Safe RPM's Traveling up a 7-10% Grade

[RRlover55]

Hi All,
New to the forum, but been reading for 6 months. Hoping this is in the correct area and not towing??

Question/Problem: A sales manager at a Travel Trailer place said I "should be towing" over 5000 RPM's, so I can go faster up a mountain AND buy this new trailer that weighs an additional 1500 pounds. This is not a "Can I or should I tow" because all the numbers say I technically can with a 23% cushion in the numbers. My question is about the RPM's and how high you can actually travel for 10-20 minutes at a time while climbing. Is 4200 the max or should it be 5000 RPMS?

Truck- I have a 2021 1500 Limited. 3.92 and the towing package.

Background- I have been towing my fully loaded 4900# travel trailer for 9 years total and 3 of those years with my 1500. Very easy to tow, however going up 7% grades at elevation of 4000-7200ft, I keep my RPMS are at 4000-4200 and I am at 52-54 miles per hour and I don't rev higher because of the sound.

Prior to 3 years ago, I had never owned a truck. I am open to all comments because I know the manager does not care about me or my truck. thank you in advance.

 

[desdinova70]

Your truck knows better than some sales manager on which gear to be in during various towing situations. You should just let the truck decide what gear to be in while towing up the steep grades and use towing mode via the dash button. In this mode, it upshifts later and downshifts earlier than usual, keeping the engine in its power band.

 

[Alter Ego Trip]

Honestly, there is more than one answer. Easy answer, higher rpms burn more fuel. Deeper answer, higher rpms create more heat and strain on the motor and could shorten life span depending on how often it occurs.

There are always trade offs to everything. Semis could pull grades faster than they do, but longevity suffers, so it's give and take.

 

[LITTLEREBEL]

Low speed and low RPM's. When I towed my camper through the mountains of Mt. Magazine I kept the RPM's in the 3-4k range.

 

[Rick3478]

My tach has no redline, so it must all be okay, right?

But really, I try to keep the revs under 4,000, and I'm okay with slowing down a little, AFAIK 45MPH is still legal most places.

And sure it will make more power if it absolutely has to.