Tow haul for daily driving safe?

[WNCblueridge]

I'm sure this has been discussed previously but couldn't find thread. Is it ok to drive 100% of the time in tow mode for daily driving like I would in regular D mode? FP tune installed if that matters

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[awd.nv]

I don't have the FP tune but I drive in tow/haul mode daily for the last 2k miles or so. I monitor my trans temps and they don't really seem any different. I also have about 3k miles worth of towing a 4000lb travel trailer too which was in tow/haul mode.

There is probably a hair more stress on the trans since it downshift more than in regular drive but by stress, I do not mean it is stress that will damage it. Just mentioning the trans is working a little harder. Seems sport downshifts for red light stopping is closer to Drive mode than tow/haul mode.

Honestly, I kinda think tow/haul mode is JUST about perfect for my daily needs. I can't wait to put the FP tune on and see how normal drive feels though.

 

[TJMarchand]

I'm sure this has been discussed previously but couldn't find thread. Is it ok to drive 100% of the time in tow mode for daily driving like I would in regular D mode? FP tune installed if that matters

Totally, it just changes shifting and braking behavior. This is copy and paste from the Ford manual " Standard Tow/Haul Mode reduces gear hunting, improves power delivery. Especially useful with hauling or towing a heavy load. "

 

[D Fresh]

Yes.

And for me it gets better mileage.

 

[Texasota]

I frequently use it for city driving which eleminates the lugging that commonly occurs. Out on the Highway I disengage tow/haul mode.

 

[Langwilliams]

I use it for low speed around town but I don't like the trans braking adding wear to the trans clutches.

 

[WNCblueridge]

I don't have the FP tune but I drive in tow/haul mode daily for the last 2k miles or so. I monitor my trans temps and they don't really seem any different. I also have about 3k miles worth of towing a 4000lb travel trailer too which was in tow/haul mode.

There is probably a hair more stress on the trans since it downshift more than in regular drive but by stress, I do not mean it is stress that will damage it. Just mentioning the trans is working a little harder. Seems sport downshifts for red light stopping is closer to Drive mode than tow/haul mode.

Honestly, I kinda think tow/haul mode is JUST about perfect for my daily needs. I can't wait to put the FP tune on and see how normal drive feels though.

Lately I had just been locking upper gears to keep rpms in 1800-2100 range while cruising on long highway stretches and that works fine for me. That seems to be happy spot. Was going to suggest my wife drive it in tow since we are swapping vehicles to keep her from having to lock out gears (like I've been doing). Just not crazy about cruising at 1200-1500 rpms with it in normal drive mode is why. You won't be disappointed with the tune.

 

[WNCblueridge]

Totally, it just changes shifting and braking behavior. This is copy and paste from the Ford manual " Standard Tow/Haul Mode reduces gear hunting, improves power delivery. Especially useful with hauling or towing a heavy load. "

that's what I was thinking but wanted reassurance from those who had been driving this way for awhile

 

[awd.nv]

Lately I had just been locking upper gears to keep rpms in 1800-2100 range while cruising on long highway stretches and that works fine for me. That seems to be happy spot. Was going to suggest my wife drive it in tow since we are swapping vehicles to keep her from having to lock out gears (like I've been doing). Just not crazy about cruising at 1200-1500 rpms with it in normal drive mode is why. You won't be disappointed with the tune.

I tried locking out gears and that was actually quite good except for when I am going 30mph in my community, still will shift to about 1200rpm and lugs. That was the main reason why I went with tow/haul to just be done with it.

I actually kinda like the 1-3 shift in Drive for normal use but the benefit for me in tow/haul mode is greater than locking out gears 8-10 for example.

I know I told my wife to drive with tow/haul but she said "why do I need to even press anything?" so I gave up. Only button she will press is the auto engine off one.

 

[WNCblueridge]

I tried locking out gears and that was actually quite good except for when I am going 30mph in my community, still will shift to about 1200rpm and lugs. That was the main reason why I went with tow/haul to just be done with it.

I actually kinda like the 1-3 shift in Drive for normal use but the benefit for me in tow/haul mode is greater than locking out gears 8-10 for example.

I know I told my wife to drive with tow/haul but she said "why do I need to even press anything?" so I gave up. Only button she will press is the auto engine off one.

I got the deer in headlights look 5 seconds into my explanation. Easier to say here just press this trailer icon and ur good to go

 

[FunInTheSun]

I tried locking out gears and that was actually quite good except for when I am going 30mph in my community, still will shift to about 1200rpm and lugs. That was the main reason why I went with tow/haul to just be done with it.

I actually kinda like the 1-3 shift in Drive for normal use but the benefit for me in tow/haul mode is greater than locking out gears 8-10 for example.

I know I told my wife to drive with tow/haul but she said "why do I need to even press anything?" so I gave up. Only button she will press is the auto engine off one.

Gotta keep it simple for the ladies. My wife is the same. She will press the Auto-Stop-Start button, (on her car, not the Ranger) but that's about as complicated as her pre-drive prep gets. (And honestly, I think she skips it most times until the engine actually shuts off on her...)

