Love my '06

[mlewis73]

Was heading up I-26 toward Asheville from SC a few weeks ago pulling a loaded 3-horse gooseneck trailer... only 1 horse, probably about 7500 pounds total.



Hit the hills just outside of Asheville and slowed down to the lower speed limit (shifted down to 5th and kept hammering along in the hills. ) Caught up to a newer Duramax pulling a small tractor that looked to be a substantial weight--guessed it was about the same as what I was pulling.



Went right by him, he sped up, but each time the grade steepened he just fell farther behind. They eventually sped back up once we hit the flats and he and his buddy both looked over at my truck. Had nothing but a grin on my face.



Maybe the Allison doesn't like to downshift to keep the engine happy pulling up long hills. Love having the six speed manual in my truck!!



The trip before that, was heading toward Atlanta and had some faster (80+) traffic coming up on my rear while I was passing slower traffic next to me in the right lane. Heading up a small-to-moderate-incline hill in OD at about 75, I hit the throttle and this truck jumped to about 95 before I realized how fast we were going--about 5 seconds or so. Seems like the higher revs with the G56 are a real asset when it comes to passing. Gonna have to take it easy. Had 2 horses on, about 8500 pounds.



Very happy with my purchase, and think I will keep the truck stock. Can get in trouble in a hurry already. Oo.





Mike

 

[roperteacher]

I agree!

I have an 06 3500 SRW with the G-56... It makes me wonder why so many peopel ad power boxes etc... I pull a 3H LQ trailer. 12 ft shortwall with three 1200 pound horses. . Never skips a beat!:-laf

 

[BHaden]

Yeah, me too! Similar experience here. I've hauled a couple 6k or so trailers from San Diego to Flagstaff AZ and back. The 140 miles from Phoenix to Flagstaff has some long steep grades and coming back to San Diego there is "Mountain Springs Grade". Truckers hate it.

NASTY grade; 6% or more grade continuos for 15+ miles. Truck never even breathes hard. Amazing. No way would I get an auto after having the G-56,

especially after hearing the frustrations some have had trying to get the new autos to stay in the gear they want. I MAY get a Gear Vendors OD down the road for empty highway cruising though.

 

[tgrfan2]

Maybe that is the same D/A my wife smoked running unloaded up Saluda last weekend. He made the mistake of trying to pass her. She said she walked off from him without any smoke running B20.
I can guarantee you those D/As downshift. I have pulled with an 01,02,04, and an 06 Z. If you set the cruise they drive you crazy down shifting with even light loads topping overpasses and small hills.
I love the way the bosses Z puts out a big puff of smoke when it down shifts
because he can't lie about it not shifting! He could always out run me on Saluda mtn with a load when I had a 2nd gen with 4. 10s. The D/A will run about 65-70 in 4th. With 3. 73s I just shift down to drive and wave at him going up the mountain towing identical box trailers.

 

[BHolm]

I have had a couple Isuzu-max/Allison trucks and as mentioned they downshift way to easily, then they are loud as heck at higher rpm. It is hard to maintain that as it sounds like you are hurting the poor thing. What you really hurt is fuel economy with those trucks.



Don't be so sure the 48re is a second choice though, I have had several and towed heavy with all of them in the Colorado rockies. In T/H the convertor locks up and it pulls grades just like a manual. I have pulled 24k lbs gross up through the Eisenhower tunnel on I-70 passing cars with a stock truck. They definately have the power to do the job, and it gets 20-21 mpg empty, how do you beat that?



Glad to hear you guys like the G56 though. I may trade down out of my overloaded mega into a six speed '06 QC LB to save some $$. I drove a NV5600 truck and really didn't care for it. Hopefully the G56 shifts much better as I have read here.

 

[polarbull]

I have made 4 round trips from Alaska to to southern Texas with about 11,000 lb 5er, 2 of which were in my 03 with the auto, there were some grades I was down to 45 mph. With the 06 G56 no problem holding 55 on those same grades. I just keep rpms around 2500 before hitting the grade. My only regret is in trading my Laramie for the SLT. The cloth seats leave a lot to be desired with cleaning water stains constantly, the worst part though is the dirty looks from wife every winter day without her heated seat. The good part is that she wont drive the 06 since she thinks the clutch is too much for a female. I'm not telling her it is only slightly more pressure than her Acura :-laf