Ram Tow button question

[perigaut]

I am a new TT owner and I am about to head to our first trip. I had a question with regards to drive. In my old vehicle, the tow button was synonymous with not going into overdrive. Now on my new pick up (2011 Dodge Ram 1500, new for me, but used), has a separate tow button then the gear shifting button. I believe the tow button is set up to not shirt too early when accelerating and down shift earlier when going down hill. The manual doesn't state any specifics about how to set up for towing. My question is, do I need to press the tow button and down shift from 5 to 4 for regular driving, or will the tow button automatically remove overdrive?

Thanks for your input.

[tinner12002]

Kennedycamper wrote:
Just push the Tow button,and let the drive train do it's job.

X2

[Walaby]

GordonThree wrote:
I wonder why mine's not using the higher gears while towing, maybe a defect in the trans? When towing on a flat, I use electronic range select to drop down to 3rd, and watch the rpm needle. there is a drop from 3 to 4, and sometimes from 4 to 5, but never anything from 5 to off, telling me the trans isn't shifting any higher.

Maybe the hemi doesn't have enough power to use those higher gears towing my particular trailer?

Not sure Im totally tracking with you. If you use electronic range select to drop down to 3rd, and if that range select is done with the buttons on the column shift (or on steering wheel if you have the dial shifter), then that is the highest gear you will shift to. That is how my friends 2014 Ram Hemi, 8sp trans with knob gear selector, works.

Whatever number he sets the range at, that is the HIGHEST the transmission will shift to. So, if you are setting it to 3, or 4, that is as high as your trans will shift to. It will shift through the gears leading up to the final number, but will stop at whatever number you've selected.

Mike

[pitch]

I have a '13 5.7 with 6 speed and 3:55's. I tow 5000 lbs. Mine shifts into 6th tow haul or not. Unless I am on a long interstate downhill slope I run lock out 6th and run in 5th.

[braindead0]

GordonThree wrote:
I wonder why mine's not using the higher gears while towing, maybe a defect in the trans? When towing on a flat, I use electronic range select to drop down to 3rd, and watch the rpm needle. there is a drop from 3 to 4, and sometimes from 4 to 5, but never anything from 5 to off, telling me the trans isn't shifting any higher.

Maybe the hemi doesn't have enough power to use those higher gears towing my particular trailer?

When traveling flat roads, in tow/haul mode at 'highway' speed.. if you hit the - button on the gear selector the current gear should display somewhere on the dash. At least that's how it works on my 2015, this is the only way I can veify what gear I'm in.

You don't say what you're towing, what gear ratio you have or the like. In my setup the truck uses top gear often, however I've got 3.93 gearing and we're hauling maybe 3k with the TT and truck bed contents.. less than 1/3rd capacity.

[TurnThePage]

I don't exactly understand your question, GordonThree. Does your truck have the 6 speed transmission? And you're saying it never makes it to 6th gear? Or does it shift via the knob on the dash, which is an 8 speed? I'm not familiar with this feature on my 8 speed. If it's a six speed and the ERS allows you to restrict the highest desired gear, it can't go any higher than 5 and still be active.

[GordonThree]

I wonder why mine's not using the higher gears while towing, maybe a defect in the trans? When towing on a flat, I use electronic range select to drop down to 3rd, and watch the rpm needle. there is a drop from 3 to 4, and sometimes from 4 to 5, but never anything from 5 to off, telling me the trans isn't shifting any higher.

Maybe the hemi doesn't have enough power to use those higher gears towing my particular trailer?

[Walaby]

As the others have said. TH mode itself does not remove any gears from use. If you want to keep the truck from shifting into 6th gear, use the buttons on the shift lever and set the numbers to 5. Then, the highest gear it will go in, is 5th, locking out 6th. I've driven my Ram locking out 6th and it towed fine, running at about 1800 RPMs on the freeway doing 63MPH. This past weekend, I left it in D, and tow haul mode, but it wasn't a great comparison, as I was on two lane highways, small towns etc... Next weekend will be freeway travels again, so I will see how it impacts fuel mileage, driveability etc by leaving it in D vice locking out 6th.

Mike

[csamayfield55x]

Your trans is virtually identical to mine on my 08. Tow haul is NOT like the old version where it took out gears and left your engine spinning like mad.

It changes your shift points from about 1200rpm's to closer to 1500. This keeps the engine in the max torque range and lets the engine work.

It will downshift much more aggressively. In normal the trans will disengage and let the engine freewheel. In TH it stays locked up to allow the engine break to work harder to keep you off of your wheel brakes

It does not remove any gears. All 6 are available. I try not to use 6th unless going close to 65 because I live in mountain country and am always shifting down anyway. Picked up about 1 MPG holding 6th out and going 60ish.

TH works great on the newer rams with the 6 speed trans

Chris

[GordonThree]

All the manual says is use the button when towing or carrying a heavy load in hilly terrain or something like that. My manual doesn't explain what it does.

Just from my observation, the tow/haul button on my '13 ram 1500 does the following:

locks out MDS (no more ECO mode)
locks out overdrive (although mine won't seem to shift higher than 4th gear while towing)
favors lower gears while accelerating (takes longer to upshift)
coasting down a hill, it does not downshift unless cruise-control is active
automatic downshift when I apply brakes after being in cruise-control

From what I've read on the Internet, T/H actually causes the six-speed transmission to shift its entire range one ratio lower, enabling a "hidden" lower 1st gear. Don't know if it's true or not.

[Kennedycamper]

Just push the Tow button,and let the drive train do it's job.