dakotajam, is your truck an SO (Cali engine) or a HO (305 hp and 555 lb ft trq)? Just curious...

Kris

 

Its a SO (250), couldn't get a HO,thay only came with a stick.

John

 

Anything over 11 with a fiver, especially a tall one is good.
Hauling a fiver is not a NASCAR or Top Fueler event.
55-60 is an optimal speed for decent mileage.
If you look at the time you save & fuel burned, it is not wotrh the little time, in my opinion.
70 mph raises safety issues, at least to me. What if a front tire blows on the truck? On the trailer? As Dirty Harry would say, "Do you feel lucky?"
Slow down, relax. Set the cruise at 60. You will seldom pass anyone and not need to touch the cruise.
Tow/Hauil mode is certainly the way to go with a Fiver. Increasing RPMs higher with a load gets you up tp speed faster with less stress on the motor.
1800-2000 is good for criusing.

 

Mine pulls like a banchi and passes people going uphill as long as I don't have to take it out of cruz. It's an auto so I don't believe the hipe about the autos's causing problems

 

Balive what you want. Youve probobly never owned a 6 speed either. The power these autos rob is insane. Mine will sit in OD while towing all day as well but still is a dog getting there. The engine wids up and little to nothing happens. With a 6 speed when the engine winds up forward movment is inevidable or the cluch is slipping. I have had it before while trying to start from a stop sign up hill where I have had the engine at 2500RPM just to get the thing to move forward pulling my camper. My 6 speed would pull forward at idle from the same spot.

 

I tow a 7k fiver (light weight) with my stock '05 and it's T/H mode will lock the TC in 2,3 and OD... no power loss at all, and it pulls hard up the mountains here in AZ.. I can accelerate up a 6% grade no problems. The only thing I think is missing in my setup is an exhaust brake...