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Using a 2011 Ford F150 as a tow truck???

baitboy
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2011 F150 that I am using as my tow truck and I was wondering if any of you who use the newer F150's as tow truck----do you lock out 6th gear when you are towing?
26 REPLIES 26

Tystevens
Explorer
Explorer
Atlee wrote:
I haven't figured out how to lock out 6th gear yet.

On mine, if the Tow/Haul is NOT engaged, and I go from D to M on the shift lever, I have 6 gears to manually choose from. However, if I'm in Tow/Haul mode and select M, I only have 3 gears to choose from, 3-2-1.

Shadow_Grey wrote:
I don't know about prior years but with the '11s and up you have "tow/haul" on the end of the shift lever and a rocker switch about 2/3 up the stalk to lock upper gears out or shift the gears manually if in "M".


Like others have explained, leave it in "D" and just hit the +/- toggle. That will "lock" out any gear not illuminated on your display, eg., if 6 is not lit up, the truck will use gears 1-5 as normal.

In this way, the transmission operation is different from GM's.
2008 Hornet Hideout 27B
2010 Chevy Suburban 1500 LT, Z71 package, 5.3/6A/3.42
2015 Ford F150 XLT Supercrew, 2.7 Ecoboost/6A/3.55 LS

Prior TVs:
2011 Ford F150 Ecoboost 3.5
2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax LBZ
2005 Chevy Suburban 1500 4x4 LT, 5.3/4A/4.10

Hybridhunter
Explorer
Explorer
Atlee wrote:
I haven't figured out how to lock out 6th gear yet.

On mine, if the Tow/Haul is NOT engaged, and I go from D to M on the shift lever, I have 6 gears to manually choose from. However, if I'm in Tow/Haul mode and select M, I only have 3 gears to choose from, 3-2-1.


I think you are a bit confused here. When the shifter is in the M position, you have full manual control over gear selection in all 6 gears, (the exception being it will downshift to avoid stalling). The gear selected will display in the instrument cluster.

The rest of the time, you can limit the top gear it will shift in to. The gears available will display in the instrument panel.

I always lock out 6th (I have the 3.7), I find that in rolling hills I lock out 5th as well, or I let it shuffle gears, 5th down hills, 4th, sometimes 3rd going up. I assume it's designed to be left to it's own calibrations, as everyone knows that the correct gear for going downhill is not the correct gear for going uphill, although there are exceptions to that.

Tvov
Explorer II
Explorer II
The new transmissions certainly are different than my 2008. I have the 5 speed "Torque-Shift", that just has the tow/haul button.
_________________________________________________________
2021 F150 2.7
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor

OH48Lt
Explorer
Explorer
On my 2011 with EcoBoost, I lock out 6th when towing our 6000# TT. It will hold 6th when towing unless going into a real bad headwind, but it improves fuel mileage by over 1 mpg by using 5th. That puts the engine RPMs right at 1900, which is where 80% of the 420 ft lbs of torque becomes available.

Atlee: There are 2 switches on the drivers side of the shift lever. The bottom one is the tow\haul, the upper one triggers the gear indicator display on the dash and allows you to select gears. While in D, that switch will allow you to lock out gears starting from the top. If you lock out 6th, (the 6 light will go out), the truck will use gears 1-5. If you lock out 6 and 5, it will only use gears 1-4, and so on. Great for engine braking too. Doesn't matter if you have tow\haul engaged or not. If you put the shift selector lever in M, it operates differently. I think you will only get 1-2-3, and you have to manually upshift using the side gear selector button, IIRC.
2017 Ford F-150 Crew Cab 4x4 3.5 EcoBoost
2014 Cruiser RV Fun Finder 215WKS
2015 Harley Road Glide Special in Amber Whiskey
2019 Mustang Bullitt
Yamaha Grizzly 660 (his)
Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O.(hers)

Shadow_Grey
Explorer
Explorer
You do have the rocker switch about 2/3s the way up the shift stalk correct?
'11 F150 XLT Red Candy Met. Ecoboost 4X4 Screw 5.5', Max Tow,Reese R16k 5th wheel hitch,Ride-Rite Air Springs, E Rated Tires, Extang Cover
'13 Keystone Cougar X-Lite 29RES,triple slides,Mor/Ryde suspension, Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder, 16" E rated tires

Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
I haven't figured out how to lock out 6th gear yet.

On mine, if the Tow/Haul is NOT engaged, and I go from D to M on the shift lever, I have 6 gears to manually choose from. However, if I'm in Tow/Haul mode and select M, I only have 3 gears to choose from, 3-2-1.