Stuff happens, and she calls me to say "I have a light on the dashboard, what do I do?" Messing around with shifting modes to hack the transmission shifting schedule is not in the realm of ideas that she wants to explore. And her car has a CVT programmed to simulate "gears". We can't really go there, either... LOL

 

[WNCblueridge]

Gotta keep it simple for the ladies. My wife is the same. She will press the Auto-Stop-Start button, (on her car, not the Ranger) but that's about as complicated as her pre-drive prep gets. (And honestly, I think she skips it most times until the engine actually shuts off on her...)

Stuff happens, and she calls me to say "I have a light on the dashboard, what do I do?" Messing around with shifting modes to hack the transmission shifting schedule is not in the realm of ideas that she wants to explore. And her car has a CVT programmed to simulate "gears". We can't really go there, either... LOL

Yes sure we can just put it in drive and not worry too much but it just seems to feel/ sound better over 1700RPM. IDK maybe I'm a little paranoid and baby it too much. BTW my wife also has the CVT and just had another trans flush for erratic rpm surging in that car.

 

[FunInTheSun]

Yes sure we can just put it in drive and not worry too much but it just seems to feel/ sound better over 1700RPM. IDK maybe I'm a little paranoid and baby it too much. BTW my wife also has the CVT and just had another trans flush for erratic rpm surging in that car.

I totally agree. Bigger 4 cylinder engines (by which I mean >2 liters) are not smooth. This is especially noticeable at lower rpm, and in the Ranger, there's some kind of resonance at about 1200 rpm or so, and there seems to be some kind of additional resonance from the tires or something at about 30-35 mph. So 1200 rpm at 30ish mph makes a noticeably loud vibration, especially if you are slightly accelerating, but not enough to trigger a downshift. I never leave it in D (around town driving) for this reason. Over 1700 or so, it settles right down.

I use Tow mode or S mode for in-town traffic driving, as either one of these raises the rpm in the 30-40 mph speed zone, and like you said, the engine just "feels" and "sounds" better at a little higher rpm. It isn't really the engine that makes the noise. It's more like the vibration excites some body panel, like the roof or hood, or the floor, or the doors, Hell, maybe it's the bed or the fucking windshield for all I can tell. I don't know, but it's something big, and it just makes me dizzy. Makes my eardrums feel like they are pulsating. I "have to" make it stop...

Before anybody flames me with "It's not hurting your truck!", let me say "It's probably not, but I find it very unpleasant to ME, so I do what I have to do to make it stop." Hurting the truck is not my main focus on this, although I do have an long-standing opinion, generally confirmed by practical experience, that a smooth machine is a HAPPY machine, and conversely, when a machine starts up a resonance, my gut reaction is "That is going to break something." unless the machine is designed to use the power of the resonance to function, like a power hammer or something.

I am probably more sensitive than some people to low frequency sound or something. I can get nauseated to the point of throwing up if I have to ride in a car with only one back window down, and that low frequency pulsating sound starts up. Doesn't bother some folks, though. I get it.

Don't know if it hurts the truck or not, but I also don't care. I can't tolerate it for any significant length of time. So I search for solutions, and I find that NOT leaving it in D mode solves the problem pretty well for my purposes so far.

 

[WNCblueridge]

I totally agree. Bigger 4 cylinder engines (by which I mean >2 liters) are not smooth. This is especially noticeable at lower rpm, and in the Ranger, there's some kind of resonance at about 1200 rpm or so, and there seems to be some kind of additional resonance from the tires or something at about 30-35 mph. So 1200 rpm at 30ish mph makes a noticeably loud vibration, especially if you are slightly accelerating, but not enough to trigger a downshift. I never leave it in D (around town driving) for this reason. Over 1700 or so, it settles right down.

I use Tow mode or S mode for in-town traffic driving, as either one of these raises the rpm in the 30-40 mph speed zone, and like you said, the engine just "feels" and "sounds" better at a little higher rpm. It isn't really the engine that makes the noise. It's more like the vibration excites some body panel, like the roof or hood, or the floor, or the doors, Hell, maybe it's the bed or the fucking windshield for all I can tell. I don't know, but it's something big, and it just makes me dizzy. Makes my eardrums feel like they are pulsating. I "have to" make it stop...

Before anybody flames me with "It's not hurting your truck!", let me say "It's probably not, but I find it very unpleasant to ME, so I do what I have to do to make it stop." Hurting the truck is not my main focus on this, although I do have an long-standing opinion, generally confirmed by practical experience, that a smooth machine is a HAPPY machine, and conversely, when a machine starts up a resonance, my gut reaction is "That is going to break something." unless the machine is designed to use the power of the resonance to function, like a power hammer or something.

I am probably more sensitive than some people to low frequency sound or something. I can get nauseated to the point of throwing up if I have to ride in a car with only one back window down, and that low frequency pulsating sound starts up. Doesn't bother some folks, though. I get it.

Don't know if it hurts the truck or not, but I also don't care. I can't tolerate it for any significant length of time. So I search for solutions, and I find that NOT leaving it in D mode solves the problem pretty well for my purposes so far.

Sometimes the vibration from seat and steering wheel pulses throughout my body and have gotten nausea from it. Fortunately the vibration intensity isn't half as bad as it used to be. Improper balanced tires was culprit not the driveshaft in my case

 

[Msfitoy]

Driver, Sport, Tow/haul...all good at 83K miles...just don't put it in 4WD on dry pavement and stop worrying... ?

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