Tow/Haul

[CarlesHicks]

I have a 2019 2500 that I bought new in January. I have seen in a few forum post that people mention running their trucks in Tow/Haul mode all of the time. Is there any advantage to the longevity of the 68RFE transmission by doing this?
I have put 14,000 miles on my truck in the first three months, so i will have over 300K on this truck before i get it paid off. If their is an advantage I may start doing it. I like the way it drives better and my work pays for my fuel.

 

[DHayden]

Most use tow/haul all the time with use of the exhaust brake to cut down wear on brakes. Tow/haul will hold you in each gear longer (higher rpm range). I dont think you will have any noticeable benefit (or reduction) in longevity by using tow haul, if anything you will get worse mileage but since your work pays for it...no worries! Some like the overall shift points better in tow haul also.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Start truck, push TowHaul/ExhaustBrake. Enjoy!

 

[TFucili]

2019 programming is different, and much more aggressive with EB and T/H.

ON EDIT: Above comment was for HO/Aisin. Misread OP's post.

 

[AH64ID]

Use what you prefer and call it good.

I prefer NOT to use TH all the time, between the excessively delayed shifts and reduced mileage I don't use it empty. The downshifting with the EB is also much too aggressive for my driving style. When I have an extra 4K lbs or more I prefer to have it on, as well as in stop n go traffic, but that's only happened once in this truck.

So really it's all personal preference. Aside from fuel burn it won't hurt anything.

 

[josephc1]

every time I start the truck th/eb are on.

 

[dieselshadow]

EB in full, not auto. TH only when loaded and needed. The Aisin TH strategy can be overly aggressive for me when empty. However the EB works smoothly enough that I wish it defaulted to the last setting when drove last. I leave it on for every drive.

You do need to push the EB button AFTER the engine is running though. I’ve noticed that if you activate it before, like while you’re waiting for the WTS light to extinguish, the EB doesn’t work correctly for a few miles. Strange. But I can reproduce that time and time again.

 

[CarlesHicks]

Thank you all. If it doesn’t really help with longevity than I guess I will just use it when I have a hankering.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Line pressures up and no flair shifts with TH on. Always in the correct gear.

 

[SnoKing]

I use it with towing and on off ramps. I do not like it around town, as it creates un-needed RPMs in my mind! YMMV!

 

[TFucili]

CarlesHicks, I misread your post, thought you had HO/Aisin. My error.

 

[AH64ID]

Line pressures up and no flair shifts with TH on. Always in the correct gear.

Over-revving and delayed shifts means the wrong gear in my book.

With these fully electronic shifting transmissions I’m not sure line pressure changes.

 

[Cummins12V98]

My 68 shifted spot on no flair shifts and was always in the right gear and easily accelerated at any time. Same with my Dads 68 and my AISIN.

NO DEAD PEDAL. No idea why other than I ran the he!! out of it right out of the box.

ZERO over reving. Not even sure what that is.

One thing I agree with general driving around I get worse mileage. I don’t care! I like instant acceleration.

 

[AH64ID]

My 68 shifted spot on no flair shifts and was always in the right gear and easily accelerated at any time. Same with my Dads 68 and my AISIN.

NO DEAD PEDAL. No idea why other than I ran the he!! out of it right out of the box.

ZERO over reving. Not even sure what that is.

One thing I agree with general driving around I get worse mileage. I don’t care! I like instant acceleration.

Reduced mileage is from too many rpms, hence over revving.

So if your mileage is down you simply DON’T have ZERO over-revving.

You may like it and that’s where personal preference comes to play, but don’t describe it as something it isn’t.

 

[Wiredawg]

Carl,

TH is off and EB always on (full) for my 2017 5500 running solo. You've heard from the gallery on using it or not when not loaded or towing and it's a mixed field. Sounds like you haven't been running it, so I recommend running it and drawing your own conclusions on whether you prefer it or not. It won't hurt or help your truck either way. It didn't take me long on my 5500 to decide not to use it solo...the seatbelt almost leave marks from the aggressiveness, likely due to me having 4.88s and increased leveraging with them.

Anyhoo, I'd appreciate it if you'd come back and tell us how you decided and why.

Cheers, Ron

 

[R.Taylor]

My biggest gripe about my 2019 is that the EB button is in the worst location possible... You have to take your eyes off the road to press the button... trying to do it blind.... you end up turning off the parking sensors. Lame FCA..... They could have put it on the wheel by the gear lock out buttons. My 06 had the T/H button on the end of the stick. Why didn't FCA keep T/H on the stick and put EB on the wheel???? The money these guys get paid working for FCA and making these decisions should be fired.... I bet they drive Honda's and Lexus's to work.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Reduced mileage is from too many rpms, hence over revving.

So if your mileage is down you simply DON’T have ZERO over-revving.

You may like it and that’s where personal preference comes to play, but don’t describe it as something it isn’t.

No need to get twisted about it. I stated what I do and admitted I get worse mileage. Its NOT “over reving”. It’s staying the powerband.

I could say you are lugging but I am not, makes as much sense as over reving.

 

[Cummins12V98]

My biggest gripe about my 2019 is that the EB button is in the worst location possible... You have to take your eyes off the road to press the button... trying to do it blind.... you end up turning off the parking sensors. Lame FCA..... They could have put it on the wheel by the gear lock out buttons. My 06 had the T/H button on the end of the stick. Why didn't FCA keep T/H on the stick and put EB on the wheel???? The money these guys get paid working for FCA and making these decisions should be fired.... I bet they drive Honda's and Lexus's to work.

Simply push when you start the truck.

 

[AH64ID]

No need to get twisted about it. I stated what I do and admitted I get worse mileage. Its NOT “over reving”. It’s staying the powerband.

I could say you are lugging but I am not, makes as much sense as over reving.

Ah, but your comment on decreased milage goes against that. Lugging and over revving both decrease efficiency. That’s why TH shows lower mileage empty and better milage loaded. It’s about putting the engine in the best rpm/shift pattern for the load. Otherwise why have it?

Vehicles that aren’t designed to tow/haul have the same button. It’s called sport, not TH, and it does the same thing. Better throttle response and more “fun” driving at the cost of mileage.

Not arguing its feel, as that preference, simply pointing out if the mileage is decreased it’s more rpms than needed for the load... and that’s over revving. Nothing more; nothing less.

 

[HPSimpson]

First I do after startup is turn on T/H then Exhaust brake full on that's how I do my setup.