[Sotoman]

Anyone have problems with their tow / haul button?

When my truck was new it worked like this. When I pressed the tow haul button, nothing would happen until I pressed the brakes, then it would downshift (or come out of overdrive) and hold that gear. This was great for going down hills, etc..

About a week ago, this completely went away. The light still comes on, but when I hit the brakes or do anything, nothing happens.

Can anyone characterize how their tow/haul button works.

On my '96 F250, when I was on the freeway and pressed the tow/haul button, it would always come out of overdrive and stay their. And when I was going down a hill and the truck was just coasting, I would press the button, and then I would have to give it a tiny bit of throttle, then it would downshift and hold a gear enough to slow the truck down.

My 2005 acts a little different in that I have to press the brake going down a hill for it to downshift and hold the lower gear. But on the freeway, when I press the button, nothing has ever happened.

Anyway, it doesn't work at all now. Just curious how others tow haul work.

Thanks.

 

[dpetdog99]

Do you hold the brake pedal for a little coming down a hill in Tow/Haul mode?

Disclaimer: I'm about to being asuuming stuff. You all know what that means.

I assume that the Torqshift works similarly to the Allison in the GM's. You press the button on the end of the gear shift lever to enter or exit Tow/Haul mode (T/H).

In T/H, the trans will downshift to a lower gear to help keep your speed down. On my dad's 2500HD, you have to apply the brake lightly, and hold it for a little amount of time, and the trans will then downshift. I assume (again, read my disclaimer!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif) that the Torqshift works the same way, you need to hold the brake pedal lightly for a short time period (only a couple seconds, if that).

In regard to your '96, the button on the end of the gearshift lever is just an Overdrive On/Off button. So if you pressed it to turn off OD, the trans would only shift up to 3rd gear. If OD was on, the trans would shift the entire range.

I also think that while in T/H, the Torqshift utilizes all of the gears, even overdrive. My pop's Allison does also. It changes the shift points in order to get maximum performance out of the engine for towing.

Hope this helps and isn't as clear as mud. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Have a good one!!

Dan

 

[FamilyRide]

T/H works nothing like OD on/off buttons on older and other trannies. Driving down the road and turning it on it won't do anything; it's not supposed to. If you're running it will DS but only when you hit about 48 MPH. Otherwise, it sems to hold speed pretty well. It's not contriling just the tranny, but the turbo as well. Kind of an engine brake if you want to call it a brake. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[fpizzo]

Doesn't tow haul mode only work in drive? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif

 

[Sotoman]

OK. So if I am cruising on the freeway at 65mph and press the T/H button, should my tranny downshift? This has never happened even when the truck was new.

And when I am going down a hill lets say at 40mph and I press my T/H button, nothing will happen unless I tap the brake, then the tranny will downshift into the appropriate gear to hold me back. This just stopped working.

So what should I look for when cruising on the freeway to ensure my T/H is working.

Thanks

 

[Casey_1]

[ QUOTE ]
OK. So if I am cruising on the freeway at 65mph and press the T/H button, should my tranny downshift?

[/ QUOTE ]
No, it shouldn't downshift at that speed.

 

[SixOhDriver]

Do you have a load when you try this? T/H is more effective the closer to max weight you get. It's really like nothing when you do not have load.

 

[fpizzo]

I've tried my tow haul unloaded...going down a small hill...in drive...as soon as you touch the brake the tranny kicks down...the button on the shift lever just turns tow haul mode on and off...

I'm pretty sure it only works in drive,locks the converter,increases line pressure and holds shift longer..

I know there is a section in the sup. manual that comes with the truck on how the tow haul workes...

 

[PoneyXpres]

[ QUOTE ]
OK. So if I am cruising on the freeway at 65mph and press the T/H button, should my tranny downshift? This has never happened even when the truck was new.

And when I am going down a hill lets say at 40mph and I press my T/H button, nothing will happen unless I tap the brake, then the tranny will downshift into the appropriate gear to hold me back. This just stopped working.

So what should I look for when cruising on the freeway to ensure my T/H is working.

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Your tranny should work close to this.
I just read the info in the link. It is different from what I experience.
I have a March 3rd build 2003. No reprograming. This is what I have.

