Tow / Haul

[ejm4]

We a have 2011 Ford E450. When do you guys use the tow / haul button? Is this meant for only when towing a trailer or a toad or while pulling nothing? Will this feature have any effect on MPG?

Thanks

[Richard S.]

I only use it when towing, it only raises the shift points also works great for going down long grades.

[rvten]

I use it mainly for grade braking and when exiting the Interstate to help slow down.

[genecurp]

I used tow haul all the time when towing my fifth wheel. Now that I have a 14,500 GVW E450 based MH, I will use it all the time too.

My thinking is the tow part is less important than the haul. My unit like most comes in near GVWR before cargo. So the unit is "heavily loaded" from the get go. If the Tow/Haul (as in hauling a heavy load in the truck bed) is for that situation, then it seems best to use it all the time.

I really appreciate the auto shift down when I am trying to stop or slow down. I think it safer for me to not trust my ability to think ahead to remember to turn it on just when I need it.

For completeness, I did not use tow/haul with the pickup usless I was towing. I have no reason to think the tow/haul has much effect if any on the MPG .

Everyone has opinions. These are a few of mine.

Safe travels
Gene

[JimM68]

My buddy tows a fiver with an F250PSD (heavily modified and chipped)
He recently traded up to a bigger fiver, around 14k lbs. Pulling it home, on a long uphill pull (in overdrive, he has enough power to pull 30k straight up in OD!!) he noticed the trans heating up on his tuner display, much hotter than normal, enough so he pulled of and let her idle till she cooled down, and did the rest of the climb at a more reasonable 65 mph.

When he got home he cracked the owners manual. Previously he'd rarely used t/h and then only for the downhiull braking. The manual said to use it on uphills as well, because it keeps the torque converter lockup clutch engaged all the time, reducing slippage and heat buildup on climbs.

Now he never goes over 165 degrees trans temp.