BD TowLoc

[ScottLewis]

Does anyone out there have a BD TowLoc on their truck? I'm considering replacing my Autoloc and would like to hear from those with actual experience with the product.



I have read the TowLoc manual but can find little info about it searching this and BD's forums.



Dan

 

[ScottLewis]

Anyone??

Hard to believe that, out of over 28,200 members, no-one has a BD Towloc.

Please don't be bashful, that doesn't seem to be a TDR member trait.

Let me know what you think about the product.



Dan

 

[mbarrick]

Danavilla u have a good point.

I would like to hear some info. on the towloc as well.



Oo. Oo.

 

[LLTNT]

OK I have the BD Towloc with switch, just had it installed in my 03 along with Suncoast conveter, vb and Pacbrake exhaust brake. I love the setup locks well and will hold down to about 25 mph. The crew at J&H Performance in Redding CA did a great job. It lets me have control towing in the mountains.



John

 

[ScottLewis]

After the last post I made, I installed a Towloc in my '98. Shortly after that I had some mech. problems that laid the truck up for a month. While it was down, I bought a '06 Laramie. Needless to say, I haven't used the '98 much since then.

I can say, however, that it performs pretty well although I do get a MIL about T/C lockup problems now and then. I did with the Autoloc I had on it before as well. I drive it once in a while and am still trying different settings on the Towloc. There are enough variables to allow setting to personal preference. I wish I had installed it much earlier.



Dan

 

[JSchooley]

Dan,



I put the BD Towlock and brake on my 05. With the updated factory programming for the transmission it is hard to tell the difference between stock and

Towlock performance. I'm not sure what I'm looking for and there is no lock indicator.



The brake works great, except I barely have enough RPM to get the most benefit from it. Overall I am in much better shape than stock, but I wish I could command the retard mode instead of waiting 14 hours and 30 minutes to see if the computer will select it (and finding out that most of the time it won't).



Do you have any suggestions for shifting down/retard mode?



John

 

[ScottLewis]

What speed do you have set for brake off (0) on console. I set mine down to about 10 MPH so it keeps retarding (the engine at least) until nearly stopped. I set it even lower at first but didn't like it engaging and disengaging while driving around a parking lot. You also need to set your TC Release RPM as low as you can stand it. I have a 47RE on the '98 so it may not function quite like your newer transmission. I use the OD off button anytime I'm below about 35MPH. I do have 4:10s so that keeps RPMs up a bit.

We need to get Gschroder to chime in. He has a '05 with Towloc and could probably help w/ info. I know he helped me out.

I think you just need a laptop and keep adjusting it 'til you get what you want.

 

[JSchooley]

I am sure Dodge has been playing around with the transmission software. When I took the truck new on our 1st trip I was super unhappy with the way the transmission shifted. It was quite different from my brother's '03.



I took it in for warantee work on the intercooler after the trip and mentioned the terrible shifting characteristics. When I got the truck back it shifted entirely different. Not ideal, but much much improved.



Note that on the gen 3 trucks you only have the option of standard or tow/haul mode. The OD lockout is not available. On the 06 you have the option of both OD lockout and Tow/Haul.



I left the BD default settings in the TowLock. I mostly engage the brake and Towlock when descending steep hills when towing. The low RPM doesn't make for good braking at low speeds.



John

 

[ScottLewis]

John:

Somewhere on this site, I read that you can get O/D lockout by double clicking the T/H button. Not sure that's correct but might be worth trying if you haven't already.

My new truck drops into 3rd when you slow to 45MPH and holds the brake until somewhere below 25. It seems the Towloc on the '98 is trying to do the same but it loses T/C lockup when it downshifts. I haven't figured that one out yet. I can lock out O/D with the button, touch the throttle to lock it up then use the brake down to 22 when unlock occurs again. While braking is reduced at lower RPM, it still slows me down enough so I need apply vehicle brake just at the end.

