Shift! **** You Shift!

You missed the other option. Regear the truck for towing knowing you will be limiting top speed and unloaded mileage.

swimmer_spe wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
That is what happens when the gearing isn't optimal. At the right speed and rpm the trans doesn't know which gear it wants.

I was hoping there was a good work around. Maybe someone has reflashed their computer and they can still use 6th.

Why are you so hung up on using 6th gear?

Do you think you're going to get better mileage?
Do you think it's hard on the motor?
Do you think it's hard on the tranny?

The bottom line is your engine does not have enough power to pull 6th gear with your combo. It needs to spin tighter to make the power it needs to hold a certain speed.

I am hung up on the 6th gear because I have 6 gears and I was hoping to use all 6 gears.

I did think being in 6th would get me better gas mileage.

I did not think it would be hard on either.

Now I understand that it might be and that I should not have it in 6th when towing.

Here's an easy solution to your problem

get rid of that truck--- and buy a truck with 4 Gears or 5.gears :W
then you won't have to worry about not using A gear that you have -:R--that's an easy solution..:S

MUltiple people have explained the issue........so....this solution should be PERFECT for YOU.

Sorry, I missed your post on page 2 where you said you were well trained in automotive.
I'll take back my recent responses and just go back to saying you're trolling then...

And sounds like with your "friends" experiences you should stay away from turbos! Your group, unlike most, seems to eat turbos regularly!

And swimmer, regarding the comment about those that were rude to you..
You didn't come on asking questions proactively, you were bashing on something you show to have no knowledge or experience to back your sordid opinion.
That will evoke some sarcastic responses every time!

Swimmer is either trolling, or just beginning to learn the basics about automotive mechanics and the like.
What he's describing is prefectly normal behaviour for his truck, he just doesn't understand that I suppose.
Sometimes I don't sit back and put myself in someone's shoes who maybe never had any interest in tinkering/ repairing/learning about automobiles and may have just been rockin the old Honda Civic back n forth to the office and grocery store for the last 30 years with no other driving or vehicle experience.
That said, there should be some responsibility to become at least somewhat qualified to understand and operate a large vehicle and trailer simply for the safety of those around you. Ship captain doesn't get his license just because he pulled his kids around the lake in a Bayliner......same thing.
Either way, it's good info for him and others.

swimmer_spe wrote:

blofgren wrote:
My truck tows my 16k lb fiver just fine in 6th gear the vast majority of the time...... ;) :B

So, if one day it was not doing that, what would you be thinking? What would you do?

There is a big difference between his engine and your engine. His engine is designed make a lot of torque at lower rpms, yours is not. Being able to hold higher gears is a realistic expectation from a low end torque engine like a turbocharged diesel or turbocharged Ecoboost, not a small displacement N/A engine that gets it's torque at much higher engine speeds.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you want to be able to hold 6th just about all the time towing what you tow in an F150 then get the 3.5L EB like I told you earlier. If you don't want the 3.5L Ecoboost engine for some reason due to the drawbacks you say it has, then you need to keep your engine and live with the drawbacks it has which one of them so happens to be not being able to hold higher gears and needing higher rpms to make power. The expectations that you have for your engine are unrealistic.

blofgren wrote:
My truck tows my 16k lb fiver just fine in 6th gear the vast majority of the time...... ;) :B

So, if one day it was not doing that, what would you be thinking? What would you do?

My truck tows my 16k lb fiver just fine in 6th gear the vast majority of the time...... ;) :B

Grit dog wrote:

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.

The manual is very empty when it comes to details on tow/haul. So, I figure a place that is all about towing heavy things would be able to help me understand exactly what is going on.

When I first had it happen, I was very concerned that something is wrong with the truck and it is going to cost me big $$$$ to fix. (Transmission or computer repairs are never cheap.) Through these 5 pages, and 2 days later, I now understand that the problem was lack of knowledge of the driver (me).

Now, when I tow, I will change my driving habits. I will lock out my top gear.



I am planning a 10,000 km road trip next summer to the west coast of the USA and Canada. I would rather learn on a short 500km trip than blow a transmission somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

To those of you who have helped me, thank you.
For those of you who have been rude to me.... You know where you can go.

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

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

The other trailer is a box. This one is more like a wedge. So, it is more areo, and lighter.

The loosing power actually makes some sense. Truck has 177000km on it.