Is it normal for a stock 3500

[RBlair]

to not be able to maintain 55 up a hill in 5th pulling an empty stock trailer that weighs about 3000 lbs? I have a 2001 3500, 4x4, QC, 5 sp and this weekend I was going to pick up a bull and with the empty trailer I had to shift down to 4th since I could not keep up the 55 mph up the hill. It is not a big hill, therefore no grade marker, and not that long either. In fact my 94 GMC gasser would do about the same performance wise on this hill. Temps and boost seemd ok, around 1000 EGT and probably 10-12 boost it just couldn't hold the speed.



Is this normal for a completely stock truck?



thanks

 

[y-knot]

The 3:55 gears are not helping, but I would think no that is not normal.

 

[KBalzuweit]

Mine is a auto and pulling 13000 up a 5-6% grade I can maintain 45-50 in drive. It will not maintain anything in OD. (On 24 in Tenn. through the mountains). I also have 3. 55.

Karl

 

[Eric_77]

Actually I would say Yes but it depends a stock trailer can have a pretty large frontal area you are pushing plus being down on the RPMs if you have any kind of head wind you are behind the HP curve already and it would be hard to maintain 55. Bring it up to 60-65 and light/no wind I would say you have a problem if you could not maintain it up a moderate incline .

 

[ata]

You were only turning around 1600 R. P. M`s that`s the very bottom of the power band, so no it should not hold speed on any kind of a hill with a load. Another thing at that low of R. P. M you stand a real good chance of rattling your 5th gear nut off. Try and keep your R. P. M`s above 2000 with the 24 Valve engine to keep it in the best power band.

 

[KBalzuweit]

I agree hit the hill at 65 or so and I bet you will maintain the speed.

 

[RBlair]

it didn't even occur to me that I was low on the RPMs. I'll see what happens if I hit it at a little higher speed/rpm.



I need to teach myself to watch the RPM so I don't loose my 5th gear nut, from what I've read about it (and obviously forgotten) that doesn't sound fun at all... .







thanks all

 

[Steve M]

At 55 you're only turning about 1600rpm. Although you're in the motor's torque band, you're only making 140~hp and pushing that through a 3. 03:1 overall ratio. Even at 65mph you could drop out of 5th for the hills to save the horrendous strain on the smaller 5th gear and the nut that holds it on the shaft. 2500rpm won't hurt the engine at all. My '98 5spd/4. 10 ran 2500rpm at 70mph in 5th all day and any time I ran 70. Man was it noisy. I like the 3. 55 ratio as you can use 5th for quiet cruising and it's tall enough that you can downshift to direct drive for any hills that slow you down. Even the big rigs downshift on those seemingly small hills.