Tow/Haul ???

[kemer]

We have a 2014 Winnebago(gas) with the Ford V10 engine. I tow a small Pontiac Vibe behind. When going down a long descent, I'm wondering what is the best way to go. I always have tow/haul mode engaged which Should handle everything. Would I be better shifting from drive to a lower gear? I have gears 3, 2, and 1 below Drive. Is there any advantage in shifting lower and keeping tow/haul on? Also, RPMs will jump way up to around 4500-5000. What should max RPM be? Wife tends to get spooked a little when engine rev's that high....

As always....THANKS

[T18skyguy]

Where Tow/Haul really shines is when you get off an exit that is short and steep down to the stop sign. A few taps and it's really helps you slow down quick.

[mccsix]

did it smell like coffee?

[Coffee_Grinder]

Good info. I downshifted to 4 going down Wolf Creek and should have used tow haul for better control. Had to get on the brakes to a point that when I stopped you could smell them

[Coffee_Grinder]

Good info. I downshifted to 4 going down Wolf Creek and should have used tow haul for better control. Had to get on the brakes to a point that when I stopped you could smell them

[DrewE]

The transmission has only certain ratios available. Your basic goal is to downshift, but ultimately it doesn't make a lot of difference when descending (from a mechanical point of view) whether you do that via tow/haul or via manually selecting a different gear. I would generally use tow/haul, both going up and down, as it's a well-designed and well-implemented system and I believe it does alter some things other than just shift points for heavier use (mainly in the interest of reducing transmission temperatures).

It is basically impossible to get the engine to overrev on a modern vehicle with a computer-controlled automatic transmission and electronic ignition/fuel injection/engine controls. The computer won't let it downshift if it would cause too high of an engine RPM. The V10 does sometimes sound like it's about to thrash itself to death when it's running at a high RPM, but it is perfectly capable of running there all day; it's a high-revving engine (by truck engine standards).

[T18skyguy]

I use Tow/Haul full time and have really come to respect it. It can tell the difference between light braking and moderate or harder braking. A light tap seems to not engage it, but a somewhat harder tap will. It increases the length of time between shifts going uphill, and engages engine transmission downshift going downhill. The overall effect is to greatly reduce transmission temperatures, but also save your brakes and rotors from overheating. Many of us remember the old overdrive lockout button, so we have to adjust our thinking. Tow/haul is much more sophisticated.

[Lwiddis]

Tow haul is your friend. Let it do its job up and down.

[PastorCharlie]

No need to manually shift down...just tap the break and it will shift down automatically while descending a hill.

The V10 is a high RPM motor and it developed its max HP in the mid to upper 4,000 RPM range, depending upon the year model of the engine.

If the engine gets too annoying while descending a steep hill brake the vehicle to slow it down and then continue.

[10forty2]

The Triton V10 makes most of its power in the higher RPM range, so the high revs may sound bad, but really it's just the engine doing its thing that its designed to do. And, as I understand it, the tow/haul mode is also designed to change the shift points to assist in towing by putting the engine in optimum gear range for maximum power and for geared slowing to help preserve braking capability.

[Colo_Native]

I always use tow haul for down hill and for up, the high RPM is normal I know it sounds like the motor is going to blow but that's what it does