Community Forums

bpendley · 05-06-2012, 01:06 PM

I used to pull my travel trailer in 3 with my 1/2 ton gas Suburban. The transmission on my 1/2 ton did well with zero burn smell.

I now purchased a 3007 Ford F250 with Diesel 6.0.

My trailer weight is 8,000 lbs total. It is half of the Ford recommendations for pulling a conventional trailer.

When I put my diesel in 3, the motor winds up to 3,000 RPM. So, I have been using Overdrive with the towing selector on.

What is your recommendation?
Should I drive flat landscape in overdrive and use 3 when going up steep grades?

BFlinn181 · 05-06-2012, 01:59 PM

Find out the best 'power band' for your engine and try to keep the rpm in that range. A diesel has peak torque much sooner than a gasser, it takes some adjustment to driving habits to use the diesel to its best advantage. Is it an automatic or manual transmission? If automatic, I'd let the computer select the gear until you get used to it or have a need to shift manually. If a manual, pay attention to the rpm, temperature gauge and exhaust gas pyrometer if you have one.

SmokeyWren · 05-07-2012, 07:51 AM

Your owner's guide tells you to tow with the gear selecter in D and the tow/haul mode turned on. Then the computer will decide which gear you need.

You should downshift to 3rd only if in up-and-down hills or mountains and your tranny constantly shifts between 3rd and 4th and OD. That should be a rare condition, so basically use the tow-haul mode and drive.

chief02 · 05-07-2012, 08:02 AM

X2 on Tow Haul...Lock it down in 3rd if shifting back and fourth. If RPMs get to high in 3rd, time to slow down.

bpendley · 05-07-2012, 10:03 AM

Thank you all for your replies. I could not find the info clearly laid out in my owner's manual. I may have missed it.

TXiceman · 05-07-2012, 11:10 AM

Leave in OD and use Tow haul. If it wants to keep jumping to a lower gear, manually select the gears until you get to a flatter road and if will run on it's own.

We tow mostly in OD and on ocassion we will have to lock out OD and get up a hill.

Ken

chief02 · 05-07-2012, 11:15 AM

Most Tow Haul activations do turn off the OD and lock up the TC.

nylyon · 05-07-2012, 12:55 PM

The button on your 2007 shifter should be for tow/haul not over drive disable. When towing, I leave the trans in tow/haul as it changes the shift points and gives me engine braking. Overdrive is still enabled, the only change is the shift points and when OD kicks in.

07PSDCREW · 05-08-2012, 09:44 AM

X3 or 4... Set it and forget it. The gears wind out a little more and The computer does the work. It's nice in traffic of sorts because when you go easy on the skinny pedal and let off, it will slow you down without much use of the brakes. I have an SCT tuner with the Aggressive tow custom tune and it is programmed to use the VGT (variable geometry turbo) as a mild Exaust brake. You feel it even more when TOW/HAUL is on.

IWillRVToo · 05-09-2012, 08:13 PM

"3007 Ford F250 with Diesel 6.0."

and I thought the 2013's had come out early! lol

bpendley · 05-10-2012, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IWillRVToo

"3007 Ford F250 with Diesel 6.0."

and I thought the 2013's had come out early! lol

Nice catch! LOL! You should see the options! I must admit that the news channel is more like the history channel

FishaPalooza · 05-16-2012, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpendley

I used to pull my travel trailer in 3 with my 1/2 ton gas Suburban. The transmission on my 1/2 ton did well with zero burn smell.

I now purchased a 3007 Ford F250 with Diesel 6.0.

My trailer weight is 8,000 lbs total. It is half of the Ford recommendations for pulling a conventional trailer.

When I put my diesel in 3, the motor winds up to 3,000 RPM. So, I have been using Overdrive with the towing selector on.

What is your recommendation?
Should I drive flat landscape in overdrive and use 3 when going up steep grades?

So you're saying for the 2007 model year your F250 6.0l diesel Ford has a max towing capacity of 16000 lbs?? I though it was 12,500??

Also for whatever it's worth my 2003 says it's OK to leave the tow/haul botton off if the transmission isn't over heating.

JohnBoyToo · 05-16-2012, 03:36 PM

On my Ex's,
I always left it in drive WITHOUT tow/Haul unless towing VERY heavy.... and the gears were changing a lot... IMHO what u are towing is not HEAVY

what you are trying to do is stop the trans from hunting for gears - shifting up and down too much... keeping it in one higher gear lets the trans lockup which is the best for performance and best for the tranny...

maybe this will help:
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...07_default.asp

SmokeyWren · 05-16-2012, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishaPalooza

So you're saying for the 2007 model year your F250 6.0l diesel Ford has a max towing capacity of 16000 lbs?? I though it was 12,500??

2007 F-250 with 6.0L engine has 5er tow ratings of 15,400 to 16,500, depending on cab, transmission and drivetrain.

But you will run out of payload capacity for hitch weight way before you reach 15k trailer weight. So from a realistic viewpoint, about 12,500 is the most you could hope to tow without exceeding the GVWR of the F-250.