Uphill Shifting Question

DWR · #1 Sun, July 31st, 2011, 08:59 AM

Yeah, I wll have a better idea in about a month when it hits the highway for the first time with Gryphon. When I got the trailer inspected last week I only had it on country roads where the speed limit ranges from 45-55 mph.
I really like the way it pulls and shifts from a dead start - big difference over stock. I've been driving the truck since new - and I've always listened closely to every little noise - especially when towing - so I will just re-adjust my ears when pulling hills. I imagine it is much better on the tranny to shift to 2nd and pull the hill then to try 3rd gear unlocked and have to shift to 2nd anyway. Thanks Jack
-Dale

jcperform · #2 Mon, August 29th, 2011, 04:30 PM

I also lock out the OD in hilly areas with my 06 screw 5.4 towing a 7 x 7 x 18
5000 lb toyhauler to prevent constant shifting and keep temps down. It seems to me most of the time it would downshift from 3 locked to 2 locked,....if I leave the OD engaged it will shift in and out of lockup and the trans temp goes up as does the oil temp,...BTW my flat towing temps with deep trans pan, synthetic oils, 25% antifreeze with Water Wetter, 3:55 gears, 29.4" tires are as follows:
trans(flat loaded) 150- 165 hills 192 max
CHT 200 218
EOT 204 238 max uphill 110 ambient
Coolant 205 224 max

I have 600 lb tongue weight, friction antisway, rear axle sway bar,...very stable

This is all with Bill's custom tow tune,...

cheers !

Habbi98 · #3 Mon, December 5th, 2011, 09:42 AM

Jcperform, I am just curiosity what your fuel economy is when pulling your trailer? I am running a similar setup and am getting what I think is horrible fuel economy, I am getting <7 mpg.

***Longshot270*** · #4 Mon, December 5th, 2011, 05:36 PM

To help readjust your ears you could set one of your PIDs as COMM GEAR. This is Commanded Gear and says not only which gear you are in but also the status of the torque converter.

***Jackpine*** · #5 Mon, December 5th, 2011, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longshot270

To help readjust your ears you could set one of your PIDs as COMM GEAR. This is Commanded Gear and says not only which gear you are in but also the status of the torque converter.

Readjust what?

I'll have to remember this, now that I'm entering my "twilight years", when hearing, and so on, starts to decline.

- Jack

***88Racing*** · #6 Mon, December 5th, 2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longshot270

To help readjust your ears you could set one of your PIDs as COMM GEAR. This is Commanded Gear and says not only which gear you are in but also the status of the torque converter.

I didn't know hearing aids had the display output for gears...hmm I better pay attention....

***Longshot270*** · #7 Mon, December 5th, 2011, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88Racing

I didn't know hearing aids had the display output for gears...hmm I better pay attention....

No, but there's and App for that.

stl454 · #8 Wed, December 21st, 2011, 12:21 AM

Habbi98

I have a2010 supercab max tow with 5.4 and 3.73 gears. Gryphon with 87 towing tune. On average I get 10mpg running 65mph. If lots of hills it gets 8.5 to 9 mpg.

***Jackpine*** · #9 Wed, December 21st, 2011, 10:56 AM

stl454, that mileage looks pretty good to me. I get about 12.5 mpg pulling our 3600# HiLo telescoping trailer at 65 mph. The "telescoping" feature means it has a smaller frontal area and much less wind resistance than you would have (towing height is only 72").

Habbi98, you didn't say what speed you tow at. If it's anything over 65 mph, your mileage is going to be KILLED due to the increased wind resistance and, you are really unsafe, since trailer tires are supposed to be kept to 65 mph max. I've learned a lot about trailer tires since getting our trailer, and I've got to say, I "baby" them now (also use the highest load range rated tires I can fit). The OEM Goodyear tires I had on the trailer both failed at 5000 miles within 2 years due to cord separation.

- Jack

Habbi98 · #10 Wed, December 21st, 2011, 03:07 PM

Jack - the speed I tow at doesn't appear to be a factor in my MPG. I've towed it at 65-70max and at 55-60 and it appears to be the same either way. My dad has a 1500 GMC with a 5.3L and is getting 2-3mpg better when hauling this trailer in the same conditions. I have made minor performance mods (Headers, exhaust & Programmer) in an effort to increase the performance of my truck and it seems that it has hurt more than helped which is why it is frustrating to me. The truck has all kinds of Power on the Low End it's just at the Top End where is seems to be lacking the Power. I called Bill a couple of weeks ago and he said that it's possible that the tune may have had an issue with the programming so he is going to rewrite it and see if is any better. I hope it was just a programming issue because i can't afford <7mpg on a 1000mile round-trip haul.