Towing/Downshifting with my Powerwagon.

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thkbaron

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So as I've owned my Power Wagon for nearly a year I have only one complaint. I don't think it tows nearly as well as my 1/2 ton silverado with the 5.3 and 3.73s. It seems to downshift an awful lot both pulling a trailer and not pulling a trailer. My dad will get around 12 or 13 pulling a fairly heavy load while mine will get 8 or 9 maybe. He's got a 14 laramie longhorn mega cab with the 6.4 and 3.73s. He has 34 inch toyo at2 tire and I have 35 inch stt coopers. Just trying to get an idea of what should be normal for my truck with the setup that I have. I don't have it leveled or anything.

Any input would be appreciated.
 

392DevilDog

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Remember. That half ton Silverado probably weighed 5500lbs...your Powerwagon almost 7500. So it would be like the Chevy towing 2000 more pounds
 

MADDOG

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Are you using Tow/Haul mode when towing?
 

ALRedneck

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Your problem is overdrive. Lock it out of your OD gears and it will tow so much better. I have a 15 year old 21 ft center console salt water boat. I’ve towed it with a Chevy 5.3, Ford 5.0, Chevy 6.0 2500, Ford Power Stroke and the PW. Taking the diesel out of the equation, the 6.4 tows best followed by the 6.0. The 2500 gassers burned more fuel than the 1/2 tons pulling the same boat. So what your seeing with fuel is normal because the 2500 have heavier components like axels and brakes. Tow ratings is more about stopping verses going. I only let the diesel go into OD when towing. I even lock the OD out of my gassers with my aluminum bass boat so they stayed “locked in 4th” instead of all that shifting. Shifting up and down drives me crazy and can’t be good for the transmission. I’ll just burn more gas and save the transmission.
 

ALRedneck

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12 to 13 with a 6.4 with a heavy load is really good. That’s what I get empty with 35s and guessing that’s what you get too. Realistically a diesel get around 10 with a heavy load(I’m thinking 9,000 and up as a heavy load).
 

Trailmaker

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So as I've owned my Power Wagon for nearly a year I have only one complaint. I don't think it tows nearly as well as my 1/2 ton silverado with the 5.3 and 3.73s. It seems to downshift an awful lot both pulling a trailer and not pulling a trailer. My dad will get around 12 or 13 pulling a fairly heavy load while mine will get 8 or 9 maybe. He's got a 14 laramie longhorn mega cab with the 6.4 and 3.73s. He has 34 inch toyo at2 tire and I have 35 inch stt coopers. Just trying to get an idea of what should be normal for my truck with the setup that I have. I don't have it leveled or anything.

Any input would be appreciated.
What is heavy? I won’t even bother airing up my tires till I get into the 5-6k with 800 lbs tongue weight. My toys don’t hit that. Heavy is 9-10k with the wagon. Then I air up to 65 and run tow/haul. Camper or towing the tractor. Sounds like you are running 70-75 mph and should be 65??

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Grand Mesa

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I agree that keeping the speed down to 65 MPH saves the MPG with the Power Wagon when towing. It's a much heavier and higher up truck than my Chevrolet K1500 pickup. Much more wind going underneath it.

The speed limits are 80 MPH on the Interstate north of Moab, UT. It's a stretch of worn out pavement with deep truck ruts. If I want to go through my gasoline fast in addition to seeing my trailers become unstable and squirrelly in the ruts, then I go 80, but just to pass a slower truck. However, I need the gasoline due to there are no gas stations or any services nearby.

Even at 65 MPH with the steep grades and high winds the MPG is below 10. You never know if the Interstate might be closed up ahead due to a wreck and so its got to have 220 miles of fuel range even while towing. Got to be able to go back if needed on the same tank of gas. I carry extra gas when towing.

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thkbaron

thkbaron

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Your problem is overdrive. Lock it out of your OD gears and it will tow so much better. I have a 15 year old 21 ft center console salt water boat. I’ve towed it with a Chevy 5.3, Ford 5.0, Chevy 6.0 2500, Ford Power Stroke and the PW. Taking the diesel out of the equation, the 6.4 tows best followed by the 6.0. The 2500 gassers burned more fuel than the 1/2 tons pulling the same boat. So what your seeing with fuel is normal because the 2500 have heavier components like axels and brakes. Tow ratings is more about stopping verses going. I only let the diesel go into OD when towing. I even lock the OD out of my gassers with my aluminum bass boat so they stayed “locked in 4th” instead of all that shifting. Shifting up and down drives me crazy and can’t be good for the transmission. I’ll just burn more gas and save the transmission.


Ok because when I was towing a 14 foot covered trailer it loved 4th gear. Good to know. yes I always use tow haul mode. I was just kind of surprised it shifted as much as it did on grades. I'll keep that in mind. I pretty much always keep it in 5th gear when towing a light trailer. I appreciate the advice.
 

ALRedneck

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Ok because when I was towing a 14 foot covered trailer it loved 4th gear. Good to know. yes I always use tow haul mode. I was just kind of surprised it shifted as much as it did on grades. I'll keep that in mind. I pretty much always keep it in 5th gear when towing a light trailer. I appreciate the advice.
I go to 5 some with my lighter boat but I shift it to 5(manually)and will down shift to 4 before the hill. If I stay in 5 going up the hill the trans will go to 3. If I shift to 4 prior it will make it up the hill in 4 without issues. I had to do the same with my Chevy 6.0. It’s all 2500 gassers due to their torque curve. Just drive it as if it was a manual transmission. The computer doesn’t have eyes and has no idea it’s about to attempt that steep hill in 5 and then it gets in trouble and need more torque so goes to 3.
 

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^^ I'm a huge fan of manual shifting in the hills and when towing specifically because of this. The downside is that with modern quiet cabins sometimes I'll forget to upshift on the flats, but I'd rather have that than constant up/down shifting wear with the added heat from an unlocked torque converter. The computer is biased toward fuel economy. I'm biased toward longevity.
 
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