Shift! **** You Shift!

Swimmer, stop and think about it. Yes the transmission programming is pretty good, but your truck does not have eyes in the grille to see and anticipate the next curve, hill, up or down, slower moving vehicle etc.
Only YOU can do that. Know that it will not hurt to lock out a gear or 2. It will actually help. So either be upset at your "dumb" vehicle or be upset at yourself for not understanding the concepts fully. Remember, you came on this thread basically bad mouthing your truck that was/is doing exactly what it's supposed to do when you actually just don't understand what to do. The last part is fine, we all need to learn. Not everyone has been towing and operating large vehicles and equipment our whole lives.

Your expectation seems to be that the truck should essentially drive itself. It doesn't.
You've received help in this thread and seem to constantly rebut it. That is what sparks the sarcastic comments. Plenty of folks here that know a thing or 2, plenty that just pretend they do, and a few that will admit they are truly looking for advice or direction.
Hard to sift thru bs vs good advice simply by the written word, but I think you can find the good advice. You just need to take it.

Hannibal wrote:
First time I've ever heard of a blown head gasket due to a waste gate sticking at idle not releasing the pressure.

My 2010 F250 has tow/haul mode but no means of locking out 5th (O/D). It shifts in and out of 5th as conditions allow. Some might interpret this as constantly shifting. It's been doing this for 96k miles and no damage done. You should see how often it shifts in town. All the way to 1st when I stop. Something is definitely wrong.

Good point. If one is pulling with a manual transmission and was continually shifting from 6th to 5th there would be no concern at all. I have towed with the 5 litre, good engine for towing. I have towed with the Ecoboost, unbelievable engine for towing.

First time I've ever heard of a blown head gasket due to a waste gate sticking at idle not releasing the pressure.

My 2010 F250 has tow/haul mode but no means of locking out 5th (O/D). It shifts in and out of 5th as conditions allow. Some might interpret this as constantly shifting. It's been doing this for 96k miles and no damage done. You should see how often it shifts in town. All the way to 1st when I stop. Something is definitely wrong.

swimmer_spe wrote:
...

I am well trained in automotive. I am just not up on the newest computer stuff.

Just curious... what automotive are you well trained in?

After 8 pages, no one has even questioned the weight on your camper. A 24ft Rockwood for under 3K lbs?

I have a 2014 Flagstaff High Wall 14" pop-up that weighs more than that.

Anyway, I have a 2013 F-150 5.0. If the terrain is flat, I'm not bucking a headwind, and I keep the speed in the 6o-65ish range, I can tow in 6th....but I've only got about 32 sqft of camper frontal space and the only thing that sits higher than the cab of the truck is the camper A/C unit.

HOWEVER...one I start getting into the mountains or hilly terrain, that's were things start to change. A non-turbocharged engine will loose roughly 3percent power for every 1000 feet. Depending on where you're at, you could be loosing in excess of 25-30 percent of the power. You could easily be loosing upwards of 75 HP or more, which also effects torque, which ultimately effects towing. And these #'s don'e even include the paracitic power loss by having a 4x4 truck and having to route power thru a transfer case.

The BOTTOM LINE is that all pickups are designed to maximize fuel economy. This is done with transmission shift points, engine power and fuel management computer protocols.

The manufacturers give you the option of overriding the power/fuel management protocols by such things as tow/haul mode, being able to lock out certain high gears and other things. Basically, you have to be smarter than what you're working with. A pickup hooked up to a trailer will do everything within it's computer programming to deliver the best MPG available.

I'm personally willing to lock out higher gears and let the engine run at higher RPM's instead of letting the transmission hunt, and hunt, and hunt to try to find the highest MPG. You can do whatever you want, despite all the sound advise offered, but I personally don't have over $3K-5K for a new transmission...maybe you do.

Grit dog wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Greene728 wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Since the comprehension is lacking here, I would suggest putting it in tow haul mode and let the truck do what it does. Newer fords are semi idiot proof and won't hunt endlessly for the right gear.

