineer I spoke with here are some of the other benefits of T/H:
Altered shifting characteristics
Delayed shift into 6th gear
Earlier opening of the tramsmission cooler thermostat
Blinkers will blink 6 times instead of 3 when using lane change feature
For vehicles with electronic shocks- the settings of all four shocks will be recalibrated for a firmer ride control primarily in the rear, and shock valving will be more appropriate for controlling a trailer tha sways.

So personally I leave my Denali in T/H even when just towing a light motorcycle trailer for all the other transmission and suspension benefits.

Enuoy your holiday trip north, the Yukon will hardly notice there's a light trailer behind you.

Now that is an extensive reply! Kudos!

 

[Goodinblack]

Interesting on the blinkers.

 

[Stresst]

I towed my Polaris Sportsman 800, Kawa 650 and my cousins Rincon (700 I think) and dont use the tow mode. I honestly dont feel a differance.....Actually one weeked the tranny would harshly downshift and I was cruising at like 4500, this happened numerous time on that trip. I never used it again.

I will have to see how it is on my new truck.

 

[Kenric]

What kind of trailer are you using? The ATV may be light but its the combined weight of the trailer and ATV that count.
Is the trailer equipped with brakes?

Also, if the has a large frontal area, for example, if it is enclosed, then the aero drag will play a big factor.

If the combined weight of the ATV, trailer, and cargo in your vehicle is still less than just the GVW, AND the frontal area of the ATV/trailer fits behind the truck, then from a strict powertrain performance/durabiltiy perspective you should be fine running with tow/haul off.

Anything above GVW, or anything with a frontal area that protrudes beyond the truck, then you would have to make a judgement call. I would think maybe 1,000 Lb over GVW and you would still be good with Tow/Haul off, but other factors, such as grades and temperature, and towing speed would play into it then

Personally I would go by gut feel. You are used to how the truck accelerates and handles without a trailer. You would have to compare that to how it feels with the trailer. If it feels sluggish, like it is bogging down, or sloppy in handing, then turn tow/haul on.

If when you get to highway speed, let off the pedal and the truck decels much more rapidly than without the trailer then the aero is playing a big factor and you would probably turn on tow/haul.

Good luck.

 

[PlatinumYukon]

TOWGMC

I really appreciate the in depth reply, I had no idea that the truck still hits 6th in Tow/Haul mode. Nor did I know about the blinkers and trans cooler. Everyone have a happy and safe holiday weekend. My prayers go out to the people who lost their homes and loved ones in Oklahoma.

 

[TowGMC]

TOWGMC

My prayers go out to the people who lost their homes and loved ones in Oklahoma.

Amen to that. Makes our holiday weekend plans seem frivolous in comparison.