Tow Haul Switch...Use it always or rarely?

[Bass Tracker]

Hi all



want to follow up with a question about the "tow/haul" switch on my new silverado. Would you use it from driveway to boat ramp or just certain places??



my scenerio would be from driveway to back roads, to highway for abour 2 hours to more backroads etc... just wondering...I had it on my avalanche and always used it, but sometimes hear only use it going uphill?? so just wondering what you all think..Thanks

 

[Teri C.]

I wonder that too when I tow my jet ski vs my bass boat with my Jeep Grand Hemi.

 

[T AMBURGEY]

Good question, Ive wondered on my tahoe when to use and what it does

 

[Bob G.]

I use tow/haul mode when I tow my boat, but not when I tow my 900lb empty utility trailer.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Look in your owners manual, I can't remember the exact percentage but it tells you to engage the tow/haul when you are towing a certain percentage of your total towing capacity, you should engage it. I turn mine on every time. It doesn't hurt anything, just re calibrates your shift points.



TOXIC

 

[Randy Walls]

My brother in law (mechanic) and my dealer said only if I am towing more than 1/2 the tow capacity or if you hear the engine kicking in and out of gears due to hills etc...



Tox they also said not only recalibrates the shift points but in most cases will not allow overdrive! I can say this, when I use it the gas mileage goes down faster than a .... (put your own metaphore here!)



Randy!

 

[Dan J.]

Look inside the driver's side door jam and get your GVW and pkg. tow capacity. If you're under the combined pkg. total, put 'er in drive and go. If you're over, use tow/haul. If you experience extremely "hilly" terrain or your tranny starts hunting excessively, override with tow/haul mode. I've found most folk tend to over-use their overdrive, sacrificing MPG and running the engine in unnecessary RPM ranges. If you have a tranny temp guage, it'll help you decide as well. Good luck!

 

[Jim B]

I use mine only on the freeway. I don't like it around town because it always holds the truck in 2nd gear if your doing under 40 at least mine does. I like it on the freeway for merging because of the extended shift points and on hills the torque converter unlocks easier so it wont want to downshift.



On my truck i know the tow/haul does not disengage the over drive, thats selected by the lever. I also always and i mean always tow in 3rd gear. I never ever let my truck use OD. I don't like lugging the motor and i don't like how it will downshift into third if it hits even the smallest hill. I also get far worse mileage in OD then i do in third on the freeway with mine. My truck runs a nice and comfy 2300 rpm at 65 in third and will climb anything without a downshift. My uncle who fixes transmissions tells me its better for it too and i believe him. I have 96k on my 06, most of which is towing and the transmission still shifts like new and when i changed the fluid it was nice and clean, fluid still looked like new and no peach fuzz on the magnet.

 

[Dan J.]

I hear ya Jim B. I think it's close to one of those Ford v. Chevy schools of thought. My old Gambler Team buddy Duke owns a string of tranny shops around the ATL and he "loves that tow/haul button". He's told me time and again that shifting isn't what hurts the tranny. "That's what it's supposed to do!" The heat is the killer on them that chews 'em up, he tells me, and that's what I've gone by with my rigs. The dipstick check and performance as you've noted is the true key, I believe. Clean, clear fluid and no shavings loose from the filter is the telltale. The main ingredient(s) are the power to weight ratio with engine/tranny in tow. For example, I tow my boat/trailer of about 2500 lbs. fully loaded with a 6.0L, 4L80-E tranny with 4.10's, which is good through a 10,300lb. combined load rating. My truck with trailer is barely noticeable than without trailer, although I pickup a mile or two MPG solo.



Jim B also hit on a big key for all to note, however you decide to tow. Visually inspect that fluid often, if not every trip to keep from meeting a fella like my buddy Duke. :blink:

 

[Baja 252]

I use mine whenever I tow and sometimes when I don't. Newer trucks shift into the higher gears so quick to try to improve mileage, sometimes they feel like you have no power at all. I prefer the higher shift points that the tow/haul setting gives you. The grade braking with a heavy trailer is also a helpful tow/haul feature.

 

[Jim B]

Dan it is heat that kills them for sure there is no doubt about that. Depending on the configuration you have towing in OD can generate a lot of heat and thats what i try to avoid. For instance my last truck which wad a Dodge with the 45rfe tranny and 3.55 gears would generate about 90 degrees more heat towing in OD vs towing in third. My 882 was nowhere near even half the trucks towing capacity yet in od the torque converter was constantly unlocked and it generated lots of heat. In third it ran 165-170 on the tranny temp gauge, it ran high 240's to 250 in OD and thats not a good number in my book. I ran that truck in third after discovering that 100% of the time when towing and it never gave me a seconds trouble with the transmission which is a miracle for a Dodge(the rest of the truck is another story). My Chevy doesn't have a gauge but i know i can tow for four plus hours in the mountains in New Hampshire and Vermont and still touch the fluid that comes off the dipstick and its just lukewarm so i know its staying nice and cool which is the transmissions best friend.

 

[TRCM]

Straight from the manual.....



Tow/Haul is designed to be most effective when the

vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75 percent

of the vehicle

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

TRCM answered why i never use tow haul with my 2500HD!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Here's what I do and have done with no isuues...

If I'm on the freeway with the boat...I use two/haul. If I'm on 55 MPH two lane blacktop, I drop down to 3rd and let the R's turn.

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

I have never used it and I tow a heavy package, used to be a 929.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

It does help the shift points when I need to hammer it to get in traffic on the hiway.

 

[TRCM]

I don't use it unless in hills when towing my Z-7, but do use it when towing my 5500 lb camper

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I don't need it when towing my 929 but do when pulling CIII's Ranger, the "Wind Pig"!!:lol::lol: Actually, I use it for both boats. It does not lock out my overdrive and I see no difference in MPG. I get 12 towing or not. I have a tranny temp. gauge in the truck and to be honest it doesn't change tow/haul on or off. That's the joy of a 3/4 ton 6.0 truck with 4.10 gears. A bassboat is very light duty for it.



TOXIC

 

[Scott Allen]

I going to look at a Silverado 1500 Crewcab 5.3L tomorrow night. I'm pulling my Tracker with a Ford Ranger 4.0 now and it just doesn't do well on the hills around here. I'm sure the tow/haul will never be engaged on the Chevy with that boat. It will have lots more room in the cab too. My big concern is how to get 7' one piece rods in the truck! I'll post pics if I can get the dealer to trade right.



Scott