Please educate yourself!

[Diamondpilot]

So last night I was out spraying some Round-Up and I had a customer of mine stop by. He wanted to ask me a few questions about his boat and trailer plus wanted to show me his new truck. He got a new GMC 1500 Extended Cab 4x4 Short Bed with the 5.3L and a 6 speed auto. He was telling me he just traded about a month ago for the 2006 GMC he had that was basically the same truck with the exception of the old one being a 4 speed and cloth interior. He also stated he just got back from a trip to Dale Hollow Lake which is in the western part of the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee. He was telling me how much he hated the new 6 speed tranny when pulling his 5,800# boat. He said it really struggled in the hills which caught my attention so I asked him to get out his manual and window sticker.

That's when I discovered his new truck had 3.08 gears. It has a max tow rating of 6,700# Pretty pathetic for a 1/2 ton V8 4x4 truck. The max trailer tow rating range with that gear ratio is from a low of 5,900# to a high of 7,400# with the 5.3L engine depending on cab, bed, and 4x4 or not.

Remember he is complaining with 5,800# and the temps in the high 60's to low 70's and supplies in the bed. He is really upset. He said he feels the truck will be maxed out when it hits 100 in the summer going to the lake where he has a camper on some property. Which brings up another issue. He has a 28' BP travel trailer down there. He says it weighs around 7,000 to 8,000# and knows this truck will just not get it out of there without issues and no way it can pull it back the 6 hours to home. He had no issues with his last truck which was the 06 GMC 5.3L 4x4 4 speed that we both remember having 3.73 gears but can not confirm.

This is not bashing GM. Just want everyone to know what is the trend for trucks. All manufactures are making more and more with high gear ratios to up the MPG claims. After a little research with me he now realizes its not the 6 speed but the gear ratio. Really took the wind out of his sails.

Make sure you know what you are buying and confirm the gear ration and tow ratings before singing on the dotted line!

Here are the specs from GMC.
http://www.gmc.com/sierra/1500/specsCapabilities.jsp

Chris

 

[ecoslik]

Thanks for the analysis. That is exactly the type of information that might help someone else from rushing a purchase that doesn't then function for the work to be performed. It is no fun blowing money, blowing an engine or tranny or anything else, much less blowing a chance to finish something because the tool is not up to the task.

 

[Bama67]

That sucks, at least you can always swap the gears out with some 4.10s.

But to me, it is crazy that someone would buy a brand new pick-up truck and not specify the gear ratio, or atleast see what it is. Oh well, he learned his lesson I reckon.

 

[Renze]

Yes, please educate yourself: dont shift into 6th if it means that the engine will drop to lower rpm than its max. rated torque is at...

If it can pull off in 1st with this gear setup, whats the problem ? if you use only 4 gears like you used to with the old truck, it will tow much better. If he uses 5, it will be the same. if he uses 6 when driving empty, he'll save fuel.

Nothing wrong with the 6 speed, just tow at the same engine rpm as you did with the 4 speed and only use 6th when driving empty... ????
Sure indeed, educate yourself about gear ratios in relation to torque curves, specific engine load and specific fuel consumption, and take it into consideration when driving your new vehicle, instead of just shifting into highest gear just because you used to do that for the last 40 years.

 

[George2615]

If his truck has 3.08 gears it may not even have the tow package. That would have given him a button on the shifter for tow mode which would change his shift points keeping the RPM up. Also the HD oil and trans coolers.
If he does have tow pkg was he using it?
I agree with your last statement to make sure what you are buying.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

This is not bashing GM. Just want everyone to know what is the trend for trucks. All manufactures are making more and more with high gear ratios to up the MPG claims. After a little research with me he now realizes its not the 6 speed but the gear ratio. Really took the wind out of his sails.

Here are the specs from GMC.
GMC | GMC Sierra: Trucks: 1500, 1500HD, 2500HD, 3500, Denali Pickups: Sierra Specifications

Chris

As I read the info provided and staying with the 5.3L there is approx a 3,000# increase in towing capacity with the 3:42 gear compared to the 3:08. The overdrive aspect of the 6 spd just makes the situation even worse wrt towing capability.

Obviously the info is available and published by GM.

If the owner of the new truck wanted a vehicle capable of towing is it reasonable to expect he would have actually done some research, read some data, asked some questions?

No let's blame GM - they sold him a truck designed for max gas mileage - when they knew or should have known he wanted a tow vehicle.

When is it necessary for a buyer have to take some responsibility for his own decisions?

 

[brain55]

I'm sorry, but what do you expect? The first thing I hear on this board or other boards is people wanting 20+ miles to the gallon out of their gasoline powered pick-ups and they want to be able to tow 8000 lbs., and don't want to pay the premium for the diesel or get a 3/4 ton truck. If somebody wants to tow with their truck, buy something capable of doing the job and accept the lower mileage. If you are more concerned about mileage than the ability to do work, buy a Prius and stop the whining. If somebody buys a 1/2 ton truck to tow with, they get what they deserve. 1/2 ton trucks are cars with a bed in my opinion, not made to do real work. You might as well lower it and put big wheels and rubber band tires on it.

Sorry for the rant, just struck one of my pet peeves.

Brian

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

1/2 ton trucks are cars with a bed in my opinion, not made to do real work. You might as well lower it and put big wheels and rubber band tires on it.

Sorry for the rant, just struck one of my pet peeves.

Brian

I suspect "real work" is like beauty - it's often in the eyes of the beholder.

For some of us a 1/2 ton truck is a perfect personal vehicle. I've had cars / vans / station wagons / Suburbans and since 2005 1/2 Ton GM Crews. The heaviest thing I've towed since 1977 was a 12' Zodiac. A 3:08 with 6 spd would probably suit me perfectly. I can put drywall or plywood in the back, take junk to the dump, bring home stuff from HD and with the 4 doors / flat floor in back it's perfect for my two Giant Schnauzers and when necessary will move 5 people. The Autotrac 4x4 is great in the winter.

 

[buck12]

Last year when I was looking to buy an 09 F150 it surprised me the number of 4x4 crew cabs with 3:31 gears and open differentials. It took a while to locate one with 3:55 and limited slip in the color I wanted. The 3:55 provided plenty of capacity for my towing needs. The gears and 6 speed have done well towing the 6,000 lbs or so I tow fairly regulary.

 

[Diamondpilot]

If his truck has 3.08 gears it may not even have the tow package. That would have given him a button on the shifter for tow mode which would change his shift points keeping the RPM up. Also the HD oil and trans coolers.
If he does have tow pkg was he using it?
I agree with your last statement to make sure what you are buying.

It does have the tow package. He also has the built in brake controller. I can not believe a dealer would even order one set up like that.

Chris