Suggestions from MT guys and towing guys

My old man told me once that the worst thing you can do is bog down a motor.

When I'm towing, at what point do you realize that you are bogging down the motor and need to downshift? Am I looking for a drop in MPH or RPM?

I ask because this is the first MT I've towed with and I'm having trouble "reading" the truck. In my 2nd gen AT, I would simply stick it in 4 if the transmission began to hunt. Now I'm not so sure.

 

This truck likes to be in higher RPMS, I suggest keeping it >2k RPMS and you should be fine

 

Okay thanks. If I'm pulling and it tries to drop below 2K, downshift?

 

That's what I would do, even without towing, the truck is pretty useless between 1500-2400 most of the time. You'll get a lot of chugging and no go in that range, just downshift and move along.

 

I've noticed this empty!

Towing on the highway, I'm turning 2750 in 5th at 70 and 2400 in 6th at 70. I'm not towing heavy... less than 2000lbs, but I have a lot of wind resistance.

 

2-3k would also be my preferred coasting range, and id go up to 4k to accelerate. But yea, down shift

 

The truck seems okay shifting up at 3 with an empty trailer. If I'm loaded heavy, it needs to get up to at least 3.5 to have enough power