Chevy Silverado Towing

[Donna D.]

I find being in tow mode when driving the flats causes my fuel mileage to drop due to the higher RPMs. I only use tow mode when I'm going into the mountains.

[skiman]

Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/Haul helps the driver take full advantage of the Silverado’s and Sierra’s powerful EcoTec3 engines. Activated by a button on the shift lever, Tow/Haul modifies the shift mapping of the trucks’ standard six-speed transmission.
The result is higher shift points for more power under acceleration, and earlier downshifts to promote engine braking, thereby reducing wear on the vehicles’ disc brakes.
In addition, Tow/Haul mode activates Sierra’s Trailer Grade Braking when the driver lightly applies the brakes, thereby initiating downshifts to assist with braking on long downgrades. Auto Grade Braking not only slows the vehicle more efficiently, but can also reduce brake rotor temperatures by 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit) during a braking event.
And for those drivers who prefer to be in completely control of their truck’s shifting, improved TapShift controls on the shift lever are complemented by a patent-pending shift algorithm that improves shift response time by up to 60 percent compared to previous systems. U


Read more: 2014 Silverado, 2014 Sierra Towing Assist Features | GM Authority

I usually run in tow haul unless really really flat ground. Grade braking is awesome!

[Scuba55]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I find being in tow mode when driving the flats causes my fuel mileage to drop due to the higher RPMs. I only use tow mode when I'm going into the mountains.

now that you mention it, I too have experienced a drop in mpg when in tow mode. It does work great for braking in the mountains.

[MyronL]

I too have been puzzled by what if anything is gained when my Silvy tow/haul button is pressed. Great answers, Carl! My next trip out I now have to choose between getting possibly better gas mileage and improved transmission/braking performance. Hmm.

[PGDriver]

I find with my Sierra that the first thing I do when towing is shut off the grade braking. I find it annoying as I like to manually gear down, nothing worse then wanting to pick up a couple mph descending a small hill knowing you will quickly lose it going up the other side and the grade braking kicks in. The shifting in the tow haul mode is much improved when towing I find.

Cheers
Doug

[Rossue]

Grade-braking is one of my favorite features on our 2013 Yukon. Starting with the 2013 model year you don't need tow mode on for it to be active. Grade-braking uses both the engine and transmission. "No grade braking is available in Range Selection Mode (Manual Shift Mode)".

Was noticing delayed upshifts during our trip to Colorado and stopped at the GMC dealer in Gunnison. It only cost me $105 for them to tell me everything was ok-no codes, but recommended not using tow-haul mode going uphill. It worked.

While I know we have a trailer with our 5.3/3:42 going uphill at this time a switch to the 6.2/8-speed would mean a 2015 Yukon Denali. Used they are $60K-ouch!

[cpaharley2008]

I experimented towing to and from Osoyoos, without tow mode and with tow mode, my overall mpg increased one mpg while towing in tow mode over 7,000 miles, 12.8 to 14 mpg, and that is a rolling average over the entire 7,000 miles. I drive by my tach and cruising I'm under 2,000 rpm and sometimes the "Eco" kicks in deactivating 4 cyl. Under load it will go to 3500-3700 rpm. My trans temperature has always been the lowest number compared to my water and oil readings, in fact my oil is always the highest.
I think your rear end ratio will also impact your performance. Mine is 3.21.....

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I think your rear end ratio will also impact your performance. Mine is 3.21.....

I find my rear end ratio is getting larger with age. Guess that's affecting my performance...

[MyronL]

I watch my tach too, and am most happy when it's at 1800 or slightly higher but do recall noticing a significant jump to 2500 when in tow mode. These are casual observations of course, not carefully monitored ones taking notice of terrain, etc. Next long trip out think I will do more controlled experimenting.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Greg A

I find my rear end ratio is getting larger with age. Guess that's affecting my performance...

You mean it is starting to sag.....

[Loren & Cathy]

Originally Posted by Baca56

Loren, how do you think the 2016 5.3 would be with the new 8 speed transmission with 3.42 ? Are you using premium fuel in the 6.2? Kevin

I have the 5.3 with the 3.73 rear end. At the time I ordered this I thought we were getting the Casita in which this combination would have been plenty of overkill. It still allowed us to upgrade to the the Escape 21 and have plenty of towing capacity. One other member on this forum has the 6.2 with the 8 speed and the 3.42 rear end. If I was doing it over today, this is what I would get. Plenty of power and gearing plus the 3.42 for the open highway.

