confused about tow mode

[Bluetick]

A two part question. 1) Once I select the tow brake page from the steering wheel display and fill out the details (electric brakes for instance . . .), is there anything else I have to do in order for the tow brakes to work? And 2) to get into tow mode, do I just push the button on the dash below the display.

 

[crash68]

The trailer brakes will engage automatically if the truck detects a trailer with electric brakes. If there a detected problem with the electric trailer brakes the system won't work or you'll get a trailer disconnected icon. The disconnect icon will also illuminate if you unplug the trailer and stays on until the truck is turned off.
The Tow/Haul mode is a button on the dash below the radio, push on and you'll see a "Tow/Haul" icon on the EVIC.
I noticed you have a Cummins, there is also the exhaust brake button. Push it once for Full mode (yellow light), this engages the exhaust brake any time you lift you foot off the accelerator. Push the button a second time for Auto mode (green light), this mode engages with the brake pedal. It works really good and should be used any time your towing with the exception of you're driving on slick (snow/ice) covered roads.

 

[jejb]

If your truck has the factory trailer brake, you may have to play with the gain (+ and - buttons) to get the brakes set correctly.

You don't need to use tow/haul mode unless your truck is doing a lot of gear hunting while pulling the trailer. But if it's a bigger 5th wheel or something, I'd probably just go ahead and use it.

 

[Burla]

Tow/Haul mode in simple terms keeps you in higher rpm's, allows for better control and allows trans to shift without hunting. You should always use it when towing, it protects the transmission.

Other options with cummins is engine break or exhaust brake, drove one for a decade and owned one, but I am not familiar with what the options are on your year. These protect you when doing down a grade mostly, but don't rely on them 100%, because going downhill and towing heavy you cant even be wrong once. Basically if a grade is that steep always use your gear box and the correct gear to keep speed low. These options will also save your brakes from getting too hot so you should use all of these features.

 

[jejb]

Tow/Haul mode in simple terms keeps you in higher rpm's, allows for better control and allows trans to shift without hunting. You should always use it when towing, it protects the transmission.

That's not what the owners manual says. It says to only use it if the tranny is doing a lot of hunting. I get that folks feel better about using when towing, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just saying Ram does not agree it should be used anytime you tow.

 

[crash68]

That's not what the owners manual says.

The owners manual also states to follow the oil change meter in the dash but people don't follow that either.
As @Burla stated the Tow/Haul mode does more than just raise shift points. Things like the transmission line pressure, torque converter lock up are altered also.

 

[zrock]

That's not what the owners manual says. It says to only use it if the tranny is doing a lot of hunting. I get that folks feel better about using when towing, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just saying Ram does not agree it should be used anytime you tow.

Agree my truck is much happier if i leave it out of tow mode when im hauling my 28ft TT

 

[turkeybird56]

Right out of manual:
When to Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs,
push the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL
mode. This will improve performance and reduce the
potential for transmission overheating or failure due to
excessive shifting.

 

[John Jensen]

The bottom line is you can run in or out of TH as you wish. But know that using TH 100% of the time does no harm. Not using TH when "in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs" can/will be harmful.

 

[turkeybird56]

The bottom line is you can run in or out of TH as you wish. But know that using TH 100% of the time does no harm. Not using TH when "in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs" can/will be harmful.

I use it when pulling stock trailer, 2150 lbs and 4-6K worth of Hay. Also I do not use a WDH, since the tow is short, local, hee hee.

 

[Jerrybob]

Does tow haul affect your mileage?

 

[Burla]

Does tow haul affect your mileage?

Better in the city because of low rpm inefficiency, but worse on freeway as it is in higher rpm's. It is easy to adjust if it is a concern, when on freeway just press the button out of TH, but on highways and city's and any 50pmh or lower roadway press TH, of course the other option go 5 mph less, good idea anyway when towing.

 

[John Jensen]

I use it when pulling stock trailer, 2150 lbs and 4-6K worth of Hay. Also I do not use a WDH, since the tow is short, local, hee hee.

I always use it when towing. It's also good for empty local/city, stop & go driving.

 

[jejb]

Right out of manual:
When to Use TOW/HAUL Mode
When driving in hilly areas, towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, etc., and frequent transmission shifting occurs,
push the TOW/HAUL switch to activate TOW/HAUL
mode. This will improve performance and reduce the
potential for transmission overheating or failure due to
excessive shifting.

Yep, that's what it says. The emphasis is on the AND though.

 

[jejb]

Does tow haul affect your mileage?

It can. Downshifts come sooner and it holds gears longer. But if the truck is not doing much downshifting, probably very minimal difference.

 

[jejb]

The owners manual also states to follow the oil change meter in the dash but people don't follow that either.

My 22 2500 owners manual says:
Change engine oil every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or 12 months or 500 Hours or sooner if prompted by the oil change indicator system, whichever comes first.

So only go by the dash indicator if it happens sooner than the other parameters. Seems reasonable.

As @Burla stated the Tow/Haul mode does more than just raise shift points. Things like the transmission line pressure, torque converter lock up are altered also.

Yep. T/H is a great thing, when needed.

 

[turkeybird56]

My 22 2500 owners manual says:
Change engine oil every 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or 12 months or 500 Hours or sooner if prompted by the oil change indicator system, whichever comes first.

So only go by the dash indicator if it happens sooner than the other parameters. Seems reasonable.

Yep. T/H is a great thing, when needed.

Just IMHO, but no way would go 15K on oil, even on a Diesel, but that is just me. I went 7500 on my Diesel, on my Gasser, I do 5000, and rotate tires each 5K. But that is just me, and I's a BOIRD.

 

[jejb]

Just IMHO, but no way would go 15K on oil, even on a Diesel, but that is just me. I went 7500 on my Diesel, on my Gasser, I do 5000, and rotate tires each 5K. But that is just me, and I's a BOIRD.

Understand. We each make the decision based on many factors. Nothing wrong with that as long as you don't exceed the recommendations, IMO. I don't put 15K on a truck in a year. We have cars for all the non-truck stuff. So I go with the 12 month thing on the diesels, which will be under 7500 miles on the Ram.

 

[turkeybird56]

Understand. We each make the decision based on many factors. Nothing wrong with that as long as you don't exceed the recommendations, IMO. I don't put 15K on a truck in a year. We have cars for all the non-truck stuff. So I go with the 12 month thing on the diesels, which will be under 7500 miles on the Ram.

I use my motorcycle when I can for local runs, factors like rain, ice and over 100 degrees and size of items needed, of course, factor in. I may not put 100 miles on truck in a month, so I will get oil changed in a 1 year time frame probably now, and also go to a slightly different viscosity due to heat and use a RP oil filter.

 

[lpennock]

Does tow haul affect your mileage?

I've found more of an impact on city mileage with no real impact on highway mileage. The city mileage is impacted because of it staying in lower gears longer. I don't think it is more than 0.5mpg difference though. It also depends on the speed limits. If you speed limits get you to the same gear it probably doesn't impact it as much as it would if TH holds you in a lower gear at the speed you need to run.

On the highway you are in high gear most of the time anyway so I don't see much impact. On the Highway I run 70 with 4.10 gears so I'm always in highest gear. If you run slower or with taller gears you may see a highway MPG impact do to it running a lower gear.