The T/H is a great feature, especially when towing down hill such as a mountain pass. You're going to use all five gears whether or not you're in T/H or not when accelerating, the T/H just allows for more RPM's before each shift point.

 

Thanks me1mckee. It's info like this that really makes for a great site, to share info. Getting into my truck, I now relize that its "D",3,2 and 1. When towing I left it in D and turned on Tow/Haul and everything worked really good. It was a few earler posts that through me off. I thought I read where some people were shifting into 3rd and using the Tow/Haul. Thanks again!

 

Glad I could actually help someone. AND really glad to hear some people who LIKE the way that their truck is working, like I do.

 

Keep in mind that your truck will take off in 3rd gear if thats where the shifter is, the torqueshift will take off in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, depending on where the shifter is, taking off in 2nd isn't that bad, but 3rd gear starts are pretty hard on clutch packs, use that tow\haul fuction and leave it in od and enjoy!

 

What affects when it decides to drop a gear when you hit the brakes in T/H mode? Tried it the first time going down hill, tapped the brakes and it down shifted. Tried a few times since and it hasn't downshifted???

 

The Tow/Haul Mode programming is actually very complex, and it would be nice if Ford provided some sort of chart to help explain what is going to happen and when.

There are many factors which determine the downshifts, current ground speed, engine RPMs, brake pedal position, etc. I am getting better at predicting and controlling when the downshifts occur, but sometime I still get suprised.

I have noticed the following interesting tidbits regarding "Downhill operation":

1. Activating Tow/Haul mode above 50mph does nothing until speed drops below 50mph OR increases 6mph from the speed T/H was activated, OR depressing brake pedal.

2. Downshifts can be triggered by your speed increasing by ~6mph in any particular gear.

3. Downshifts CAN be triggered by pressing the brake pedal, but I really think that there is more to the decision than just the brake pedal (possibly the speed increase thing or maybe it actually senses brake pressure too).

Just to expound a little on some of the posts above - Tow/Haul mode does not take away any of the gears ( OD ). You have 5 gears regardless of the Tow/Haul selector. The computers try to determine if you are trying to go uphill or downhill and control the engine and transmission accordingly.

In short, I find the Tow/Haul mode to be AMAZING with it's ability to provide engine assisted braking. It is very close to being on par with a Jake Brake.

 

Great explanation, dsweger.

Actual MPH is the most determining factor.

The T/H is very fun to play with in the code, and actually has more functionality than simple automatic downshifting. You can configure two completely different shift pattern/schedules and lockup schedules, and with the right equipment you can have schedules for different driving conditions, ect.

 

So if I understand you correctly, going downhill, enganging t/h mode and tapping the brakes may not downshift unless my speed was increasing. That could be it I engaged it 1/2 way down the hill and tapped the brakes right afterwards. Don't remember what I did the first time that it worked.

 

That's not what the owner's manual says. It says to turn off overdrive if there is excessive shifting. It does not say not to tow in overdrive.

 

I noticed that the speed effects it but if I keep my foot on the brake for a second or two more it will down shift. The truck seems to be pretty smart and knows the right time to shift.

 

1. Activating Tow/Haul mode above 50mph does nothing until speed drops below 50mph OR increases 6mph from the speed T/H was activated, OR depressing brake pedal.
The early 03's without any re-flash, would do this at any speed when tapping the break, it was wonderfull

 

I leave the T/H engaged always ... just part of my "start up procedure "...

pulling trailers as I do for a living , I have fallen in love with this tranny as compared to other automatics I have used in the past ...

it keeps the tranny set in the proper gear in heavy traffic , works slick in mountain grades and coming up to stop lights ... lets it into over-drive around 55 60 mph on the level and it down shifts out of OD at the slightest hint of a grade ...

 

I've thought that the one thing that would make this transmission "perfect" would be, "up-shift" and "down-shift" buttons on the steering wheel, giving the driver complete "manual" control of the "automatic" transmission. The computer would still monitor throttle position, RPMs, etc. to make sure that the requested command does not make it come apart, but if the parameters were "safe" then shift when the driver selects it.

This would make the operation an "auto-shifting manual transmission"... with a selectable "full automatic" mode for when you just want to drive like a car.

 

dsweger, you mean like the Allison's in the F-650 and F-750 trucks? Yes that is very nice for downgrades and heavy loads. It won't downshift until the selected gear is within engine RPM limits,no matter how many gears you try to select. I like them and think it would be a great addition. I wonder if there is anyone out there with an add-on controller pad for that? dPrasse, if you are loaded all of the time and want to run in T/H all the time you could eliminate that step by adding the "tow/haul on startup mod" from the Tech folder. It works, I did it on a company truck and wrote the procedures. It makes it nice to not have to remember that part, of course, ours is a field service truck and never sees an "empty" day and is driven by different people alot, so I didn't want them to have to try to remember that part (b/c they wouldn't).

 

When warmer weather comes to N. IL I am surely going to look into it ... among other mods I have read about .... I have found that T/H works nicely in traffic unloaded too ...