I also agree with Donna and Myron about using the tow haul mode. I use it in the mountains but not on the flat grades but monitor the tach a lot. Monarch pass in Colorado on Highway 50 was a good test for everything. The transmission fluid temperature climbed briefly to 210 degrees F. The controlled braking was great but I wish I would have had a little more power. But then who is towing on grades like that every day? Gas mileage was about 14 towing, but it is no problem getting 21 non towing. The wind resistance is the biggest factor in all of this.

Buy a new truck and throw a new Escape behind it and you are starting to talk some serious money. I chuckle every time I see one of Leon's posts about spending a fortune camping to live like a homeless person. But still the question Cathy and I kept asking each other was, why didn't we do this sooner? Can't take it with you. Loren

[PGDriver]

Hi Loren

That would be me, love the 6.2, 8 speed, NHT (3.42 gears).
Pulls the 5.0TA like nothing, gets better mpg then my 5.3, 6 speed and is fun to drive when the stabilatrack and traction control are turned off.

Cheers
Doug

[Baca56]

Hi Doug, GM now offers an 8 speed 3.42 5.3. Do you think that would perform better than the 6 speed 5.3? I would love to get the 6.2. Not sure I can get the better half to get on board though. Do you run on premium gas?
Thanks, Kevin

[PGDriver]

Hi Kevin it will perform better as it has more gears and a few more hp than the older 5.3. That's said I found that the 6.2 with the NHT package gets better fuel economy the my previous 5.3.
Yes I run premium most of the time but it runs fine on regular too. What ever you get just make sure it has the NHT package also called the Max Towing Package.

Cheers
Doug

[Loren & Cathy]

Whatever vehicle that I was going to use for towing, I would get the tow package for it if available. One thing about getting the NHT package on a GM vehicle is that you just about have to do a special order as it is very rare to find one on a dealer's lot. Also with the NHT package, it lets you get the big camper mirrors.

Kevin, get the 6.2 and you will never regret it. Even though an Escape 21 is light by most trailer standards, you still know there is something behind you. And you can load up without worrying about it.

Doug, I see you also got the summit white on your truck. It matches the Escape color and makes for a neat looking rig. We have had many comments on ours. Loren

[cpaharley2008]

Does Chevy offer a back up camera for the truck bed vs the tailgate?

[gbaglo]

Jim,

I think you're cross-threaded.

[paulw]

Mine's in the tailgate so I can see the receiver hitch... If I had a 5.0, I'd just open the rear window and use the rear view mirror.

[MyronL]

Just back from towing, Silvey’s high-tech dash display said current oil life was zero. Yesterday, after 4,300 miles since my last change, I changed the oil in my Silverado 1500.

The truck has had 4 oil changes since I got it new. The first 3 were done under warranty, free, at the dealership, and the fourth they did for $74.26. Each time they used standard oil, not synthetic. Seems to me this is a simple job, right? Turned out to be quite a learning experience.

Bought oil yesterday at WalMart. Our WalMart only sells synthetic. Needed 8.5 quarts. The WalMart tire service guy came over and said their shop would do my oil change for $45. I turned him down. Paid $69 for 9 quarts plus oil filter.

Used my floor jack to raise up the truck and put my jack stand in place for safety. Seals in the floor jack were leaking hydraulic fluid big time. Will have to fix that. It was a struggle getting this old body to skootch under there, but I did it. Feels now like I pulled something in my back during the many back and forth skootches it took.

Why many? First, my oil filter wrench was too big for the smaller PF63 filter. Had to add wedges to snug up the wrench. That done, I turned to the oil pan screw. A 15mm box wrench should have unscrewed iteasily. But, the pan bolt was so G-damn tight, my wrench would not budge it loose. No way! I tried adding leverage with a pipe. I rounded off the hexes. It finally took a medium sized Stilson pipe wrench. Whatta job. Oil came out a pretty black.

So when did a simple home-boy oil change get soo expensive and tough? I may not want to ever do this again.

[cpaharley2008]

Sounds like a Red Green episode....