Engine braking on 2017 F150 5.0L

Thinking about this more, and I'm wondering if you are expecting the truck to automatically maintain speed.

It doesn't work that way. If you get it into "grade braking mode" with much of a trailer on, and just let it go, it will keep downshifting and downshifting trying to maintain speed.

You need to use brakes, and you need to stay ahead of the transmission to keep it from overcompensating. Once it starts dropping gears and overrevving the only solution it to pop it out of tow/haul and start over.

A minor trick with the F150 10 speed on hills:
If you set the cruise control before the top of the hill going down, it will aggressively downshift to maintain speed 5mph or so above the set speed. I’ve not tried this towing.

plasticmaster wrote:
I have a 2017 F150 with the 5.0 engine. When I tow my TT in tow haul mode, it seems to me that Ford has overdone it with the engine braking. As I apply the brakes, it downshifts really hard and revs really high to the point of making me wonder if it could damage the engine or transmission. On my last trip, I would disengage tow/haul when I knew I was getting ready to hit the brakes. Should I be concerned about this, or just let it do its thing?

As long as it's not redlining, you should be fine.

If you feel the need to hit the brakes, you really don't want to disengage the engine braking feature.

Try not to let the speed get too high early on. Much easier getting the speed down and under control doing 50mph on a road suitable for 40mph than letting it get up to 70mph and then trying to get it under control. That will help avoid some of the more extreme downshifts.

If you like manual control, you can leave T/H on and manually downshift but really no need. Once you get a feel for it, you can tap the brakes to make it downshift. I've gotten in the habit early on to do that rather than manually pulling the gear shift down.

Grit dog wrote:

MFL wrote:
On a steep downhill, with 10K pushing me, I prefer to not use t/h, and manually select gear I want to use. This works best for me, on long downhills, that also include lots of turns.

Jerry

Not sure I’ve seen a manual mode (+/- button) on any newer truck that will prevent further downshifting if the truck calls for it. Either slowing down below min speed for the top gear selected or in a grade braking scenario.
From the old 6 speed Fords that the OP has to new GM 10speeds.
They’re great at limiting up shifts to whatever top gear you want to maintain.

You are right, my 6R140 is not a six speed stick, and can/will do its own thinking when absolutely needed. It will hold me back on a lengthy downhill, in 3rd/4th. If rpm demanded an upshift, as in reaching redline, IDK? It's never come to that, as I just apply brakes as needed, but applying brakes does not downshift, when not using T/H.

Coming to a stop in manual mode, it will downshift on its own, but not as soon as when in drive mode. It will drop to 2nd when stopped, rather than 1st.

The OPs transmission, not the same, but should operate similar?

Jerry

I removed my comment. Upon rereading it this morning I decided it really didn’t provide any help to the OP.

Just wear ear plugs.

plasticmaster wrote:
When towing on flat terrain and taking an exit off the interstate, I would prefer it not do the insane downshifting. In this situation, I've been turning off tow haul as I take the exit cause I have plenty of time to stop.

In my experience, the Ford T/H mode works great, while using as described above. I would question, if your trailer brakes are working properly, adjusted properly, to help slow to a level stop?

If you are pumping the truck pedal, it will continue to downshift, which should not be necessary on level ground, and the length of most exits.

Jerry

When towing on flat terrain and taking an exit off the interstate, I would prefer it not do the insane downshifting. In this situation, I've been turning off tow haul as I take the exit cause I have plenty of time to stop.

I also do not like tow/haul on steep downhill , I just tend to shift it manually so I can control revs !

My older GM Allison tow/haul doesn't downshift unless you hold the brake for a few seconds. You can tap lightly without causing the downshift. Perhaps Ford set theirs a bit more aggressive.

I do find that it takes rev'ing pretty high after the hill flattens out before the grade braking releases. I usually just turn T/H off to get it to upshift.