Travel Trailer Towing Experiences?

[Diamondpilot]

Keep us informed on how it goes. I would love to see real world numbers once you get in the mountains and with the 1,000# of stuff you will take with you.

Chris

 

[wkpoor]

I'm feeling pretty good about my Chevy 1/2 ton. We are vacation. We live in South Central Ohio and just went down to Lake Cumberland. Left there this morning and now we are in Lexington at the Kentucky Horse Park. I'm pulling our new Jayco 32 BHDS travel trailer. It weighs 8,000 lbs empty. We planned on keeping it loaded pretty light, well once we decided to go for a week, that went out the window. It is now loaded heavy, except I have avoided hauling water. I've been able to keep it between 55 & 60 most of the way. A few spots I hit 65 and then some of the hills I had to drop down to 45 in second gear. There is one hill I have to drop to 35 MPH because of the length otherwise the temp starts to rise. This is a 99 ECSB 4x4 w/ 5.3 and 3.73 gears. I've checked the MPG twice on the fill ups. I'm getting right at 9.2 MPGs. I don't think too bad with 2 adults and 3 kids in the truck.

The 5.3 was/is supposed to be an upgrade from the 5.7 but I don't think it has the grunt the 350 has. My bro has a 1500 w/5.3 and he talks about how it has more ponies but in reality its less with a load. I routinely pull 10K plus with the Express 1ton and it does well IMO for the measley 5.7 I've got under the hood.

 

[sandman2234]

My old 91 bowtie pulled trailers like they weren't back there, but the newer 01 just doesn't even come close. Nothing like spec'ing a truck out for what your going to do with it, versus buying one from a friend who doesn't need it anymore. Difference is 350/4.9 and 373/3.42. I did learn that the tow/haul button had better be used dispite the awfull effect it has on the mpg and just the general transmission operation. It won't work long if you try to pull a trailer in O/D.
David from jax

 

[wkpoor]

I really don't get the whole Tow Haul thing on the 1/2 tonners. If they would just put the 4L80E tanny in all the gas trucks they could do away with that. Besides in yrs past all you did when you tow was simply put in 3 instead OD. Why did they need a special sw for that?

 

[npaden]

The tow haul button is simply a switch that tells the truck to take longer before switching into the next gear. I.E. normally it might switch from 3rd to Drive at 2,500 rpms but if the tow haul button is pushed it waits until it gets to 2,800 or 2,900 rpms before making the switch. It does this in each gear and keeps the transmission from hunting gears as frequently and keeps the transmission cooler.

 

[wkpoor]

The tow haul button is simply a switch that tells the truck to take longer before switching into the next gear. I.E. normally it might switch from 3rd to Drive at 2,500 rpms but if the tow haul button is pushed it waits until it gets to 2,800 or 2,900 rpms before making the switch. It does this in each gear and keeps the transmission from hunting gears as frequently and keeps the transmission cooler.

Well I still don't get it because auto trannies will delay shift depending on the load as a natural function. If you mash the throttle each gear will run out further till the manifold pressure drops enough for the next higher gear. My 4L80E runs out the gears just the same under load and throttle setting.

 

[npaden]

Not sure about your transmission, but the GM pickups shift noticeably different with the tow haul button engaged vs. when it is not engaged even pulling the same load. I've actually forgot to push the button when pulling a heavy load and it shifted much earlier than when I had the button engaged.

Here's a description I got from google.

Tow/haul mode enables the operator to achieve enhanced shift performance when towing or hauling a load. When tow/haul mode is selected, the tow/haul switch input signal to the body control module (BCM) is momentarily toggled to zero volts. This signals the powertrain control module (PCM) to extend the length of time between upshifts and increase transmission line pressure. Cycling the tow/haul switch again disables tow/haul mode and returns the transmission to a normal shift pattern.

 

[jwstewar]

The 5.3 was/is supposed to be an upgrade from the 5.7 but I don't think it has the grunt the 350 has. My bro has a 1500 w/5.3 and he talks about how it has more ponies but in reality its less with a load. I routinely pull 10K plus with the Express 1ton and it does well IMO for the measley 5.7 I've got under the hood.

I had a '97 w/ the 350 and 3.73. It was an ECSB. I traded it for the '99 w/ the 5.3 and 3.73, also an ECSB. Both were 4x4s. The '99 will walk all over the 97. Pulling the same load (a 30' camper) the '99 will pull it faster (not that you necessarily want faster, but it is also nice to beat a turtle) and smoother than what the '97 did. Since I bought both new and pulled the same load, I feel I can give better insight than some who say, well so and so pulled this load and it did this.

 

[wkpoor]

Engine aside we conducted towing tests between my 1ton w350 vs his 1/2ton w327 and the 1ton felt much more solid and stable. The 1/2ton shuttered a little starting from a stop, and thats with a lower first gear. I didn't see where the 327 had any power edge. Maybe if we had tested with 10K load but problem there I know I wouldn't be able to even hook my equipment trailer to his truck with putting the bumper on the ground. He pulls a 6000 lb boat with his and the tongue load is light in comparison. Also I doubt that 4L60E can take a heavy load for long without problems. That is the 700R and they got a good low 1st gear but not too stought for the long haul.

 

[jwstewar]

OK, so you are comparing apples to oranges. A one ton vs a 1/2 ton towing. Yes, of course the one ton is going to do better. I owned 2 like trucks. That is a fair/valid comparison. The 5.3 will out tow the 5.7.