Tow Haul Mode

love2rvcamp wrote:

RJCorrazza wrote:
On even slightly moderate hilly terrain I lock out 6th gear in my 6.2L with 3.73 rear. Even in Tow/Haul mode it hunts between 5/6.

Thanks that is what I wanted to know. I will be doing that for now on.

Have you had any issues with your 6.2? I traded last year my 2001 F150 5.4 that had 228,000 miles on it for this 2013F250. it is my daily driver and I am getting around 13.8 to 14 MPG. Towing this last time around 9.5.

This was the first time we towed the trailer on vacation. Right after we bought the trick last year has some issues with elderly parents and couldn't go and then during the winter a tree limb fell through the roof. So the official first time I towed the trailer with the 250 was to the dealer to have a new roof.

No engine or trans problems, but I had to deal with the "death wobble" earlier this year. Mine is a 2011 F250 6.2L CC 8' bed with camper prep, which is the perfect storm combination for front end death wobble. My OEM shocks were shot at 17k miles which contributed to the front end problems. Even on your 2013 I would consider replacing the shocks and steering dampener with Bilstiens. You're getting slightly better MPG than I do at 13 mpg non towing, and 8.5-9.0 towing.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Tow/haul changes shift points....stays in each gear longer.

When it was hunting between 6th & 5th gears what kind of terrain (flat/hilly)?
How long would it stay in 6th before downshifting to 5th?

Can you 'lock out 6th gear while in tow/haul mode?

You are correct on the information and it is how I use our 5 speed Allison. Lock out overdrive and let the engine run free and enjoy the drive.

chevman

RJCorrazza wrote:
On even slightly moderate hilly terrain I lock out 6th gear in my 6.2L with 3.73 rear. Even in Tow/Haul mode it hunts between 5/6.

Thanks that is what I wanted to know. I will be doing that for now on.

Have you had any issues with your 6.2? I traded last year my 2001 F150 5.4 that had 228,000 miles on it for this 2013F250. it is my daily driver and I am getting around 13.8 to 14 MPG. Towing this last time around 9.5.

This was the first time we towed the trailer on vacation. Right after we bought the trick last year has some issues with elderly parents and couldn't go and then during the winter a tree limb fell through the roof. So the official first time I towed the trailer with the 250 was to the dealer to have a new roof.

On even slightly moderate hilly terrain I lock out 6th gear in my 6.2L with 3.73 rear. Even in Tow/Haul mode it hunts between 5/6.

OP here. So is it or isn't it a good idea to lock out 6th gear? I got the manual out and does not say but from the comments here and what it was doing it makes sense. Do most of you lock out top gear or just put in tow haul mode and let the truck do its thing. If that is the case then I can see a change in driving habits it keep it from jumping. Back and forth on those hills. I just didn't like it jumping around.

Tow/haul mode turns my truck into a completely different animal. I always use it when towing and it never hunts. The trans runs about 30 degrees cooler too. Almost 200K miles and no transmission failure yet....heck I even tow with my big tune sometimes and still have no problems.

Heck I even use tow/haul mode around town unloaded when I feel like giving some punk kids in their fart carts a good duramax spanking.

mkirsch wrote:
Every shift is one shift closer to transmission failure. Hunting is unnecessary, and frequent, shifting, which is easily controllable in most cases.

If the transmission is hunting, manually select the gear it keeps shifting down to until you get on the flat again. If it's hunting on the flat, shift down and leave it there until you get to your destination.

Tow/Haul Mode is for towing and hauling, period. If it were for descending hills, it would be Hill Descent Mode. Some Tow/Haul Modes do have a Hill Descent Mode included, but it is only part of the picture.

Use Tow/Haul or don't. You are not going to hurt a thing trying different combinations to see what works best for you.

You obviously do not have a F series with Tow/Haul feature and have no idea what you are posting on. You CLEARLY do not know what Fords Tow/Haul is and what it does.

There is NO PLACE IN THE FORD OWNERS MANUAL THAT STATES ANY OF YOUR CLAIMS.

If you don't believe me then you can take a good look at the 2013 F250 and up owners manual HERE

See Pages 200-205

I am posting the important sections. PAY EXTREME CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE PART I HAVE BOLDED!

