CampinEarls
Derby, KS
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Joined: 02/28/2010
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bar_20 wrote:CampinEarls wrote:You're doing fine, by the above posts saying locking out OD they mean taking it out of D and put it into 3 or 4 or M (depends on what vehicle you are driving). If you didn't understand what they are talking about.
I am not sure what GM vehicles have but my Lincoln and the Dodge van I used to own had buttons that you pressed that took it out of O/D. The Dodge button was on the end of the column shifter. The Lincoln has a floor shifter and the button is on the console. If you have a towing button, that is probably your O/D button. I like others, take it out of O/D when climbing hills and when I get to the summit I put it back in and drive with the O/D on the descent as well as on the flat sections.
Mine doesn't, mine is a 6 speed and it uses 6th with the tow/haul on, I know some other vehicles don't use O/D with tow/haul, that's why i said "depends on vehicle".
I leave mine in Drive and let the trans do the shifting, if it needs to come out of top gear it does. I don't have a problem with it searching for a gear or going in and out of O/D (6th).
Maybe my truck is messed up? But it will definately use 6th with Tow?Haul on.
I leave my tow/haul on all the time while towing the TT, whether on flat straight hwy or stop and go, all it does is change the shifting points, it'll hold it in gear a little longer before it shifts, seems to be easier on the truck and trans that way IMO. And my truck will down shift as you are going down a hill with the CC and tow/haul on to slow it down.
Lots of different scenarios to the situations. But In My Opinon the OP is fine with what he is doing, if it doesn't feel right to him then he can change his settings.
2009 Chevy Z71 CrewCab
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Krusty
Calgary, Alberta,Canada
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Joined: 04/26/2003
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bmuller wrote:CampinEarls wrote:You're doing fine, by the above posts saying locking out OD they mean taking it out of D and put it into 3 or 4 or M (depends on what vehicle you are driving). If you didn't understand what they are talking about.
OK Wait.. now I'm not sure I understand I was of the understanding that if your TV had the TOW Button.. that button locks out the OD...
I Know on my F150 as soon as I hit the button a light on my dash comes on and sais "Overdrive Off"
Your F-150 doesn't have a TOW/HAUL button. It has an OVERDRIVE OFF button.
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smkettner
Southern California
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If the cruise control seems to jam on the throttle and cause a downshift at any little rise there may not be much you can do about it except turn the cruise off. Using the tow/haul mode is about the best you can do.
If you have say 3.42 gears in the differential and would consider changing them to 4.10 ratio that would have a large improvement to avoid downshifting on minor overpasses etc. The gear change will have the motor at a little higher rpm and more in the power band of the motor. Downshifting will not be needed near as much.
The fuel mileage seems right in line with what is expected.
For longer hills you should expect the transmission to downshift and have the rpm in the 3500 to 4500 range. This is where the engine makes more power and is the correct way for it to run. The cruise may push the rpm into the 4500 to 5500 range and if that seems excessive you will need to turn off the cruise and go a little slower up the hill.
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TNTraveller
Knoxville, TN
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Joined: 07/16/2010
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The first thing to do is read the owners manual for your vehicle.
On my Nissan Titan it says to tow in 4th (it has a 5 speed auto).
The tow mode on the Titan changes the shift points in 1st - 3rd gear and has no effect in 4th running down the highway.
My previous tow vehicle was a Toyota Tundra that had no tow mode but had an overdrive off button on the end of the shifter. Toyota recommended towing with overdrive off.
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