No load, no fuel pedal coast down from 70 mph in Tow haul mode.
5th to 4th down shift locked tq at 55 mph.
4th to 3rd down shift locked tq at 45 mph.
3rd to 2nd down shift locked tq at 25 mph.
2nd to 1st down shift unlocked tq at 10 mph.

Load or no load down a grade, speed and lenght of grade dependent.
I can tap the brake pedal from a speed of 70 mph on a downn grade and get a downshift. The truck may or may not hold its speed depending on the steepness of the grade. If I need to slow the truck I apply the brakes and the tq stays locked and the truck slows. If I have slowed down to say 60 mph and take my foot off the brake and the truck starts to speed back up from the grade I can tap the brake again for another down shift. It seems that the down-shifts are RPM dependent as the programing won't over rev the engine.

 

[SixOhDriver]

I noticed that you have not been reflashed. The performance of your tow/haul will be much different from those of us who have had the reprogramming or the newer trucks ('05 models). The "new" tow/haul is much softer and does not lock up the T/C. A kinder, gentler tow/haul.

I missed the old way it worked (you KNEW it was working loaded or unloaded). Barking tires and skipping rear end and all. It was one mean feature.

The new tow/haul is imperceptible when unloaded (steep grade will make it work). When loaded, it seems to work okay. Still a mushy experience. And the new mode has a speed band in which it will function. It kicks off below 20 mph (I think that's the number), so the last few feet is all brake with no help from drivetrain.

 

[Sotoman]

Thats pretty much what I was experiencing when the truck was new. Down a steep grade, I would tap the brake and it would down shift and hold my speed pretty well. And cruising at 70 unloaded, there was no difference.

So it seems everything was working great up until about a week ago. Now nothing happens on a steep grade.

I wonder if I am having transmission problems. I would be surprised because I haven't hauled or towed anything yet, and I am very very easy on the truck.

One thing I noticed just recently is that when I am driving on the freeway and I have to let of the gas pedal for a second, when I press the gas pedal again (even just a tiny bit), the tranny always seems to unlock the converter for a second or two. So as soon as I press the gas pedal again, the rpms will jump up a couple hundred rpm, and then drop back down again to were they originally were.

This happens every time I let off the gas. And I am not mashing the pedal or anything like that, just setting it right back to were it was to maintain my speed.

Are these signs of tranny problems? Or is this unlocking and locking of the coverter normal, and I possibly just have a t/h issue.

 

[SixOhDriver]

Was it reflashed recently? Did you take it in for any kind of service work (and the dealer did you a "favor" by reprogramming)? The way your transmission is acting is just like mine with the latest flash. In fact, that unlock thing is what I really dislike. Almost feels like it is slipping (at the friction, not the T/C). And tow/haul is soft, soft, soft.

The only other thing I can think of is that the transmission learns driving habits. To give the thing amnesia, pull your battery cables (15 minutes with the lights on to fully, completely reset KAM -- keep alive memory). You will have a code stored to indicate the KAM reset (50 key cycles or so). But your transmission will have to relearn. Monitor the behavior while relearning to see if was like you remember.

If you have had it reprogrammed, ignore the above. Just keep driving it (harder is better) to get it to relearn. It will eventually figure it out that you want a firmer shift and it will accomodate.

 

[Sotoman]

Very interesting. I did not know the transmission had to learn. I have about 4000 miles on it now, and like I said before, no one could have been easier on it. I didn't give it more than 1/4 throttle for the first 1000 miles, and I probably never took the rpms over 2500. I can can't the amount of times I have actually floored it on one hand! And each time that happened it was only through a couple of gears.

I just like to drive it mellow. I drove my '96 F250 like that for 125000 miles, and did the summer camper and boat haul half a dozen times a year, and never had a single problem.

Maybe I need to be a little harder on the truck. But I wonder if it is too late. I haven't reflashed anything, and it hasn't been to the dealer. But I will be taken it soon to get the T/H thing fixed.

I also notice recently that when I am slowly accelerating from a stop, when it shifts into 3rd or 4th, it slips a little. My '96 did that some times so I figured it was normal. I don't really know if it is a slip or not, but the rpms do go up a tad then drop back down during the shift.

I'll try the computer reset thing. Are there any drawbacks to doing this? Is there a potential to mess anything up besides my presets on my stereo.

Thanks.

 

[SixOhDriver]

I have not heard of any issues, other than the KAM reset code stored for a few key cycles.