Or should you only tow in tow mode?

 

Welcome to FTE.

That depends on what truck you have, what you're hauling (weight & wind resistance), the terrain you're driving through, and how hard you accelerate. It can be done, but if you're in a situation where the tranny has to repeatedly hunt for gears then you're better off staying in tow mode.

 

Just remember a little extra fuel is cheaper than a transmission!!! and what Chris said.

 

If its "tow mode" then yes, you want to tow in it. If its "Overdrive off" mode, then it depends. Usually, if the transmission is not searching and your truck is not overloaded, it'll handle it just fine.

 

Now I only have the F-150 set up to tow. The only time I put it in OD when towing is going DOWN a 10% grade with a tailwind!

 

That depends on what you're towing with. A little information about that would let us give you a reasonable answer.

 

i always heard that u shud never ever haul anything heavier that a riding mower in OD....BUT then one boring day i fliped my sun visor down and read it! according to mine it says to use OD if it's an automatic and never use OD..aka 5th if its a manual......i don't really know tho

 

only tow in OD if you have a diesel, then use tow mode. Gas truck 5.4 or v10 best to not use OD. The truck and transmission will do better by keeping you at a better rpm.

 

Mom, your profile says you have a 2009 F250. Now, I know So Cal is progressive, but I'm figuring you don't really have an '09.

But if you did, or if you have anything back to '03.5, you have a torqshift with tow/haul mode. On that transmission you cannot lock it out of OD. You can downshift, but only to 3rd or lower. You cannot lock it in 4th. Tow/haul does not lock out OD.

So your truck has answered that question for you. It won't let you do that. Leave it in OD. Use tow/haul if you like the shifts better. I usually only use it going downhill.

Bill

 

Best advice in the thread.

I tow a small 3500 lb trailer with my v10 all the time in od, I've also towed a 6k 30ft TT in Od when the weather and terrain permitted.

 

WHAT?
I have always towed in OD when possible - meaning that when the terrain was realatively flat and the tranny would go in to OD with out 'hunting'. My previous truck was a 00 F150, 5.4, and I towed a 6700# TT; Current rig shown below. There is nothing wrong with towing in OD.

 

Mom hasn't been back to join in the discussion, or even to say thanks, but he/she has edited the profile. It's an '08 F250. Locking out of OD is not even an option.

Bill

 

Wonder why Ford does not make that an option?
Mark Moore might be more right than I am. Just found my 99 V10 liked to rev a little more. Found it liked 2700+ rpms when towing heavy. Great to have the input from other experiences so we can all learn. Just seems a 5.4 might really struggle towing in OD. If the truck has tow mode shouldn't be a problem?

 

That's what I thought when I got the torqshift. The F150 4R75E could be locked out of OD, but the 5R110 in the F250 cannot. I guess they wanted to use the stalk button for the Tow/Haul mode, and would have had to have a separate button for locking out OD, or else add a 4th gear position to the shifter. It really does not need that function however.

But it won't struggle in OD. It will shift down on it's own if needed. And the torqshift strategy is smart enough to limit gear hunting on it's own. It's the first automatic transmission that I've ever owned that really seems as smart as the driver. I almost always knows what to do. Almost. It still cannot see ahead and anticipate the crest of a hill like I can.

Bill

 

It's 100% fine to tow in OD with an auto or a manual. Why not on a manual? You're not going to burn up a clutch (unless you're downshifting really really hard?). I'm guessing it's because most idiots out there would run 5th gear right into the ground until the engine bogs down and complain of zero power and some weird engine problems. The TorqShift is a solid platform that, like BPounds said, is smarter than most drivers. Mine was kind of weird with light loads (<3000 lbs) in the mountains in Colorado, but other than that it's great.