Shadow_Grey wrote:
I don't know about prior years but with the '11s and up you have "tow/haul" on the end of the shift lever and a rocker switch about 2/3 up the stalk to lock upper gears out or shift the gears manually if in "M".
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch

Shadow_Grey
Explorer
Explorer
I don't know about prior years but with the '11s and up you have "tow/haul" on the end of the shift lever and a rocker switch about 2/3 up the stalk to lock upper gears out or shift the gears manually if in "M".
'11 F150 XLT Red Candy Met. Ecoboost 4X4 Screw 5.5', Max Tow,Reese R16k 5th wheel hitch,Ride-Rite Air Springs, E Rated Tires, Extang Cover
'13 Keystone Cougar X-Lite 29RES,triple slides,Mor/Ryde suspension, Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder, 16" E rated tires

Tvov
Explorer II
Explorer II
So... with some Ford transmissions, you have "tow/haul" mode AND you have the option of locking out overdrive (or top gear)?
_________________________________________________________
2021 F150 2.7
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor

Tystevens
Explorer
Explorer
I leave mine in D unless it is 'hunting' a lot -- shifting back and forth every couple minutes or so. I've found that in T/H, both my F150 and my GM do a pretty good job of eliminating hunting. Of course, the Ecoboost can tow along in 6th in most conditions, speed permitting, so it has been less of an issue w/ my F150. My GM never even gets to 6th gear when towing anyway, unless I'm going downhill, so it isn't much of a problem there, either.

Good luck.
2008 Hornet Hideout 27B
2010 Chevy Suburban 1500 LT, Z71 package, 5.3/6A/3.42
2015 Ford F150 XLT Supercrew, 2.7 Ecoboost/6A/3.55 LS

Prior TVs:
2011 Ford F150 Ecoboost 3.5
2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax LBZ
2005 Chevy Suburban 1500 4x4 LT, 5.3/4A/4.10

brulaz
Explorer
Explorer
How fast you're towing may affect how often it shifts from 5th to 6th and back.

With my 7500# trailer, we pretty much travel at 62mph (100km/h), and it's never been necessary to lock out 6th (it's an EcoB though). Cruise control and Tow/Haul pretty much handle everything without a lot of back and forth. That's across the continent, all around Ontario, and to Florida and return.

But cruising with our 64sqft sail at 70mph might be a different story.

And I expect the 5L V8 would be happier if 6th were locked out.
2014 ORV Timber Ridge 240RKS,8500#,1250# tongue,44K miles
690W Rooftop + 340W Portable Solar,4 GC2s,215Ah@24V
2016 Ram 2500 4x4 RgCab CTD,2507# payload,10.8 mpgUS tow

baitboy
Explorer
Explorer
Thank you for the input. You all have been a lot of help. We just bought a 240MK Laredo made by Keystone. On the way home I noticed that as we went through the rolling hills that we kept going in and out of 6th gear so I locked out the 6th gear. Just wanted your input to see if I was doing it right. Thanks again.

pappcam
Explorer
Explorer
APT wrote:
Tow/Haul lock out 6th gear is what I recommend and do with my similar power and weight combo.


Unless I've got a good tail wind and I'm on driving on fairly level terrain, I also put it in tow/haul and lock out 6th. If I do have a tail wind I check to see if it moves a lot between 5th and 6th and if it stays consistently in 6th I don't lock it out.
2023 Grand Design Imagine 2970RL
2011 F150 XLT 5.0

Shadow_Grey
Explorer
Explorer
Dave H M wrote:
Actually, I am not sure if my trans technically has an "over drive".


I have heard "rumors" that the top two in the 6 speed ford are over driven. I don't know though.


Yes Dave, 5th and 6th are overdrive.

I also lockout 6th when running thru the rolling hills but out on the flats it is 6th gear and cruise control all the way.
'11 F150 XLT Red Candy Met. Ecoboost 4X4 Screw 5.5', Max Tow,Reese R16k 5th wheel hitch,Ride-Rite Air Springs, E Rated Tires, Extang Cover
'13 Keystone Cougar X-Lite 29RES,triple slides,Mor/Ryde suspension, Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder, 16" E rated tires

badercubed
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2013 Ecoboost and lock out 6th gear when towing. It bumped me 1.5mpg from when I didn't lock it out.
2019 Apex Nano 208BHS
2016 F-150 Crew Cab (it's my wife's ride)

Been camping for 37 of my 38 years!