RES4CUE

I believe you Guys are talking about two separate trannys. Before 09 they had the 4 spd and after it is the 6spd.

I've towed around 6000lbs with my 2010 4.6 3V and in tow haul mode it did great. I wasn't breaking any speed records but did not have any problems.

SultanGris

I agree. 3 is just that, 3. It won't shift at all. Put it in drive and leave it alone. Use tow haul and don't use cruise, you will have better luck. I notice when I used cruise it holds a gear higher than necessary. No cruise and flat land no wind im pulling 8500+ pound loaded 5th wheel plus a single jetski behind that whatever that weighs and it holds 2100 rpm all day long at 65 mph. I can even go up small hills with low inclines without shifting but will will lose a few mph. By small hills I mean only 30 to 40 feet. Much more than that, or very steep it losses speed to much so I apply more throttle and downshift. Frankly 4500 pounds is nothing and you really shouldn't hardly even notice its there unless you're in the mountains. But if you put it in 3 that's your problem. It's like putting a manual in 3. It won't shift, Leave it in drive with tow haul on. A 3.15 gear ratio might also give you problems, not sure, never drove one. You didn't say what you had.

sargetom203

Thanks for the pics...good looking Heartland trailer. We tow a 6,000 lb trailer (actually had it weighed when loaded) and our "old" 2010 5.4l sure handles it well. I only got the 7,200 tow package, which comes with the 3.55 gears in the rear. We've been through the mountains in Vermont and Pa. without any problem, and some what reasonable gas mileage. 12.5 mpg on the Pa pike coming west from Gettysburg.

jjm1024

Sorry, didn't see your sig because I am using the app. I dont have any experience with the previous gen motors or trannys so I can't comment. Seems others have similar setups with better luck.

Happy camping! I can't get out and use our rig close to enough.... love it!

jjm1024

I can only get 91 max around me and it is always 10% ethanol unfortunately. So that is what I use.

Just got back from a 250 miles round trip and averaged 8.6 mpg with my fiver. Half rolling hills thru way and half rolling hills 45-55 mph back roads. She a big girl though, like I said earlier, about 10k loaded and on the road.

jjm1024

You wouldn't be disappointed! Haha

Love mine and can't believe the acceleration I have with the fiver hooked up. It honestly amazes me.

Plus the select shift is great for anticipating grades that the auto just cannot see coming, locking out the top end gears when a steep hill is coming up and just continue chugging along at 65!

I should be a Ford salesmen, jesh!

stx03

I thought the 4 speeds were done away with after the 10th gens (97-03) ?
Didn't they move to a 5 speed before the 6 ?

RES4CUE

Don't think so, the 2v 4.6 in 09-10 had 4 spd.

It may have depended on motor.

SultanGris

Didn't all 5.4s have the 6 speed after 09?

imafordboi69

We have an 07 with the 5.4 and 3.55 gears. our trailer weighs 7,100lbs empty. Every year we do a rafting trip down in Riggins ID. in order to get to Riggins we have to attack three hill climbs or "grades" as they call em around here. The worst one is the White Bird Grade in White Bird ID. We hit this one uphill coming home. It climbs 2700 vertical feet in just 7 miles with an average gradient of over 7%. I was very impressed with the truck this year with our new trailer. I got many looks from drivers that i passed while trucking up the hill at 40mph. We already get a lot of looks because the trailer has a fancy paint job and its 35 feet long from tip to tip. There was this one diesel that passed us a couple of times because he kept pulling over at the scenic pullouts for who knows what reason, but every time he passed us again he was just stare at us. The other grades are the Lewiston Grade which has 3 miles of 6% and 4 miles of 7% and the Winchester Grade in Winchester ID Which isnt as bad but its more than twice as long.

I drive with cruise control all the time. When im hitting the bottom of a hill, i press down on the gas to shift the tranny down to a lower gear to make it hold speed because if i let the cruise do it, it takes to long and i lose too much speed. The guy with the tiny trailer that only goes 40 up hills could park that trailer in the living room of my trailer. I think there is somthing wrong with his truck . The 5.4 should not bog that much. Our last trailer was 1000lbs lighter than our current and more than his and it would do 55 mph up these grades without flooring it.