Shift! **** You Shift!

swimmer_spe wrote:
So, here are my thoughts as to why it annoys me.

1) Why is it that when I press the Tow/Haul button the computer does not automatically lock out the top gear? If what everyone is saying is true, than that button should lock it out to prevent damage to the transmission.

2) Eventually I plan to buy either a 250 or a 2500. These would have manual transmissions (I hope), So, in a manual, do you not go into the top gear as well?

3) My truck is rated for 10,000 lbs. Why at 1/3 the capacity do I loose a gear? Would I loose 5th and maybe 4th if I was hauling my max weight?

4) Why was it that 3 years ago I towed a trailer almost double the weight at even faster speeds and it would stay in the top gear? In the summer of 2014, I drove across Canada from Victoria to Sudbury with a 1975 Terry TT 21'. It weighs about 5000 lbs. I was traveling at 110km/hr in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba. Driving from Toronto to Sudbury with a trailer weighing 3000lbs, It was hunting at 100km/hr. This is why I am concerned. Not because I cannot use the top gear, but because I never had that issue with my heavier one.

5) Who do I slap for a poor designed transmission/computer system.

Lol. First, the newer 6 speed Ford transmissions are some of the best ones out there.
Second, if these are serious questions, you need to do some learning/research in a big way.

skiles wrote:
I've notice the same thing on my truck at times. How does one go about "locking out" 6th?

I'll say this as respectfully as possible to you and he OP. While it's not mandatory to know a lot about vehicles or mechanics to drive a truck and pull a trailer, if one does not even know how to shift the transmission then I have to wonder about the other driving skills too.....btw, if you can't figure it out for yourself, there's about 200 pages of good reading in the glove box......owners manual.
This might be why so many reccomend a dually with wdh for a pop up on here. Just to take everything to the lowest common denominator.

swimmer_spe wrote:
So, here are my thoughts as to why it annoys me.

1) Why is it that when I press the Tow/Haul button the computer does not automatically lock out the top gear? If what everyone is saying is true, than that button should lock it out to prevent damage to the transmission.

2) Eventually I plan to buy either a 250 or a 2500. These would have manual transmissions (I hope), So, in a manual, do you not go into the top gear as well?

3) My truck is rated for 10,000 lbs. Why at 1/3 the capacity do I loose a gear? Would I loose 5th and maybe 4th if I was hauling my max weight?

4) Why was it that 3 years ago I towed a trailer almost double the weight at even faster speeds and it would stay in the top gear? In the summer of 2014, I drove across Canada from Victoria to Sudbury with a 1975 Terry TT 21'. It weighs about 5000 lbs. I was traveling at 110km/hr in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba. Driving from Toronto to Sudbury with a trailer weighing 3000lbs, It was hunting at 100km/hr. This is why I am concerned. Not because I cannot use the top gear, but because I never had that issue with my heavier one.

5) Who do I slap for a poor designed transmission/computer system.

1. You should read up on what the tow/haul feature does. (Owners manual maybe?) It will keep the truck from going into 6th if need be. But some driver input is required as the truck doesn't always account for many different factors.

2. The only truck left with a manual is Ram. New anyways. You may find an older truck with one. But even then, like number 1, driver input is required and in order to keep the truck happy and in the sweet spot you may not go into the taller gears.

3. What your truck is rated for isn't always practical. Under perfect circumstances and with the perfect load it may pull 10k. But your not gonna like it. You will run out of payload well before you hit the towing mark!

4. Your trans now is far and away better than they were back then I assure you. Those trucks back then did not have OD or the mpg your getting today either. Think of it like this...you had three maybe 4 gears then. Lock your truck in fourth (with no OD gears) and pull with it and see how well it does. Bet it handles it much better and I'd be willing to bet your mpg won't be any worse than back then either. Probably better. Remember, when not towing, the name of the game is efficiency.

5. Slap who ever you wish. But your wasting your time as the trans and engineering is much better. It's incumbent on you to learn your truck and how best to use it under varying conditions. Not the engineers. This is why they come with manuals and the ability to do a multitude of tasks asked of them.

I haven't had my F-250 very long but lock out 6th when towing. I doubt if I get worse fuel mileage by doing this but even if I do that's better than rebuilding a transmission.

drive a new semi with an 18 speed auto shift , it does not use 18th gear all the time , it may be in 16th or 17th , and myself I lock out OD on my truck and tow in 3rd gear, 1 to 1 ratio, I let the rear gears do the multiplying

Your F150 is not really designed to be solely a work/tow vehicle. It's designed with a multitude of desires, ranging from a daily driver because it looks cool, to hauling mulch on the weekends, to towing a boat, to towing a trailer. Because of the variety of requirements, the manufacturer has done the best they can to accommodate everyone's desires.

