Towing in the mountains, what should I know?

I’m from a very flat area and I’m about to move to a very mountainous area, I’ve towed small trailers here where it’s flat but I’ve never had to tow enough weight to worry about what gear I’m in or anything like that. I’m hoping to put the few pieces of furniture I need to bring with me on an 8ft utility trailer and tow it into the mountains. Anything I should do differently or know before I go? For context, weight in the trailer should not be a problem, I’m taking a very light couch, 2 dressers and a mattress/box spring, basically nothing.
I just want to make sure I’m not going to damage my truck and make sure I make it up there safely. Thank y’all in advance

 

If it's the 4.0 automatic, you can stick the transmission in 4 when climbing. You just don't want it shifting back and forth from 5th to 4th to 5th over and over again.

If you have the 4 cylinder or a manual transmission, I don't have any experience.

 

If there’s a panic stop on a down hill grade , your rolling weight has just changed your stopping distance.

 

Don't be afraid to drive it like a stick. Use 4th gear as the default. DO NOT place the transmission in "D" even on level roads when towing. Your engine and transmission will stay cooler running higher engine rpm's in lower gears. You may need to drop to 3rd and maybe even 2nd gear to keep the engine rpm's in the sweet spot. 2500-3000 rpm.

You CAN wait for the automatic to downshift, but with some experience you'll figure out what gear you need to be in and downshift BEFORE the engine starts to strain.

When going DOWN long grades you'll probably want to be in 3rd or 2nd gear. The goal is to put the truck in a gear that will maintain the speed limit (or whatever is a safe speed) with minimal brake application. I've driven 30-40 miles on downgrades in either 2nd or 3rd gear right at 40-45 mph and only had to tap the brakes occasionally to maintain that speed.

You don't want to be going down a hill in 4th or 5th gear then suddenly drop to 3rd or 2nd to suddenly slow down. Doing that could damage the transmission. You downshift at the top and use it to maintain a safe speed.

 

Consider getting yourself an Ultragauge or something of the like for $100 so you can watch tranny and engine temps. 4th gear is your friend. The load sounds pretty minimal.