If you read my original post, it stated I was in Tow/Haul mode.

Sorry, wasn't suggesting you didn't have it in T/H. Just saying I've put a bunch of miles on the newer Ford 6 speeds and the transmission programming is pretty spot on for set it and forget it. It doesn't need to be babysat like some transmissions that shi(f)t all over themselves.

So, I guess I can leave 6th available and let it go in there. Which means it is time to talk to the dealer about why it was hunting.

Wow. Nothing else to say.

With all the bouncing back and forth, and the information provided in the owner's manual, there seems to be a lack of full understanding whether we are doing things that the truck is designed to do or not.

Remember, just because you do something, doesn't mean you should. And just because many people do the same thing, doesn't mean it is right.

Common, sound practice is to quit using a gear if the engine can't consistently pull that gear. It's not immediate transmission death, usually, but shifting unlocks the torque converter which creates heat.....and it's annoying. I'd rather listen to the engine sing along 500 rpms higher all day rather then hear it not be able to make up its mind all day.

After 8 pages, my common sense is now been told is wrong. Common sense tells me that the computer will do what is best, and in Tow Haul mode, if It cannot be in a gear, it will not put it there. So, why should I do anything to prevent the computer from doing what it is designed to do?

Common sense tells me that a lighter, more aerodynamic trailer should tow better than a heavier, less aerodynamic trailer.

So, please for give me for getting annoyed with those that would mock my choices and mock everything without anyone telling me why it is doing what it shouldn't be doing.

swimmer_spe wrote:

Greene728 wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Since the comprehension is lacking here, I would suggest putting it in tow haul mode and let the truck do what it does. Newer fords are semi idiot proof and won't hunt endlessly for the right gear.

If you read my original post, it stated I was in Tow/Haul mode.

Sorry, wasn't suggesting you didn't have it in T/H. Just saying I've put a bunch of miles on the newer Ford 6 speeds and the transmission programming is pretty spot on for set it and forget it. It doesn't need to be babysat like some transmissions that shi(f)t all over themselves.

So, I guess I can leave 6th available and let it go in there. Which means it is time to talk to the dealer about why it was hunting.

Wow. Nothing else to say.

With all the bouncing back and forth, and the information provided in the owner's manual, there seems to be a lack of full understanding whether we are doing things that the truck is designed to do or not.

Remember, just because you do something, doesn't mean you should. And just because many people do the same thing, doesn't mean it is right.

Common, sound practice is to quit using a gear if the engine can't consistently pull that gear. It's not immediate transmission death, usually, but shifting unlocks the torque converter which creates heat.....and it's annoying. I'd rather listen to the engine sing along 500 rpms higher all day rather then hear it not be able to make up its mind all day.

goducks10 wrote:
Just stick it in 5th and tow.

^This. Or don't. I don't know what to say either.
I meant that, that trans does a pretty good job, and won't eat itself for breakfast if you let it self manage, but if a guy can't understand basic concepts then any user input type reccomendations will not work for said person.

Just stick it in 5th and tow.

Greene728 wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Since the comprehension is lacking here, I would suggest putting it in tow haul mode and let the truck do what it does. Newer fords are semi idiot proof and won't hunt endlessly for the right gear.

If you read my original post, it stated I was in Tow/Haul mode.

Sorry, wasn't suggesting you didn't have it in T/H. Just saying I've put a bunch of miles on the newer Ford 6 speeds and the transmission programming is pretty spot on for set it and forget it. It doesn't need to be babysat like some transmissions that shi(f)t all over themselves.

So, I guess I can leave 6th available and let it go in there. Which means it is time to talk to the dealer about why it was hunting.

Wow. Nothing else to say.

With all the bouncing back and forth, and the information provided in the owner's manual, there seems to be a lack of full understanding whether we are doing things that the truck is designed to do or not.

Remember, just because you do something, doesn't mean you should. And just because many people do the same thing, doesn't mean it is right.