06 48re Tow/Haul

[jmtandem]

tow haul

this is the first auto I have ever had in a truck. It took me a little while to try to understand tow/haul and I am not sure I understand it fully. But, tow/haul clearly works better with a load.

 

[HoofinSoot]

I only click the T/H when towing heavy and coming to a rest area or off ramp. Helps with engine braking and cooling the turbo.

 

[Best]

06 trans

In tow mode,is it normal when towing say getting on a on ramp to highway that it won't up shift to top gear unless you let up slightly on accelator for it togo into top gear or overdrive? It seems to upshift slow. It sure shifts different than my 99. Poor a/c too. Shifts harder too, is this normal or does the computer need programimg?



Ken

 

[nobull60]

Seems that this Tow Haul issue is one that has been debated and discussed for sometime. My question is this, on other forum boards from different manufacturers from time to time you will see a REP from the company post information pertaining to the issue. Does anyone from Dodge, Cummins or any other company that has the issues raised post their findings on this forum? Seems to me that it would be a great way to find out issues that are being discussed by the customers of their products and help out. I know this happens on others because a BMW forum I have been on they contacted me directly after repeated issues about their product were not being taken care of by their services department. After they contacted me everything was corrected and the issue at hand was resovled nation wide. So DODGE, CUMMINS and CHRYSLER. WAKE UP AND HELP OUT BY READING FORUM BOARDS. Seems to be a no-brainer to me as an easy way to fix customer complaints and questions. :-{}

 

[Giachino]

My opinion on the 48RE T/H function is that it's worthless for grade braking / downshifting, but usefull for accellerating with / without load.



I had an 05 (w/o the OD)..... and it acted as listed below:



- If I turned on T/H at freeway speeds it would downshift to third and put you through the front window if you didnt have a belt on... . very nice! NOT!

- If it was on at lower speeds, it would engage a lower gear when you slowed to perhaps 20mph... . but wouldnt do anything (even downhill) above that speed... .



I'm not a transmission tech by any means, but I believe that part of the issue with the 48re is that the controls are not all electronically controled, but rather a hybrid mechanical / electric... . (unlike the FURD and Cheby)... . and Dodge is limited on what they can Program for functionality! ... ... the 6spd Asain is listed as having full electronic control so I would assume it'll be more like the other modern transmission's.

 

[tgrfan2]

I rode in my friends 2003 HO 48re in the mountains over the weekend. We were unloaded at the time, but I have pulled his 14K fiver with it several times. It is much smoother shifting than the 06 in any mode as was my 2000 work truck. Of course it doesn't have tow/haul. Frankly the 06 in T/H is not as smooth shifting as my 89% DTT. I tried it again today towing 10K and have just decided to go back to shifting manually from OD off to 2nd in those situations.

I hope they come out with some "fix" but perhaps it will take the new transmission to get it to shift like it should. It doesn't make any sense to me that the transmission will hold 3rd gear at 12-1300 rpm in tow/haul empty or loaded. The engine is clearly lugging at that rpm. The torque curve drops like a rock under 1600 on the later Gen 3s. The 47rh in my 95 will shift to 2nd better than that even though it pulls strong at 1200 rpm.

 

[JERRYKAM]

As a new 2006 CTD Auto owner I too have experienced pretty much the same symptoms with respect to T/H operation as have been posted by many on this thread.



I have also had many email exchanges on this subject with Jim Anderson who is a TDR Technical writer. Jim is also a new 2006 CTD Auto owner and he in turn has discussed the issue with Robert Patton (TDR Editor). Bottom line is they agree that this is a topic that is worthy of a TDR magazine article.



Stay tuned... . In the mean time keep experimenting with T/H. I personally feel it has not been optimally implemented in the 2006.



As an FYI I live in CO and my towing is almost exclusively above 9000ft. I also tow a relatively light TT (6000lb loaded)

 

[hearingyourlies]

For what it's worth, as a previous 1500 Hemi owner, I can say that the symptoms you guys are describing are pretty much indicative of how T/H worked on my last truck.

 

[Phil Howell]

My new '06 has a two-position switch. The first push sets Tow-Haul Mode. A second push of the button activates OD Off, keeping the transmission out of fourth completely. A third push returns to normal. This is different from my other trucks and seems to work great, although I haven't had the truck for 24 hours yet, so understand this report is worth exactly what you just paid for it.

 

[tgrfan2]

I'll agree that the button works great!

 

[AMink]

I have been towing with my new 2006 for two weeks now. I think the T/H works fine, though I have been using mine in concert with the Jake brake. It does hold 3rd longer, but letting up on the throttle will drop it into 4th/O/D. The shifting is firm but not unpleasant. I do like that it holds in t/c lockup when slowing down and downshifts as you go slower. With a little practice, I can get it to shift pretty much when I want it to, either up or down. So far so good. Now, for the A/C...

 

[tgrfan2]

I have been towing with my new 2006 for two weeks now. I think the T/H works fine, though I have been using mine in concert with the Jake brake. It does hold 3rd longer, but letting up on the throttle will drop it into 4th/O/D. The shifting is firm but not unpleasant. I do like that it holds in t/c lockup when slowing down and downshifts as you go slower. With a little practice, I can get it to shift pretty much when I want it to, either up or down. So far so good. Now, for the A/C...

How do you get it to downshift3-2 and at what speed will it downshift? Mine will downshift 4-3 around 40mph, but I have tried to get mine to downshift 3-2 and unless you are going less than 25mph you have to do it manually or mash the throttle over half way down.

 

[PGreenleaf]

One thing to keep in mind guys is the fermer or harsher shift of the 06 are because its shifting with the TC locked up in tow haul. Depending on throttle setting you get lockup in 2nd or 3rd in tow haul which will give you harsher shifts.

 

[Tinman]

Here are my observations:



The 47re nor 48re shifts from 3-2 except under heavy throttle. This is a issue for me and no fix. While slowing down it shifts from 3-1 at about 12 mph. Don't notice it much on a stocker, but a tight T/C makes it vividly obvious.



I don't think the 48re shifts firm at all, at least not compared to a DTT'd 47re :-laf . My '06 will get DTT'd as soon as financially possible.



The only locked shift is 3-4. If you manaully shift to 2nd it will unlock T/C before shifting to 3rd. Also, it unlocks T/C on a 4-3 shift.



Mostly, the T/H keeps the T/C locked for engine braking and a little different shift points. Although the 48re is an improvement over the 47re, it is still crap compared to a good performance trans.

 

[AMink]

How do you get it to downshift3-2 and at what speed will it downshift? Mine will downshift 4-3 around 40mph, but I have tried to get mine to downshift 3-2 and unless you are going less than 25mph you have to do it manually or mash the throttle over half way down.

That's how I get it to work. It's not perfect, but I guess if you wanted to do the shifts, a 6 speed manual is in the picture! :-laf And I did think about that but didn't like the gear ratios of the g56.

 

[tgrfan2]

Tinman no doubt you are correct. I was really pleased with the 48re until I got my 98 DTT'd in February. The only thing I am not sure about is the lack of low end torque of the 06. The 89% TC made the old 12V take notice at lower rpm and I would think the torque fall off below 1600 on the 06 would be worse. I am sure Bill K has tuned the transmission for this problem.