Towing In Manual Mode

[Jimmy O.]

I just wanted to thank this forum. I have a Chevy Silverado 1500. I have been towing in just the tow mode. After reading many, many threads about towing, I decided to tow with the tow mode and in(manual) 4th gear. Engine temp did not budge, transmission temp did not budge, hovered around 2600-2800 RPM. I was much more confident with towing this way. Once again, thanks to this amazing forum.

Jimmy O.

[JFlightRisk]

The JOF family has always strived to help every chance it gets, and your thanks go out to all of them, and is greatly appreciated. The combined knowledge and experience of our members continues to be priceless on so many levels.

[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.

[DanNJanice]

I have an F250 PSD and prefer to tow with 6th gear locked out. It puts the engine right in the power band at 65mph.
Tow/haul mode I find a little too aggressive sometimes, so I leave that off most of the time.

[Jimmy O.]

I would use it for sure!!

[DocBrown]

I'm on a forum for 2014-2018 Silverado\Sierras. I see a lot of people complaining about how bad they tow. When I ask questions they think tow/haul locks out OD and magically adds power for towing. When I tell them to try locking out their highest gear they are dumbfounded and have no idea what I'm talking about.

[Jimmy O.]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

I'm on a forum for 2014-2018 Silverado\Sierras. I see a lot of people complaining about how bad they tow. When I ask questions they think tow/haul locks out OD and magically adds power for towing. When I tell them to try locking out their highest gear they are dumbfounded and have no idea what I'm talking about.

It made a huge difference. Especially when I needed to get out of the slow lane or go up a hill.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by Jimmy O.

It made a huge difference. Especially when I needed to get out of the slow lane or go up a hill.

The other thing it does for you is saves wear on your transmission. All the gear changing going on when in normal mode generates heat and causes excessive wear.

[Jimmy O.]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

The other thing it does for you is saves wear on your transmission. All the gear changing going on when in normal mode generates heat and causes excessive wear.

Yep! I actually had a tranny cooler put in as well.

[RAurand]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

I'm on a forum for 2014-2018 Silverado\Sierras. I see a lot of people complaining about how bad they tow. When I ask questions they think tow/haul locks out OD and magically adds power for towing. When I tell them to try locking out their highest gear they are dumbfounded and have no idea what I'm talking about.

You really should explain exactly what you mean by locking out their highest gear. Mention how to do that.

[16WhiteColly]

On my 16 Colorado, I always tow with Tow/Haul On, in Manual M5 on my 6 speed automatic. Tow/Haul provides different shift points and M5 keeps the transmission shifting in/out of 6th gear (overdrive) constantly. Saves gas and keeps transmission temperatures down also. Have done this way for about 5 years.

[16WhiteColly]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

I'm on a forum for 2014-2018 Silverado\Sierras. I see a lot of people complaining about how bad they tow. When I ask questions they think tow/haul locks out OD and magically adds power for towing. When I tell them to try locking out their highest gear they are dumbfounded and have no idea what I'm talking about.

There’s proof to that. I can attest. My son’s 15 Silverado 5.3L V8 is a dog compared to my 16 Colorado 3.6L V6 when towing travel trailers.

[16WhiteColly]

Tow/Haul mode also provides some braking when going downhill in mountain roads, and stretches out the shift points from take off.

[Quantum]

I don't tow in manual mode but I do lock out gears 8-10 on my F150.

7th gear is a 1:1 ratio for the F150 10sp. I I can tow in 8th, but the boost is lower in 7th and therefore the MPG is slightly better.

[SmokerBill]

With my 2011 Ram 1500 (6 speed), I set it to tow-haul mode and set the top gear with the paddle to 4th, which is 1-to-1 gearing ratio. Engine runs at 2200 to 2400 RPM. Transmission only drops down to 3rd gear when going up steep inclines, and the torque converter is locked in for the majority of my towing drives. Transmission runs very cool until climbing the really big hills/mountain passes.

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by Jimmy O.

I just wanted to thank this forum. I have a Chevy Silverado 1500. I have been towing in just the tow mode. After reading many, many threads about towing, I decided to tow with the tow mode and in(manual) 4th gear. Engine temp did not budge, transmission temp did not budge, hovered around 2600-2800 RPM. I was much more confident with towing this way. Once again, thanks to this amazing forum.

Jimmy O.

Jimmy, Curiosity question, Assuming your TV is a gasser (1500) are there any other advantages having your truck in Tow Mode and using the manual shift mode give you.

On my older Dodge, the primary thing Tow Mode does is change the shift points and locks me out of OD (per owner's manual). I cannot manually select/shift into 4th and 5th gears. My temps stay fairly consistent, and my RPMs do rev a bit high when I punch it, but I am in a decent spot on the power curve. I have learned to be light on my throttle changes if I do not what it to down shift.

I would expect with a gasser, manual shifting does all the same things my tow mode does. Except you get to decide when to shift. Any other advantages?

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by RAurand

You really should explain exactly what you mean by locking out their highest gear. Mention how to do that.

Even within the same generation of trucks there are different ways to do it depending on transmission and design. One can look in their owners manual to find out. The owners manual is full of useful information. I'm not going to do their homework for them.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by 16WhiteColly

There’s proof to that. I can attest. My son’s 15 Silverado 5.3L V8 is a dog compared to my 16 Colorado 3.6L V6 when towing travel trailers.

My 2016 5.3 8 speed tows effortlessly. What transmission and what gear is he towing in?

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

Jimmy, Curiosity question, Assuming your TV is a gasser (1500) are there any other advantages having your truck in Tow Mode and using the manual shift mode give you.

On my older Dodge, the primary thing Tow Mode does is change the shift points and locks me out of OD (per owner's manual). I cannot manually select/shift into 4th and 5th gears. My temps stay fairly consistent, and my RPMs do rev a bit high when I punch it, but I am in a decent spot on the power curve. I have learned to be light on my throttle changes if I do not what it to down shift.

I would expect with a gasser, manual shifting does all the same things my tow mode does. Except you get to decide when to shift. Any other advantages?

Tow/Haul in a GM gasser does not lock out OD. You still have to select the gear to do that. And it's not actually manual shifting. On the gear selector on my 2016 for example I have D and M. M for manual, meaning to manually select the highest gear it will shift to. They started doing this when the added the 6 and 8 speed transmissions.

[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?