[5.7ToyHauler]

1st post, lets give it a shot!

I have read some threads regarding the MDS and utilizing 5th gear when not on the highway and that seems to work pretty good under 50-60 mph. I don't get the unstable back and forth into the MDS mode. I also discoverd that the Tow/Haul mode also appears to limit the truck to 5th gear.

I am hauling a boat from Florida to Michigan soon. Does anyone know what the difference is between Tow/Haul and just downshifting to 5th gear. I want to get the best performance out of the truck on the 2000+mile trip.

 

[jbc8000]

Tow haul will hold it in gear a little longer and let it build more rpm's before shifting out. Loaded or empty first thing I do is hit the tow/haul button when I start the truck. Dislike the mds and like the way it drives and shifts so much better in tow/haul

 

[huntergreen]

on one of those "ask the dodge engineer things", they said use 5th to disable mds, only use tow haul when towing. don't remember why.

 

[TransEngineer]

Tow/Haul mode uses a different shift schedule, so most upshifts happen later (and downshifts are easier to get).

You can run in Tow/Haul mode all the time if you want. It won't hurt anything, other than reducing your fuel economy slightly.

 

[tsfischer]

Tow/Haul mode uses a different shift schedule, so most upshifts happen later (and downshifts are easier to get).

You can run in Tow/Haul mode all the time if you want. It won't hurt anything, other than reducing your fuel economy slightly.

Thanks for pointing out the fact that "It won't hurt anything..." I usually use the tow/haul at low RPMs, but wasn't sure if running it all the time would hurt anything.

 

[FireWire]

how does Tow /Haul affect TC lockup and does it still use all gears in the trans?

 

[GTyankee]

When you are driving across pretty flat land for miles, i would use the highest possible gear & let the MDS engage. If it starts the shifting thing, go back to Tow/haul mode

 

[jbc8000]

You can run in Tow/Haul mode all the time if you want. It won't hurt anything, other than reducing your fuel economy slightly.[/QUOTE]

I actually see better fuel mpg when running tow/haul as to not.

 

[TNC]

One thing I notice when towing on my '12 Express is that it takes a few miles for the computer to get accustomed to the tow/haul mode when hooked up to my travel trailer. I know these computers are somewhat adaptive, and apparently when you punch in tow/haul and hook up to a few thousand pounds of load, the previous throttle position history and other parameters change dramatically. It doesn't take long, but I can tell a difference in smoother shifting and lower cruising rpm after towing for a few miles after first hitting the highway.

 

[5.7ToyHauler]

Just returned from a 1200 mi trip hauling a 4100lb boat and trailer, bed full of luggage and coolers and cab was packed with people and gear. Ran in Tow/Haul when low speeds, on and off ramps, getting fuel, towns. Ran in 5th gear primarily on the highway running between 65-70 mph. This seemed to run a little less rpm, still around 1800-2000, then tow/haul did at the same speeds. Sacrificed a little MPG for MPH, overall it handled great, never short on power. Thanks for all the input on this issue.

 

[TNC]

I notice that on my '12 Express with 3:55 gears, my truck runs at 1700 rpm at 70 mph in the "Drive" shift position. When I engage Tow/Haul, the rpm rises exactly 200 rpm to 1900. Now, I notice when I'm in Drive at 70 mph at the normal 1700 rpm, if I drop from Drive (6th) to 5th on the gear shift button, the rpm rises to 1900 rmp...that same 200 rpm amount as Tow/Haul. I'm thinking that Tow/Haul is basically one gear down from your top gear, along with that more aggessive shift schedule that Trans Engineer mentioned.

 

[mriboy]

I run around in 5th in the city and I avg about .5 to 1 mpg better did this for the last few fill ups. Went back to just driving it in regular drive these last two tanks just to see and sure enough in city driving my mpg went back down to 12.5mpg vs 13 to 13.5 I avg running in 5th around town.

 

[dkerr24]

I recently towed a 2500lb pop up camper with my '11 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L for about 300 miles. I used the Tow/Haul mode when I first pulled onto the interstate, got up to my cruising speed of 62-64mph, then turned off tow/haul mode and ran it with the MDS activated. While cruising on the interstate, if I hit any long hills, I'd shift down to '5' to turn off MDS. I was able to get 18.5mpg pulling that trailer along with 2 mountain bikes mounted in the bed, along with my gear which probably was another 500lbs of load.

Darin

 

[Unfairkickazz93]

A couple weeks ago I was towing a vehicle transport trailer (1000pounds empty) and a 1992 Lincoln towncar 4500 pounds. While I was towing the 5500 I was purely driving in tow/haul mode and averaged 12.0 mpg. This is with the Hemi and 3.92 gears.

 

[mugapug]

Towing heavy loads for long distance without usuing tow haul mode will make the trans run hotter. Transmissions do not like heat!