How to Drive Uphill and downhill

pianotuna wrote:
Phil,

Is there much extra fuel cost for running in Tow/Haul mode? (Mine is to old to have it.)

That's a good question ... and I don't have any quantitative data one way or the other.

In Tow/Haul mode - near the end of going up a hill and when getting up to speed after a stop - our Ford TorqShift transmission stays in each lower gear a bit longer before shifting into the next higher gear.

This means that the V10 will be spinning faster a bit longer ... which maybe means that a bit more fuel is consumed ... but it also could mean that, although spinning a bit faster, the load on the motor during each revolution may be a bit less while it is spinning faster so maybe more fuel is not consumed. :h

However, NOT being in Tow/Haul mode when perhaps one should be, could also mean that the transmission slippage in it's clutch is worse due to remaining in too high of a gear a bit too long. This extra clutch slippage wastes energy and increases heat in the transmission ... this waste translates into too much gas being consumed over what gas would have been used in Tow/Haul mode's less clutch slippage from remaining in lower gears longer/more.

The bottom line is ... I don't know about fuel mileage being up or down in Tow/Haul mode. What I do know is that when in Tow/Haul mode our Class C sure feels more responsive at all times and provides a more "in control" feeling all around. Of course when in Tow/Haul mode, our 5R110 five speed transmission still goes into fuel-saving overdrive when cruising - just like when not in Tow/Haul mode.

It's pretty hard to counter the argument that a motorhome, due to it's weight is at all times taxing the drive train just as much as a truck is whenever it's carrying a load or towing something - thus should be driven in Tow/Haul mode at all times. I sure wish Ford marketing/engineering would step up to the bar and flat out recommend this to all motorhome builders and their customers.