2nd for unloaded and light towing. 1st for heavy towing.

 

I don’t know the exact weights of the trailers I tow, but screw it. I know the travel trailer is heavy, I alarmist always start in 1. I know the 14’ light trailer with atvs I can start in 2. My dump trailer, as with any other trailer not painfully obvious, I just let the load determine. I’ll try second, if it doesn’t seem healthy, I’ll push in the clutch and go ton1. Not too difficult, takes about a second.

 

OK, so just a common sense approach, which is what I was pretty much doing anyway.

When taking off in 1st, do you guys just get the truck moving or do you wind it up?

 

First or second, I don’t add fuel till I’m 100% off the clutch. Just ease off the clutch, she’s got the torque.

 

I come off the clutch just quick enoigh to not stall

 

When towing I always use 1st to start out. My travel trailer loaded is just shy of 10k. Even hauling around a load big enough to notice a weight change in the bed I'd start in 1st.

 

I don’t think it’s ever really wrong to start in first, just slower, more work from driver

 

Normal stop and go traffic I use second, if in a parking lot or know it's a short move and most likely wont shift to second I use first. Crawling in traffic I use first.
Towing I almost always start in first regardless of the weight, just force of habit.
I do the same thing as K9Kodi, off the clutch before adding throttle. Sometimes I burp the throttle slightly right before starting to clutch out but not always.

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

I try and start in 2nd in almost any situation I can. My bass boat is just shy of 4,000 lbs and that’s about the limit to my 2nd gear starts. If it’s uphill I will use first.

Fifth wheel towing is always a 1st gear start for me unless I’m already rolling.

2nd gear starts I always use throttle. Even first I will give it light throttle when towing.

 

I used 1st as much as practical to save clutch wear but always towing. When towing I'd whine it up, when empty, I'd just get it rolling, then go to 2nd.

 

I don't typically tow so I start out in second 99% of the time. but if im on a steep hill or in poor driving conditions such as snow or mud then I start in first.

-matt

 

If you have to calculate the weight of something to get the right gear, you need an automatic. Do what makes both and the truck feel good. First is granny for loads, hills, towing and off-roading. Daily driving use second. Don't slip clutch a lot. Get it moving, let it out all the way soon and then accelerate or you will burn the clutch up soon. That is the most important.

 

I've experimented with each "style" and I always use 1st whether I am towing anything or not. It might not matter that much but I can feel clutch slip very slightly if starting in 2nd. I like rowing through the gears anyway so I start in 1st all the time. I too let the clutch completely out then offer up fuel for acceleration. I cannot detect clutch slippage at all this way so that makes me "feel" better whether or not it matters much to the truck. To each their own.

 

1st gear for me unless the truck is already rolling, then 2nd. Towing or not...

My logic might be too straight forward but clutches are expensive and any time the clutch disc is slipping, its wearing out. I dont care to pay another $1000+ for a clutch and hulk around that transmission any more often than I need to.

 

It's impossible to not slip the clutch some during normal driving, and I would certainly assume they are designed for a little slipping. That is how a clutch works. I can definitely feel a little slipping starting out in 2nd gear.

In two months I'll be towing 16k most every day. Those will be 1st gear starts.

The problem with 1st gear is that it is so short and jerky, with no load, it is hard to be smooth. Maybe the difference is tires and gearing. Most of you guys with G56's are probably running 18" single rear wheel tires and 3.42 axle ratios. Mine is a 3.73 dually with the shorter 17" tires.

 

I have the SRW with 18" wheels and 3.42, I'm curious what your RPM's are at in 6th gear at 65 or 70 MPH. If I recall I'm at 2,000 at 70 MPH. Are you impressed with the pulling ability at all of the 3.73's and the G56? I was rather disappointed with how I had to drop down into 4th pulling my 9500lbs trailer a few times. The grade was long but not very steep. Maybe 4%. Maybe I'm just used to pulling with my old 2012 that was an auto, deleted and tuned so I was expecting more. Just curious what 3.73 and a G56 might look like.

 

^Then start in 2nd gear when empty. It's perfectly acceptable. Or be that guy that can't get away from a stop light quicker than a grandma in a Geo Metro because you have to shift twice under 20mph.

 

...Or be that guy that can't get away from a stop light quicker than a grandma in a Geo Metro because you have to shift twice under 20mph.

Lol, driving this truck is a big change from my 2017 Ford diesel. That thing was really quick. This RAM, well, gear changes take a moment to happen and it's got about a hundred horsepower less as well. Still love it though.

 

I use first when towing, slow parking lots, or hilly take offs. I use second generally,as other have said, kinda quick release, and no gas until im 100% engaged. My wife sometimes will give very light throttle taking off in second. If Im moving to get into traffice, or normal driving, I usually take it up to 2500 rpms or so before shifting.. In slow town driving or in the neighborhood I will shift around 1700 -2000 rpms or so, but I dont ramp on the throttle afterwards, I kinds just give it enough fuel to get moving, and even if I need to accelerate I roll on throttle slowly or down shift, I guess in short if know im gonna need to get on the thottle I will give it some RPMS When shifting. As for towing in general, im around the 9500-10K range with our camper, and I am extremely happy. While I intned to tow only in 5th, I did tow in 6th just for about 1.5 miles on mild terrain and it even pulled up a slight hill and would accelerate if needed. Again it was just a short trial and not what I intend to do on a regular basis, I was just curious! I wish these things had a slower reverse gear though!

 

When my truck was stock, I'd almost always have to start in 1st unless I was already rolling. Too much riding clutch/throttle for a clean takeoff. The 3.42's absolutely sucked.

With 4.10's and stock height tires no problem to start in 2nd. After going up to 37's I'm close to where I was stock.

 

Yep, I'm like everyone else, start in 2nd most of time unless loaded or on a steep hill. First gear is also good for traffic jams since you can idle forward without riding the brakes.