Understanding the Shift Positions of a 6–Speed Automatic
Transmission (If Equipped)

D (Overdrive) with Tow/Haul Off

D (Overdrive) with tow/haul off is the normal driving position for the
best fuel economy. The overdrive function allows automatic upshifts and downshifts through gears one through six.

D (Overdrive) with Tow/Haul On

The tow/haul feature improves transmission operation when towing a
trailer or a heavy load. All transmission gear ranges are available when using tow/haul.

To activate tow/haul, press the
button on the end of the gearshift
lever.

The TOW HAUL indicator light will illuminate in the instrument
cluster.

Tow/haul delays upshifts to reduce frequency of transmission shifting.

Tow/haul also provides engine braking in all forward gears when the
transmission is in the D (Overdrive) position; this engine braking will slow the vehicle and assist the driver in controlling the vehicle when descending a grade. Depending on driving conditions and load conditions, the transmission may downshift, slow the vehicle and control the vehicle speed when descending a hill, without the pedals being pressed. The amount of downshift braking provided will vary based upon the amount the brake pedal is pressed.

Tow/haul may be automatically activated (without pressing the tow/haul button). This provides engine braking to assist the vehicles braking system when going downhill and repetitive braking is sensed. Once the tow/haul mode has been automatically activated it will not automatically deactivate.

To deactivate the tow/haul feature and return to normal driving mode,
press the button on the end of the gearshift lever. The tow/haul light will no longer be illuminated.
Tow/haul will also deactivate when the vehicle is powered down for a few minutes.


To be very clear, Tow/Haul DOES PROVIDE AUTOMATIC DOWNSHIFTING for descending hills.

There IS NO MENTION in the owners manual about "hunting gears" and locking it out to prevent damage due to hunting (there USED to be wording in older 4 speed Ford Owners manuals about hunting, but that has not been present since the 5 speed with Tow/Haul was introduced).

What you don't seam to understand is this SIX speed transmission has gears which are VERY CLOSE in ratio. It is done intentionally to KEEP THE ENGINE RPM IN THE SWEET SPOT where torque and HP are peaking together.

YES, it will drop out of 6th gear fairly easy when towing a heavy load, it is DESIGNED TO DO SO.

These transmissions ARE designed to be used and I am not afraid to let the transmission do what it is designed to do..

You can also find other Ford truck owners manuals
HERE

OP, your transmission IS doing what it is supposed to be doing and it was designed to do it that way. The only time I would be concerned is if the transmission was endlessly upshifting and downshifting every few seconds which most likely would be a malfunction..

For the record, I OWN a 2013 F250 with 6.2 and HAVE towed 7K lbs with it, so I am KEENLY aware how it works and acts..

By far to me the 2013 Tow/Haul is impressive on response of handling downshifts on descent and managing heavy towing loads!

Every shift is one shift closer to transmission failure. Hunting is unnecessary, and frequent, shifting, which is easily controllable in most cases.

If the transmission is hunting, manually select the gear it keeps shifting down to until you get on the flat again. If it's hunting on the flat, shift down and leave it there until you get to your destination.

Tow/Haul Mode is for towing and hauling, period. If it were for descending hills, it would be Hill Descent Mode. Some Tow/Haul Modes do have a Hill Descent Mode included, but it is only part of the picture.

Use Tow/Haul or don't. You are not going to hurt a thing trying different combinations to see what works best for you.

Thank you so much for all the replies. We were on I-20 and there are flat spaces and hills. Seemed to be jumping more around the hills so I guess it would be in 6th on the flats and then jump between 5th and 6th to maintain the speed on the hills.

All the comments make so much sense now.

Yes we have the 6.2L with 3.73 ratio. I will try the locking out of 6th gear when we go again in a couple of weeks.

Towing our trailer with the F250 has been a wonderful experience more than the F150. We didn't know how peaceful towing could actually be. And getting to know all the bells and whistles that the F250 has around towing is like Christmas everyday.

Put it in tow/haul any time a trailer is hooked up. Run it in manual mode and select the gear that it stops hunting. Enjoy the ride.