2014 F-150 5.0L tow questions
07-14-2015, 01:10 AM
#11
Senior Member
5th and 6th are both Overdrive gears just so you know. Makes me wonder how the new transmissions are gonna handle all the downshifting. Imagine an 8 or 10 speed transmission searching for the proper gear. Lol.
07-14-2015, 06:31 AM
#12
Just remember that the gears change to keep it in the power band and to reduce clutch slip in the trans,locking out the over drive is fine but making it pull to much weight for the gear will do more harm than raising engine rpm's, I pull a 28' outback with a dry weight of 4800lbs so 6000lbs is close to my weight after adding all of the needed items 
07-14-2015, 08:14 PM
#13
Senior Member
I'm pulling in Canada. Saskatchewan to be exact so not much elevation. The truck did not really hunt for gears all the time it just seemed to stay in 4th way longer than it should. When i tapped the gas it shifted to 5th then 6th but would loose speed in 6th right away. There was a good wind going to so that could of been a factor. On the way home I drove in manual and it seemed to be fine at 60mph in 5th and when going up hill I would manual shift down to 4th. I was not sure what to expect when pulling something this big so it could be completely normal and that's why I posted this to see if anyone else had the same types of things happen.
Also nobody answered my question of if you can put into manual mode while driving?
Also nobody answered my question of if you can put into manual mode while driving?
People talk about gearing down in the mountains, but I always burn more gas and spend more time in lower gears fighting the prairie winds than anywhere else. Primarily when heading west. The bigger the frontal area of the trailer and the less aerodynamic, the worse it is.
07-16-2015, 03:27 PM
#15
Grumpy Old Man
Two ways. One way is to switch to manual mode, then use the toggle shifters to get into 5th gear, then leave it there.
But if you prefer automagic mode, 5.0GN tow said "The tow haul mode engaged then toggle down once and 6th will be locked out." I suspect he meant to use the toggle shifters to toggle down one gear using the "-" (minus) button, when in automatic and tow/haul mode of a SelectShift tranny.
My Owner's Guide describes locking out gears in the section on "Progresive Range Selection" in the section on Tow/Haul mode of the SecectShift tranny. For my 2012, it's on page 302.
Last edited by smokeywren; 07-16-2015 at 03:30 PM.
07-17-2015, 10:30 AM
#19
Senior Member
Think it's mostly the wind and your big trailer.
People talk about gearing down in the mountains, but I always burn more gas and spend more time in lower gears fighting the prairie winds than anywhere else. Primarily when heading west. The bigger the frontal area of the trailer and the less aerodynamic, the worse it is.
People talk about gearing down in the mountains, but I always burn more gas and spend more time in lower gears fighting the prairie winds than anywhere else. Primarily when heading west. The bigger the frontal area of the trailer and the less aerodynamic, the worse it is.
I've recently started towing a < 5,000lb TT with my '13 Ecoboost. I find with the transmission in Tow Mode it will stay in 6th gear at 100kph (~60mph for our neighbours to the south) on flat level roads, humming along at about 2,300 rpm. Climbing even a slight grade it will drop to 5th to maintain the same speed.
The TT is about as aerodynamic as a brick, so when recently towing into a severe headwind the transmission dropped to 4th and stayed there, with the fuel gauge dropping like lead balloon.
07-17-2015, 11:29 AM
#20
Senior Member
2300 rpm? Think I cruise at ~1700rpm at 100 kph in 6th with the 3.73 rear end. In 5th I would be up around 2300 rpms though.
And yes, just crossed the prairies again heading west, this time in the US. In eastern Montana and ND had three tank-fulls with about 8.3 mpgUS. Ugh. I even dropped my speed down from 62 to 55mph or it would have been worse. Still spent a lot of time in 5th gear though.
And yes, just crossed the prairies again heading west, this time in the US. In eastern Montana and ND had three tank-fulls with about 8.3 mpgUS. Ugh. I even dropped my speed down from 62 to 55mph or it would have been worse. Still spent a lot of time in 5th gear though.
Last edited by brulaz; 07-17-2015 at 11:40 AM.