Towing after gear swap question

[allenmp]

Hey y'all
I have had my 2017 2500 tradesman 4x4
Regeared using nitro 4.88 gear set
Now i have close to 8k miles since i did the gear swap and am still very happy with it

So the last 4 or 5 days i have been using my trailer more than normal and came up with a question
At what weight point do y'all lock in T/H mode?
With my old 3.73 gears i put it on with a utility trailer lol
But with this gear set on most inclines in my area it will kick down to 5th and hold it there. Unless it's really steep.
So yesterday i am hauling my pioneer roughly 2000lbs and my trailer 3900lbs
And it seems like it was always at the top of 5th gear in T/H mode
On the way back i forgot to hit tow haul (JUST TRAILER) and the truck seemed more relaxed and actually held 6th gear a lot of the 50 mile trip home
In 6th at 65 the truck was running 2000 to 2100 rpm
With T/H at 65 it was up over 2500 seems like it was just screaming at times

Just curious at around 5 to 7000lbs do i have to use T/H am i damaging anything not to use it unless i am hauling heavier??
I had it up to 70 for a short period yesterday and it didn't go into 6th in T/H

Or just curious is there a way to allow it to go into 6th in T/H mode?
Thanks y'all

 

[NewBlackDak]

No 6th with Tow/Haul. With 4.10s I have towed my travel trailer(~7K LBs) without turning Tow/Haul on.


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[Cardhu]

TH minimizes shifting so your torque converter stays locked up in the lower gear and running higher revs. Its a conversation about heat.

look at trans temp, if off and just as cool as running in 5th, leave it off.

 

[68PowerWagon]

Even if I only have a few thousand pounds on the trailer I will pop it in T/H sometimes just when I am slowing down for the engine braking alone. Then when I am on flat interstate I will take it out if I don't have a bunch of weight behind me.

 

[heefageLA]

4.88 gear set seems almost too low to me for a daily driver. Hell, I have 4.88s in my rock crawler!

 

[Thorny]

I agree that 4:88 seems too low. If your motor is screaming at 65mph in 5th gear, then you need to use 6th gear, and if the TC isn't locking up in 6th gear then you are going to smoke the TC.

If it were my truck, I'd just keep the display showing the trans temp and moderate your T/H mode use and gear selection based on trans temp

 

[heefageLA]

If NewBlackDak is easily pulling 7k with 4.10s and no T/H engaged, then it should only be needed for allenmp and 4.88s when he is moving a house, and with no 6th gear to speak of, it should only ever be used when going under 65mph. Otherwise, he's holding 5th gear in a death grip and possibly ruining his transmission.

Is that right?

The engine braking is easy to forget to. 68PowerWagon only using it to slow down heavy loads. It would be nice knowing you can more easily stop 10k lbs behind you, even if you were only going 40mph...

 

[Mountaineer83]

So I'm getting close to getting my 6.4 regeared as well, but this is a big concern for me towing my 5th wheel. It is around 13-14k lbs and on moderate hills stays in 4th and 5th whith T/H on and my 4.10 rear.

My shop is willing to do either 4.88 or 5.13, but I dont want to be screaming down the road at 65 mph either. So, for anyone who had done the swap, have you towed heavy and distance? I'm just looking before i make a $2300 mistake on the swap.

I'm also only running 275/65/20s as well. No plans to go any bigger really. I've looked at RPM comparisons like crazy and played with manual mode to no avail. I just cant decide if towing in 5th in T/H will drive me insane at 2500-2700 rpm.

 

[68PowerWagon]

I have started pulling 12-13,000 lb. 5th wheel. Currently running the 3.73's & it does better than I thought it would. If I get enough year end bonus, I plan on doing 4.56's this winter. I would think 5.13's would be a little extreme for me as mine is a daily driver. Mountaineer, pulling that kind of weight I would make sure you have that transmission bypass valve removed. It highly restricts tranny oil from getting to the cooler. I have dropped 20-30* by getting that stupid thing removed.

 

[Mountaineer83]

I've contemplated 4.56s as well. I dont drive mine daily as I have a state vehicle for work, but I am afraid the 5.13 may be too low.

I wish I could just trade to a Cummins! But that isn't in the budget.

 

[Dinky]

Watch your fuel consumption and transmission heat it will tell you everything. On flat freeways and no head wind I normally turn off tow mode.

 

[Mountaineer83]

I'm looking at 4.56s with the 285/60/20s to raise the RPMs a little bit. I will be doing the bypass valve swap on the transmission as well.

Just a big decision to make!

 

[68PowerWagon]

I've contemplated 4.56s as well. I dont drive mine daily as I have a state vehicle for work, but I am afraid the 5.13 may be too low.

I wish I could just trade to a Cummins! But that isn't in the budget.

If I already had the 4:10's I probably wouldn't do the swap. I don't know that you will see that much of a difference for the 2,500-$3,000 you will have to pay for it. Maybe the 4.88 if you need the extra torque. Like you said the Cummins would be nice but man trucks have gone up a lot just since 2016 when I got mine! Looking at them online today I noticed the HO Cummins is another $12,000!!! Damn near pull a full semi trailer with that kind of power. LOL

 

[Mountaineer83]

That's kind of what I've thought as well that the 4.56 won't be enough of a difference. But here in WV we have so many grades that the lower gears would be nice. Just have myself spooked I think since I'm close to pulling the trigger.

I agree on the new trucks. The prices are ridiculous on a new diesel, especially if you want a Laramie or higher.