If it helps, when I tow with my Ram 2500, I lock out 6th gear. No one says all gears are for all applications. Nothing to get upset about, just understand how to utilize the tool you have to it's best efficiency.

Mike

I have a Chevy 2500 HD with 6.0 6 speed transmission. I tow about 10k pounds. I put it in tow haul mode and just let it do its thing. It will stay in 6th gear when the road is very flat or sloping downhill. As soon as it feels the hill, the transmission will downshift in to 5th. It will cruise at about 2300rpm going about 65mph while in 5th. The 6th gear is designed for cruising without a load so you will not use it much when towing.

swimmer_spe wrote:
So, here are my thoughts as to why it annoys me.

1) Why is it that when I press the Tow/Haul button the computer does not automatically lock out the top gear? If what everyone is saying is true, than that button should lock it out to prevent damage to the transmission.

2) Eventually I plan to buy either a 250 or a 2500. These would have manual transmissions (I hope), So, in a manual, do you not go into the top gear as well?

3) My truck is rated for 10,000 lbs. Why at 1/3 the capacity do I loose a gear? Would I loose 5th and maybe 4th if I was hauling my max weight?

4) Why was it that 3 years ago I towed a trailer almost double the weight at even faster speeds and it would stay in the top gear? In the summer of 2014, I drove across Canada from Victoria to Sudbury with a 1975 Terry TT 21'. It weighs about 5000 lbs. I was traveling at 110km/hr in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba. Driving from Toronto to Sudbury with a trailer weighing 3000lbs, It was hunting at 100km/hr. This is why I am concerned. Not because I cannot use the top gear, but because I never had that issue with my heavier one.

5) Who do I slap for a poor designed transmission/computer system.

#1. Because if other people tow different trailers that are more aero it would be silly to lock out 6th gear.

#2. If you buy new and a diesel your only option is a Ram for a manual. If you buy a gas you might or might not have to use 5th gear. Depending on gear ratio or the aero of the trailer and the power that the engine puts out.

#3. Because your truck is also designed to tow without a trailer too. It's very possible depending on the weight and aero of the trailer.

#4. I have no idea? Maybe the other trailer was more aero? Maybe your truck has been losing power? Who knows?

#5. Nobody. It's working as designed. Put a 4.56 gear in the thing if your so set on using 6th all the time. You'll get your wish then for sure. But then you will come on here and talk about fuel mileage......or lack there of :R

Jayco-noslide wrote:
When a trans has 6 speeds it's not going to take much pull to downshift from 6 to 5 because you probably are running at low RPM's in 6th; hence, not much torque. You may have more weight than you would think. If you can lock the trans in 5th, that would do it.You should try to reduce the wear that comes from constant shifting. also, 5 liters is only around 300 cubic inches; not all that powerful.

It is 302CI, and do remember. This is not your daddy's 302 / 5.0. The 2013 Coyote has 145 more ponys than did the 1996 5.0, and 100 FT LB more torque. And the 2015 up even have more.

387 HP, and 387 FT LB of torque is not to shabby. Actually more than the 5.4 by a good margin. and the 5.3 by even a larger margin

So, here are my thoughts as to why it annoys me.

1) Why is it that when I press the Tow/Haul button the computer does not automatically lock out the top gear? If what everyone is saying is true, than that button should lock it out to prevent damage to the transmission.

2) Eventually I plan to buy either a 250 or a 2500. These would have manual transmissions (I hope), So, in a manual, do you not go into the top gear as well?

3) My truck is rated for 10,000 lbs. Why at 1/3 the capacity do I loose a gear? Would I loose 5th and maybe 4th if I was hauling my max weight?

4) Why was it that 3 years ago I towed a trailer almost double the weight at even faster speeds and it would stay in the top gear? In the summer of 2014, I drove across Canada from Victoria to Sudbury with a 1975 Terry TT 21'. It weighs about 5000 lbs. I was traveling at 110km/hr in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba. Driving from Toronto to Sudbury with a trailer weighing 3000lbs, It was hunting at 100km/hr. This is why I am concerned. Not because I cannot use the top gear, but because I never had that issue with my heavier one.

5) Who do I slap for a poor designed transmission/computer system.