Dodge Ram Tow/ Haul Mode

[BadmanRick]

Make sure you use the tow haul mode on a Ram. They have terrible transmissions. Put 4 in my last Ram and a new motor. Unless you have a heavy duty diesel be careful.

[meseahunt]

Originally Posted by Jeepshots

I'm running a Ram 3500 6.4L Hemi, pulling a 24' Bullet. I made the same trip thru the western part of Arkansas in both modes as a comparison base, and I ran it both with and without the tow/haul mode activated. When doing so, I've pulled up the truck sensor summary page on the instrument display, showing water temp, oil temp, tranny temp and oil pressure. All the readings were the same, regardless if the T/H mode was activated or not. There were times i restricted the tranny gears to 4th or 5th, but the T/H mode didn't make a difference to the temps/pressure. Naturally, when activated, i'd have the different shift pattern and the higher engine revs. But that's it - basically, the truck didn't care that the camper was behind it. Oh, and no real appreciable difference in MPG. both runs were around 11 mpg.

I AGREE!!! I have a 2017 2500 Hemi 6.4 and can say the same as above, I do use it when on grades or in town, but when on the flats/interstate at speed I turn it off, this only applies to a GAS model, most on here have a diesel and that is a different set of rules altogether..... also if you have a newer truck the tranny ain't gonna burn up unless you are climbing straight up for 100+ miles or you are towing outside your limits, the older trucks need all the help they can get so if you have that tow/haul button you best use it!!!

[Bixby101]

Hate to tell you, but if you are wondering about gas mileage with a truck and trailer, you are in the wrong hobby................. use the button.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Jeepshots

I'm running a Ram 3500 6.4L Hemi, pulling a 24' Bullet. I made the same trip thru the western part of Arkansas in both modes as a comparison base, and I ran it both with and without the tow/haul mode activated. When doing so, I've pulled up the truck sensor summary page on the instrument display, showing water temp, oil temp, tranny temp and oil pressure. All the readings were the same, regardless if the T/H mode was activated or not. There were times i restricted the tranny gears to 4th or 5th, but the T/H mode didn't make a difference to the temps/pressure. Naturally, when activated, i'd have the different shift pattern and the higher engine revs. But that's it - basically, the truck didn't care that the camper was behind it. Oh, and no real appreciable difference in MPG. both runs were around 11 mpg.

I agree about the temps. etc. when using/not using TH mode. I don't agree however that the TH mode does nothing when towing a trailer nor that the 6.4 doesn't know a trailer of any size is behind it. If you strap 5k behind it it definitely knows it's there. Is it overloaded? No. Does it take off and run like a jackrabbit? Absolutely not. That said, the tranny is also working when pulling that weight thru it, and, it definitely makes a difference in how the tranny shifts in the hills. The T/H mode makes a significant difference in the way the truck pulls the load (see my signature at the bottom). Here is the excerpt from the Ram owners manual:

"When To Use TOW/HAUL Mode

When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs, push the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL mode. This will improve performance and reduce the potential for transmission overheating or failure due to excessive shifting. When operating in TOW/HAUL mode, transmission upshifts are delayed, and the transmission will automatically downshift (for engine braking) when the throttle is closed and/or during steady braking maneuvers."

I think the key phrase is "frequent shifting" and what that means to each person. Having fried a transmission (years ago - new truck) due to not locking out OD at the time, I have a keen ear for my transmission shifting more than usual. With a 5k load or larger (and maybe smaller) the truck is going to shift much more than normal in hilly country; the 6.4 is nice but it doesn't have near the torque of the new diesels and it will shift much more frequently than normal....even in a stiff headwind. When I drop a trailer on the back, on comes T/H because it does make a difference. And here's the deal to me; turn it on and you've done what you should to try to minimize wear on the drivetrain and it hurts nothing or, knowingly not use it and run that risk because.....??? JMO. I'm sure YMMV

[Doozer12]

I use my tow/haul every time . We have a heavy duty and 33 5th wheel . It will save your transmission. The only down fall about it is when your going down hills the transmission will down shift automatically which sometimes will cause high revs . I sometimes will take it out before the hill and manually shift down before the hill to pick the gear I want

[jack65]

Very interesting info/posts about the TOW/HAUL mode. I am newbie to towing trailers as I've always tent camped the past 55+ years. I remember my Dad constantly shifting to keep the RPM's up while towing trailers when I was a kid. And that was with the 1960's Toyota Cruiser with the six cylinder engine too. Going up the down the mountains was slow going. Sometimes they would trailer camp, but most of the time tent camped so they could take the river boat for fishing, so it was still towing something. I tent camp all the time when I was on my own since then, until two years ago when we got a popup trailer and now a 20 footer.

I was manually shifting around 2500-3500 rpms the last two times I towed the trailer. Now I want to try the TOW/HAUL feature. Once in the mountains I still intend to watch the rpms and will manually shift to keep the RPM's in the 2500-3500 range. Does anyone else do that? What shift points do you use in the mountains while towing?

Cheers

[nesparky]

I always use tow/haul and full exhaust brake regardless if I'm towing or not.

[popsshopga]

Towing up hills - the only way to go is to USE your "tow/haul" function. Slowing down on the "down hill" or in cities - ditto to the above.

[jack65]

Originally Posted by nesparky

I always use tow/haul and full exhaust brake regardless if I'm towing or not.

Originally Posted by popsshopga

Towing up hills - the only way to go is to USE your "tow/haul" function. Slowing down on the "down hill" or in cities - ditto to the above.

Exactly what I do now. I tend to manually shift, especially in while towing as I noticed it still shift too soon while driving around, like by the time I'm at 10 mph, it already is in 3rd gear below 2,000 rpm! I like to keep it above 2,000rpm. I don't care about gas milage, I care about engine performance and NOT lugging the engine.

One thing I really don't like about my 2014 Ram is the +/- shifting is on the right side of steering horn, so when I make turns in town and especially on windy mountains with the trailer, (I manually shift with tow/haul) I can't reach it sometimes to make precise shifts. I wish I had the +/- shifting on a console shifter like my SUV. I still have a problem wrapping my head around the shifter being a round knob on the dash. Other than that, I really like my Ram.

[KSH]

My ram 2500 has the +- on the gear selector not on the steering wheel. Sometimes i do reach over looking for the round knob i had in the 1500 ecodiesel

[66joej]

Originally Posted by KSH

My ram 2500 has the +- on the gear selector not on the steering wheel. Sometimes i do reach over looking for the round knob i had in the 1500 ecodiesel

Our '13 Ram 1500 had the +/- on the steering wheel. Dumb place to have it when turning and trying to shift up/down.