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05-19-2021, 02:57 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Port Charlotte FL/Hinsdale MA.
Posts: 1,070
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OTR AGIN
My 2018 RAM 1500 has an 8 speed automatic and a tow mode. It also lets me select what is the upper and lower most gears. How do I determine what is the highest gear I want to reach when towing? Or should I just use the tow/haul mode and let the truck decide which gears to use and when?
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tow mode and lock out 8.
__________________
Retired Master Electrician and Building Inspector.
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BH
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05-19-2021, 04:54 PM
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#22
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Mesa
Posts: 72
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Thanks
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Jerry & Linda
Escapees
2021 Jay Feather 22RK
2018 RAM 1500 Express Air Lift 1000HD
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05-19-2021, 05:27 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Mo.
Posts: 279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RAurand
You really should explain exactly what you mean by locking out their highest gear. Mention how to do that.
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This is from the Owners Manual for my 2017 Silverado.
__________________
2019 Jay Flight 212QB SLX
Fastway e2 Hitch w/Trunnion bars
2017 Silverado 1500 Z71
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05-19-2021, 06:03 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Spring
Posts: 928
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On the Ram 8 speed you may set 6th as the highest gear, if you get alot of up/down shifting at highway speeds. That means that you are not keeping up enough speed to stay in 7th gear. 6th gear is your 1:1 gear.
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2016 Starcraft AR One 18QB
2016 Colorado LT 3.6L V6 Ext. Cab
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05-22-2021, 02:07 PM
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#25
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Croswell
Posts: 12
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Transmission repair man told me long ago to always use tow/haul because the computer that controls it is a lot smarter than you. 2019 F150 Max Tow 3.5 Eco 10sp
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05-22-2021, 02:33 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 471
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorenc
Transmission repair man told me long ago to always use tow/haul because the computer that controls it is a lot smarter than you. 2019 F150 Max Tow 3.5 Eco 10sp
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I'll go with the tranny guy. As proof, I have no idea what most people are talking about here.
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05-22-2021, 05:06 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Manning
Posts: 376
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Towing
Jimmy O, what does your owners manual say? 
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05-23-2021, 04:24 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 697
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Manual 5th gear in tow-haul, no cruise-control - get around 10 mpg on flat, no wind, 70 mph, 2200 rpm, no trans heat-up. M4 will get up most hills. Use M4 to M2 downhill depending on the hill, whether I-70 in Colorado or 14A west in Wyoming's Bighorns.
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05-23-2021, 06:44 AM
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#29
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Poughkeepsie
Posts: 44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OTR AGIN
Does this also go for the RAM 1500? Last year I towed a 22ft Forest River only in normal mode (forgot I had a Tow mode). This year will be towing a 28ft Jayco (heavier) and am wondering if I should be in tow mode.
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Interested to learn what 28ft Jayco you bought as I am looking at a Colorado / Jayco 26-28 ft combo maybe next year.
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05-23-2021, 08:32 AM
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#30
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Mesa
Posts: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AllysonG-NY
Interested to learn what 28ft Jayco you bought as I am looking at a Colorado / Jayco 26-28 ft combo maybe next year.
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Ordered the Jay Feather 22RK. Supposed to be built any time now ("off line June 1"). I guess they discontinued this model for 2021 due to problems with parts supply, but I understand mine made the "cut". We'll see soon, I hope.
__________________
Jerry & Linda
Escapees
2021 Jay Feather 22RK
2018 RAM 1500 Express Air Lift 1000HD
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05-23-2021, 10:58 AM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Green Valley
Posts: 254
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I agree Doc. The manual will give all the information needed to decide about how to tow.
My GMC Sierra Denali shifts better, slows me down automatically going down hills, etc..
I love that I can go down hills with hardly touching brakes!
Never go up a hill faster than you are willing to go down...
Tow haul mode works.
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05-23-2021, 12:05 PM
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#32
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: South Bend
Posts: 55
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Before retiring I worked where we used hotshot haulers quite often. Almost everyone told me if you anything heavier than a few hundred pounds, they always use tow mode!