I didn't like the Towloc factory settings. I reset menu items 9, A, and B to on to help with lockup and braking. They set them to off to preclude function when you're not prepared for it. This is for "safety", read lawyer talk. The booklet does say that 9 should be disabled on '05s. It appears that Towloc will not cause downshift or apply the brake in TorqLoc mode if those 2 settings are left at factory settings. You may want to go to the BD site to ask them about that to be sure (BDPower.com).



Dan

 

[JSchooley]

Thanks for the suggestions,



when I get time I have to go into this a little deeper. I know the 06 has the ability to lock out OD by double pressing the shift lever button, but they also have an indicator in the dash that tells you when OD is locked out. Since there is no such indicator before 06 I doubt that they would allow that feature on prior trucks.



One thing I believe is that the engineers have spent a great deal of time on the programming of the transmission, and have put in a number of features that have not been communicated to the truck owners. I wish they would provide some written information to the owners when they reflash a computer.



John

 

[ScottLewis]

About 2 months ago, GAllen posted this on a "Tow Haul" thread:



"One thing I've found that works is if your driving along with the Tow/Haul engaged, you can turn it off and then back on. When you turn it on again the truck will unlock the converter, downshift, and relock the converter. I do this for a downshift going either down hill or up hill. For my truck it only works at speeds below 65mph or approximately 2,000 rpm. Any faster would result in an over rev so the computer guards against that. Not nearly as good as the 06's system, but it works in a pinch. "



Dan

 

[GSchroder]

Dan,



Thanks for the compliment on the Towloc issue. The first thing that comes to mind with JSchooley is using the default settings on the Towloc. You know they ship with a compromised set of commands so that they can be used on a variety of vechicles. It would be nice if BD would ask about your trucks specs and set the defaults for you. But that would leave out any personal preferences, and, be very time consumming on BD's part. So, I guess my first thought is to use a laptop to set everything for the truck it is mounted in.



I have not heard of a reflash for the transmission, but that doesn't mean there isn't one.



JSchooley, I can only use the Towloc setting, successfully, with the Tow/Haul engaged. When I tried to use it w/o T/H, the transmission would lock in third gear after stopping and would not shift into any gear no matter the throttle position or vechicle speed. It would require shutting the truck off to reset the computer.



I weight 22000+ when fully loaded. I really use the AutoLoc setting with the Tow/Haul engaged alot. It works very well with the settings I have in the unit. It engages the e-brake and shifts down (with lite pressure on the brake pedal till it shifts,3-4 seconds) automatically using the truck PCM. I have been using the Towloc setting more to keep transmission temp down when in slow traffic as it engages the TC clutch sooner. Although, even w/o the TowLoc I haven't gotten the transmission really hot enough to worry about it.



In summary, I guess the best thing for me to contribute is too calibrate the TowLoc unit and then just experiment with it till you know what you like. Overall I do enjoy the unit and it has worked well when crossing the Cascades up here in Washington saving the use of the service brakes when coming down the passes.



I think it is the next best controller compared to Dan's 06 which the factory can calibrate for the e-brake.



I am a little short on time today, feel free to communicate on the subject. I will try to help when I can.



Gary

 

[JSchooley]

Dan/Gary,



This is an interesting thread. I'll have to hook up the trailer and get a better feel for the towlock operation.



As for down shifting going down a hill, my brother's 03 shifts down on brake application, but I don't believe my 05 does. I have tried both tapping the brakes and holding them lightly applied for a few seconds. It definitely shifts down if you have the cruise control engaged, your foot off the throttle, and the speed increases about 7 MPH above the cruise set speed. I think it might shift down which cruise off if you have your foot off the throttle for an extended time (maybe 10 or 15 sec) and your speed is increasing. It's hard to duplicate the action so I don't know the real circumstances.



John

 

[GSchroder]

Your 05 should shift down with no throttle, below 50, Tow/Haul engaged. The e-brake will be on also if selected to do so. Cruise control shouldn't have much to do with the shifting as it will kick off when you apply the brakes. In fact my cruise control doesn't work with the TowLoc turned on. The shifting is addressed in the owners manual.