Hard downshift 2017 2500 cummins while towing

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vikefan7

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I tow a Jayco 29.5BHOK fifth wheel(~10,000 lbs) with my 2017 Ram 2500 cummins and had a few questions about shifts. I know i have the "crappy" transmission in this truck and to expect a bit of motion when downshifting but i wasn't expecting it to literally shake the entire truck when it downshifts in tow/haul mode as i'm slowing down. It causes a bit of chucking with the trailer and is generally uncomfortable.

Anyone else have similar experiences with theirs? This is my first truck in about 20 years and the first time towing something this large and i just want to know if i should take it in.

Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks.
 

BossHogg

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The 68RFE is an excellent transmission and many folks are very happy with its performance.

How many miles on your truck? New transmission, all of them, require an adaption period (this is discussed in your owners' manual) learning how to shift based on the driver's inputs.

I had a few strange and hard shift going both directions when I first starting towing our 5th wheel. After a few hundred miles of towing, the transmission settled down and I haven't a complaint. In tow/haul with the exhaust brake, the transmission works seamlessly to the point I only use the brakes to come to a complete stop, most of the time.

If the behavior of the transmission doesn't change over a few hundred miles of towing, then I would take it in.
 
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vikefan7

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Thanks for the reply.

I have 6,000 miles on my truck and probably 1000 of that is towing the trailer. I would in no way describe the shifts as seamless on my rig while towing. It is nice not having to really use the brakes when the exhaust brake and tow/haul mode are on, it's just the downshifts that are awful.
 

MADDOG

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I would echo BossHogg's comments. I noted pretty sharp downshifts on both of my 2500's with the 68RFE. The 2014 truck smoothed out after about 10K miles, about 2K of that towing a 10000 # (GVWR) 5'vr.

My 2017 has just over 6K miles on it with about 500 miles of that used to tow the same trailer. We are back to playing the stiff downshift again but one thing I did find was that if I am towing in the flatlands or in a bit of stop and go, I don't use Tow Haul
. That quiets things down a bit. I just let it shift in full Auto.

You didn't mention if you were towing a TT or a 5'vr. Which of those do you have?
 

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