Tow haul mode

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2003polaris

New member
Just bought a 2018 5.3 silverado i tow a 3 place inline snowmobile trailer with 2 sleds maybe at 3600pds and a camper that weights about the same loaded. My question is when and when not to use tow haul mode? Can someone help me out. Thanks
 
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slimcake

Active member
2003polaris said:
Just bought a 2018 5.3 silverado i tow a 3 place inline snowmobile trailer with 2 sleds maybe at 3600pds and a camper that weights about the same loaded. My question is when and when not to use tow haul mode? Can someone help me out. Thanks
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Always. If anything is hooked to the truck turn it on. Or you can leave it off and hate the truck...
 
1

1fujifilm

Well-known member
slimcake said:
Always. If anything is hooked to the truck turn it on. Or you can leave it off and hate the truck...
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Yep, on when towing for sure.
By the way, not to be a jerk but the 5.3 will be turning mega RPMS probably in 4th gear to hold 70 on the interstate while getting 8-9 MPG. That's just how they are set up.
It's the wind resistance along with the weight.

Bear
 
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snobuilder

Well-known member
In my old 08 2500 HD the tow haul mode not only changes the upshift pattern but also the downshift as well to slow your rig down.
 
goofy600

goofy600

Well-known member
Tow/ hall mode will also keep the vehicle from going into overdrive keeping the transmission from overheating. With the trailers and weight with the 5.3 you would be better off putting it in tow mode when towing, and maybe turn it off on a long downhill of very flat area with a tailwind that would be about the only time it wouldn’t want to be up and downshifting.
 
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soxfan3

Member
I have a 17 Chevy w/ 5.3L. I pull a TopCap clam shell 2 place. Put it in tow/haul, never a problem. 75mph down interstate. 11 mpg. I have also run it without tow/haul mode, never had any issues, no high revs unless on steep incline. Now if you are bucking the wind, yes put it on or it will shift back & forth.
 
T

Tracker

Guest
Short answer is :

If weight towed is really heavy ...over drive off

If load is medium ....over drive can be on but must be turned off if transmission downshifts going up hills

Light load .....over drive can be left on


Ps. If I have a heavy load and I see that the terrain is flat and the transmission is not downshifting then I leave overdrive on to save gas
 
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ridindirty800

Active member
So I was towing my trailer today and was doing some watching. Truck is a 5.4L F-150 and towing 2 sleds in and enclosed Triton 2 place 12' trailer. When in over drive my RPM at 50-60mph was about 1500, but in tow it would stay about 2100. So what's better? Just use tow going up hills and then run overdrive? Or let it ride at 2100 rpm in tow mode?
 
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Tracker

Guest
ridindirty800 said:
So I was towing my trailer today and was doing some watching. Truck is a 5.4L F-150 and towing 2 sleds in and enclosed Triton 2 place 12' trailer. When in over drive my RPM at 50-60mph was about 1500, but in tow it would stay about 2100. So what's better? Just use tow going up hills and then run overdrive? Or let it ride at 2100 rpm in tow mode?
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What overdrive is... another gear then after the transmission reaches its speed there's one more gear for gas saving but it doesn't have enough oomph.... that's what you're seeing in the RPMs so the normal mode and gear the truck wants to be at 2100 but with overdrive on there's one more gear for gas saving but to toe in that gear is hard on the tranny and heats it up.... so that's why they don't want you to tow in that extra gear because it's actually straining and heating everything up because it wants to be in the 2100 RPM range... it's perfectly fine to tow in the overdrive on mode as long as the tranny isnt straining or downshifting to keep up that's when the trouble occurs and that's why they want you to hit the tow button because the tow button completely takes that option out of the transmission it won't be able to reach that gear it'll just get to 21 and stop okay you understand how it works now does that make it easier that's why if it's flat land you could put it in overdrive on then right before the hill put it in tow mode and the RPMs are going to kick up.... and if there's a lot of Hills then you just put it in tow mode and it won't be kicking up and down thus saving the tranny that's why they tell you that because it's under warranty for a hundred thousand miles and they don't want to keep replacing it
 
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Tracker

Guest
I tow mine in overdrive mode as much as I can I try to not use the tow mode to save gas if the truck starts straining I put it in tow....never ruined one yet...4 sleds on Triton flatbed 2 axle
 
xsledder

xsledder

Active member
I have always been told if you are pulling 2,000 lbs or more, turn on tow/haul. Definitely turn it on if your trans is continuously jumping between gears in a short amount of time.
 
goofy600

goofy600

Well-known member
snobuilder said:
I figure why try to out guess the computer that controls everything on your vehicle.
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Simple when you turn on tow/hall you are taking the computer out of the equation by removing overdrive and saying let the truck fun at a higher rpm than it may need to be.
 
goofy600

goofy600

Well-known member
snobuilder said:
what?....lol

- - - Updated - - -

LMAO
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Tow mode turned on removes the computers option to shift into overdrive which at times when towing may be ok (long flat road, light load, etc.) so if you understand how a engine and transmission work you can outthink the computer but if you don’t understand when to up shift or downshift then by all means let the computer think for you. I hope this will help you understand.
 
F

finn

New member
Lots of bad information here.

Tow haul does not lock out overdrive on a modern transmission. Some old transmissions like the E4OD in 1990 era Fords had an overdrive off switch that did lock out overdrive, but there aren’t many of those ancient trucks out there seeing regular use.

The modern tow/haul switch simply moves the transmission control strategy to an alternate map, giving you different shift strategies for a given torque input / pedal position. The transmission will remain in a lower gear longer and downshift earlier. It will also effect downhill / coasting calibration.

Modern transmissions don’t have to be locked out of overdrive in hilly terrain. The calibration takes care of the transmission. I never understood why it upsets people if the transmission downshifts going up an incline. That’s it’s function, in part.
 
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xcsp

Member
I see no mention of using manual mode of the gear selector here on the Silverado, which would keep it from operating in V4 mode, keeping it operating on all 8 cylinders.

Pulling a 2-place Triton clamshell with my 5.3 and put it in M5 and not using the tow haul mode seems to work fine.
 
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