Towing with my 2007 Denali

[Nick911]

All,

Just bought a new boat to tow with my 2007 Yukon Denali (stock). The boat is a twenty footer with a tandem axle trailer and weighs about 3700 lbs with the trailer. Is this big enough that I should be using the tow/haul mode?

Nick

 

[Tonygxp]

All,

Just bought a new boat to tow with my 2007 Yukon Denali (stock). The boat is a twenty footer with a tandem axle trailer and weighs about 3700 lbs with the trailer. Is this big enough that I should be using the tow/haul mode?

Nick

??? I would use the tow haul mode for it. Read the owner's manual, i know i would leave it in tow haul pulling a load that weighed as much as another car..

 

[Conor]

Yes. Use yow haul mode whenever you have a trailer behind you. Also, it would not be a bad idea to have your tranny serviced before summer. Your Denali should tow that around great. I am pretty impressed with how these trucks tow, even with a 5.3.
What kind of boat dide you buy?

 

[Nick911]

Thanks all, I bought a new Monterey 194 FS. Gonna look good behind my Yukon! I'll have the tranny serviced by the dealer next oil change.

 

[1STIMEYUKON]

i tow quite often with my 5.3 08 yukon usually anywhere from 2500-3000 pounds and it pulls like nothing is back there. makes me feel good that my trucks doesnt struggle towing anything.

 

[Derf]

I tow my bass boat with my 08 Tahoe. Boat loaded is about 3200#'s. Hardly know it's back there. On cruise at 70, piece of cake.

Forgot to say I use "Tow mode" all the time when hauling. Tow mode does not affect highway travel. Lowers the shift point at lower speeds only.

 

[CIATAHOE]

You will have no problem. I tow my eliminator (approx 5000 lbs) behind my tahoe (5.3l Stock) lowered with 26's, 4 people, fully loaded truck, 110 degrees outside from oc to havasu... you're all good..... yes, use the tow button, will help with the shift points.

Up the big hills I get 5 miles per gallon according to the hoe....

I also keep an eye on my trans temp, never an issue..

 

[1STIMEYUKON]

Ahaha damn nice 5 miles per gallon. I get roughly around 10-11 going up the grapevine here in california. Its a nice grade going up. Ive my truck is blackbear tune and justin already adjusted my shift points should i still use towhaul mode? The only difference between the two modes now from my understanding is that all of the torque mgmt is removed in towhaul mode.

 

[yukon07Artic]

Ahaha damn nice 5 miles per gallon. I get roughly around 10-11 going up the grapevine here in california. Its a nice grade going up. Ive my truck is blackbear tune and justin already adjusted my shift points should i still use towhaul mode? The only difference between the two modes now from my understanding is that all of the torque mgmt is removed in towhaul mode.

how much mpg do you get from normal driving with the 91octane tune?

 

[1STIMEYUKON]

normal driving around town i get ~13.5 or so but on the hwy its closer to 18 miles per gallon. the volant helped out on the highway mpg. lol not so much on the in town numbers because of all the stop lights ahah

 

[finman]

Keep an eye on your transmission temp on your gauge by selecting it through your menu screen. you might check to see if you have a transmission cooler. From what i understand gm in 2007 said they have a tow package and then an extreme tow package. i believe 90% of the vehicles had the standard tow package that does not have a transmission cooler on it. I have a 2007 Yukon XL that did not have a cooler and took it to a transmission shop and had them put on the biggest cooler they could fit. it dropped the trans temps considerably.
I would not want to get the trans fluid over 190 with standard fluid and 225 with synthetic fluid.

Fin

 

[Conor]

Keep an eye on your transmission temp on your gauge by selecting it through your menu screen. you might check to see if you have a transmission cooler. From what i understand gm in 2007 said they have a tow package and then an extreme tow package. i believe 90% of the vehicles had the standard tow package that does not have a transmission cooler on it. I have a 2007 Yukon XL that did not have a cooler and took it to a transmission shop and had them put on the biggest cooler they could fit. it dropped the trans temps considerably.
I would not want to get the trans fluid over 190 with standard fluid and 225 with synthetic fluid.

Fin

Fin, if you dont mind me asking, what did it run you to have the tranny cooler installed and purchased?

 

[finman]

if i remember it ran me around $130 to $150. well worth it.

Fin

 

[stevek]

Can I threadjack for a second?

I'm up at high altitude and towing roughly 3500lbs in jetskis, gas, boat toys, etc. With the 5.3 the Tahoe doesn't necessarily have the getup and go power it would at low altitudes. Any suggestions to beef it up a little? Intake to breathe better?

 

[1STIMEYUKON]

Keep an eye on your transmission temp on your gauge by selecting it through your menu screen. you might check to see if you have a transmission cooler. From what i understand gm in 2007 said they have a tow package and then an extreme tow package. i believe 90% of the vehicles had the standard tow package that does not have a transmission cooler on it. I have a 2007 Yukon XL that did not have a cooler and took it to a transmission shop and had them put on the biggest cooler they could fit. it dropped the trans temps considerably.
I would not want to get the trans fluid over 190 with standard fluid and 225 with synthetic fluid.

Fin

i was pulling my toys up the grapevine yesterday and decided to keep an eye on my trans temp and it started off fine around 171 or so but once i hit the hill doing about 65 or so in third it started to rise fairly quickly but it steadied out around 209 or so. is that too hot? i leave it in third if not itll go into 4th and then the getup and go isnt really there. its a steady hill around 5-6% grade for a good 20 miles.

 

[Stargazer]

The owner's manual says you can tow in Drive without using Tow/Haul mode. It recommends using Tow/Haul mode if you are towing something heavy. I don't consider a 3700 lb boat that heavy. I use the Tow/Haul mode on my Denali because I tow a 30' travel trailer with a GVWR of 7000 lbs. I have no problems with it. Your boat is a lot more aerodynamic than a RV.

I would try towing the boat without T/H first. See how the Denali feels. If you notice the transmission hunting for gears, then switch T/H on.