Loud while Towing

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SteveoTahoe

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I have a 2017 tahoe with a 6 speed and max towing. Its a great truck but it just seems a little light on power when I tow with it. I drag a 16 foot enclosed trailer with a couple quads and a UTV, it probably ends up around 7k lbs all told. I drive from new york michigan, so its not real hilly but the speed limit is from 70-75. Even when I'm towing on a fairly flat stretch, it seems like the truck just wont shift to the next gear. Its loud and it drones and groans for most of the 8 hours! I assocoate this with being underpowered therefore unable to shift into the next gear and sustain the load.

Im considering a supercharger but Im concerned that it wont help at all with where the truck shifts.

Im also considering upgrading to something with the 6.2L and a different transmission, however with prices the way they are, Id rather just modify mine if there's a way

Anyone else have this issue or have suggestions as to how I can give it a little more juice? I have a diablosport tuner, and a volant air intake (which just made it way louder unfortunately). The tuner seems to have capability to change things other than the canned tunes, but I dont know what Im doing enough to play with individual parameters.
 

Doubeleive

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most of these k2xx trucks have the 3.08 pinion (axle ratio) and at 7k you are at max or above
you could go to 3.42 or 3.73 pinion and not have to buy a new truck
you can look at your build sheet or scan the QR code in the drivers door jamb to see what it has now
 
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Tahoe14

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If you have the max trailing package option you will have the 3.42 gear (GU6) code as Doubeleive indicated
 
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SteveoTahoe

SteveoTahoe

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Confirmed (GU6), would a 3.73 make my mpg worse ? This thing already only gets 17.
 

swathdiver

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Confirmed (GU6), would a 3.73 make my mpg worse ? This thing already only gets 17.

Seventeen combined? That's on par, better than mine!

Slow down, best towing is in 4th gear if you have 6-speed. Tow in 4th or 5th for more torque.

3.73s will not have much effect in city driving, it actually improves MPG on 4-speed trucks. Will have a minor affect on highway mpgs, 158 more rpms at 70 mph.
 
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SteveoTahoe

SteveoTahoe

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I guess I would have to re program for the new gears as well, I think I can do it with my tuner
 

Tahoe14

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swathdiver, would you recommend swap the pill for his tranny, seems like it is under a lot of pressure and possibly a lot of heat. I like your suggestion about slowing down a bit to find that sweet spot without all the drones and groans.
 

iamdub

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I have a 2017 tahoe with a 6 speed and max towing. Its a great truck but it just seems a little light on power when I tow with it. I drag a 16 foot enclosed trailer with a couple quads and a UTV, it probably ends up around 7k lbs all told. I drive from new york michigan, so its not real hilly but the speed limit is from 70-75. Even when I'm towing on a fairly flat stretch, it seems like the truck just wont shift to the next gear. Its loud and it drones and groans for most of the 8 hours! I assocoate this with being underpowered therefore unable to shift into the next gear and sustain the load.

Im considering a supercharger but Im concerned that it wont help at all with where the truck shifts.

Im also considering upgrading to something with the 6.2L and a different transmission, however with prices the way they are, Id rather just modify mine if there's a way

Anyone else have this issue or have suggestions as to how I can give it a little more juice? I have a diablosport tuner, and a volant air intake (which just made it way louder unfortunately). The tuner seems to have capability to change things other than the canned tunes, but I dont know what Im doing enough to play with individual parameters.

What RPM is it turning? It might actually be in the correct gear for the load and speed. Maybe that load and speed just so happens to be where the intake resonance is loudest. The Volant, with not having resonator chambers, won't attenuate the intake growl like the factory intake did.
 
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