Tow/Haul mode question

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Mar 28, 2005 | 09:57 PM

jdrose

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Joined: Nov 2004

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Tow/Haul mode question

I pull a 9500 lb travel tailer over some moderate mountains, actually its has only been twice with my new (to me) 2003 6.0 DRW CC, 4;10, I love the tow/haul mode especailly on the down hils when in traffic. Thjsi weekend on teh way home froma camping trip I was coming down the mountain in traffic and the tranny/engine shifted way down (like it does normally in tow/haul) but when I was at the bottom of the hill and went to accelerate it sort of didn't want to come out of the shift, I had to put some pedal into it before it shifted back up, the engine rpm seemed to be a bit high before it came out of the two haul downshift. Most times it didn't seem to hold the shift so long, this happened on a couple of occassions, I had been doing some steep hill climbs just prior...do you think this has something to do with heat(the tranny temp gauage didn't move from mid point)..or is it normal to have to rev the engine up to (i think it was about 3200 rpm) to pull it out of the downshift?

Mar 28, 2005 | 10:58 PM

olfordsnstone

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Joined: Sep 2003

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From: Other side of the sunrise

From my experience, Tow/Haul completely changes the shifting patterns. I also have noticed higher RPM's at upshifts. This is to put less strain on the drive train while pulling a load. I have been told by dealer mechanics that the computer actually learns your driving charactoristics, ie. tow loads, and adjusts the shifting to whatever the circumstances are.
There are more qualified SD guru's out there though so I'm sure you'll get a more educated answer than mine. This is just what I have been told.

Mar 28, 2005 | 11:35 PM

sriddle

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Joined: Feb 2005

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From: San Jose, CA

it does learn your pattern on normal shift. on tow haul I dont know. I do know that this weekend I pulled almost max gross and it was perfect! Never had a problem and it was amazing.

Mar 28, 2005 | 11:43 PM

olfordsnstone

Lead Driver

Joined: Sep 2003

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From: Other side of the sunrise

Its great when the trans does all of the heavy haul shifting and gear selection for you and all you gotta do is steer. Ford did a great job in designing this trans IMO.

Mar 29, 2005 | 11:13 AM

sanpanchosue

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Joined: May 2004

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From: The Great White North

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdrose

do you think this has something to do with heat(the tranny temp gauage didn't move from mid point)..or is it normal to have to rev the engine up to (i think it was about 3200 rpm) to pull it out of the downshift?

Don't panic, it's just what these trannys do. Mine has been doing it since I got it 20,000 miles ago. Scares the crap out of me each time and I don't enjoy it. It's actually the only bitch I have with the truck. I just disengage T/H, the truck upshifts, then I re-engage T/H. No need to pile on the extra RPM's to get it to upshift itself.

Mar 29, 2005 | 11:44 AM

horser72

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Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 70

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From: Louisiana

t/h

I pulled a 14k pound horse trailer this weekend with my 2004 cc drw 3:73, and I can't beleive how nice the t/h feature is. There really is no thinking involved, anyway mine does the same thing with seeming like its stuck in low gear, I just let off the throttle for a second or two and its goes back to normal.