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05-25-2021, 11:23 AM
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#33
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Andover
Posts: 24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mohok1
Jimmy O, what does your owners manual say? |
Well, just like anything, it gives recommendations. I played with the manual mode and tow mode and I found being in M4 and tow mode worked best for me. One thing I did notice though, when in M4 brake assist did not engage as much when going down hill. Probably due to being in M4.
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05-25-2021, 01:03 PM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Abingdon
Posts: 6,177
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Tow/Haul mode for me. Always.
__________________
2013 Jayco Eagle 328 RLTS
2021 Keystone Montana 3121RL
2013 F350 6.7L 4x4 CCLB
W/Air Lift air bags (front & rear)
Equal-I-Zer™ WDH & B&W Companion
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05-25-2021, 02:36 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Spring
Posts: 928
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If your truck has Tow/Haul mode, use it when towing, it provides better shift points, stretches out the gears for getting up to speed. If you have Manual mode, you can add that so that you can lock out the higher (overdrive gears), if you cannot keep up the speed to stay in them. You will know if the transmission at highway speed is shifting in/out of overdrive. That is what really takes a toll on your fuel mileage and get your transmission temperatures up, which is not good.
__________________
2016 Starcraft AR One 18QB
2016 Colorado LT 3.6L V6 Ext. Cab
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05-30-2021, 06:36 AM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: South Brunswick
Posts: 338
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Just to weigh in, I have a 2019 Suburban with the 5.3 engine and 3.08 gear. My trailer weighs about 6000 lbs loaded. I use the tow mode all the time and just leave it in drive. I also use my cruise control as much as possible. Works pretty well, the only thing that I have to do is occasionally step on the gas pedal a little more when climbing long grades to get the trans to downshift another gear. Engine temps are normal and the hottest I have ever seen the trans temp was about 210 while towing on an 88 deg day. I see no point in trying to fool with the way the engineers designed the system, jmo.
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05-30-2021, 09:31 AM
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#37
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Andover
Posts: 24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmom
Just to weigh in, I have a 2019 Suburban with the 5.3 engine and 3.08 gear. My trailer weighs about 6000 lbs loaded. I use the tow mode all the time and just leave it in drive. I also use my cruise control as much as possible. Works pretty well, the only thing that I have to do is occasionally step on the gas pedal a little more when climbing long grades to get the trans to downshift another gear. Engine temps are normal and the hottest I have ever seen the trans temp was about 210 while towing on an 88 deg day. I see no point in trying to fool with the way the engineers designed the system, jmo.
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With all due respect, the engineers designed the system for tow mode and manual usage. And if you ask me, 210 degrees is to hot for a trans. IMHO.
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06-01-2021, 05:27 AM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Highland
Posts: 477
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i drove a couple hours this weekend and tried both, drive and manual 5. I have an 18 Silverado with a 6 speed. In drive it never seemed to get into 6. Stayed in 5 for both drive and manual. No difference. I use haul mode, but will keep it in drive
__________________
Chris Moore
2010 Starcraft/Jayco 297BHS pulled by
2009 Chevy Silverado
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06-01-2021, 07:10 AM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 3,431
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmom
Just to weigh in, I have a 2019 Suburban with the 5.3 engine and 3.08 gear. My trailer weighs about 6000 lbs loaded. I use the tow mode all the time and just leave it in drive. I also use my cruise control as much as possible. Works pretty well, the only thing that I have to do is occasionally step on the gas pedal a little more when climbing long grades to get the trans to downshift another gear. Engine temps are normal and the hottest I have ever seen the trans temp was about 210 while towing on an 88 deg day. I see no point in trying to fool with the way the engineers designed the system, jmo.
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Using M to select your gear keeps it even cooler than that and locks the torque convertor to reduce the downshifts. Using M mode is not fooling with the the way it was designed. That is how it's designed. Otherwise you would not have M mode at all.
__________________
Chuck
2013 Jayco Jayfeather X20 E (sold)
2016 Chevy Silverado LTZ 2 Z71 Crew Cab (sold, and dearly missed)
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Linear Mode
