Towing Button

[deyomatic]

The search doesn't seem to be working tonight...

 

I'm wondering how the towing button works, you know the little button you push on the end of the column shifter that turns on the yellow trailer icon in the dash. This is for an '06 style 1500. I notice that it seems to hold you in gears longer but it also seems to make the tranny feel really loose, slipping all over the place and clunking hard if you get on the throttle after letting off. Just curious if there is something wrong with mine, mostly because it's much more fun to drive in that mode and I'd like to do that but don't want anything to break.

 

Thanks.

[GasHog369]

i drive in it all the time since it tends to stay in the lower gears longer to give you more power on demand especially on windy roads where u are constantly cornering.... and actually the tranny is stronger clunking like that... it stiffens up the shifts which should technically make the teanny lasdt longer where soft shifts do more harm from what i hear..

[bigredmariner]

I use mine alot in heavy traffic since it will hold the tranny in a lower gear longer. But since my BB Tune that button is now Tow/ Haulass Mode.

 

Shouldn't hurt anything though running it like that.

[peteking]

Yeah normally mine shifts into 2nd at 15mph. When I turn on the T/H....it moves the shift point to 20mph. I can't remember if it affects the 2-3 shift.

 

That brings up a curiosity.....is the nanny mode turned off when T/H is active? I'd have to throw in my stock PCM to find out for myself.

[Spurshot]

Yeah normally mine shifts into 2nd at 15mph. When I turn on the T/H....it moves the shift point to 20mph. I can't remember if it affects the 2-3 shift.

 

That brings up a curiosity.....is the nanny mode turned off when T/H is active? I'd have to throw in my stock PCM to find out for myself.

 

 

If anything, the T/H mode would put more TM in to keep some fool from breaking the driveline when towing a heavy load. When Justin did my tune, I told him I do tow and want the OEM TM protection in the T/H mode.

[music]

If anything, the T/H mode would put more TM in to keep some fool from breaking the driveline when towing a heavy load. When Justin did my tune, I told him I do tow and want the OEM TM protection in the T/H mode.

 

Chuck: did you stick with 87 octane tuning?

[Spurshot]

Yes. I figure it's worth about 5% fuel cost savings if gas is about $3/gal and premium is 15 cents more.

 

As you travel the west, you'll find that you can only get 87 octane in some places. These places are generally high altitude and 87 octane will work fine in 99% of engines normally setup for premium. This is because of the reduced air density at high altitude. The real rub is that you will fill up at high altitude and then could immediately drive down to lower altitude within that tank of fuel and be stuck with tank full of lower octane fuel your engine doesn't like at that lower altitude....something for you guys that travel the west, especially while towing, should think about.

[music]

Yes. I figure it's worth about 5% fuel cost savings if gas is about $3/gal and premium is 15 cents more.

 

As you travel the west, you'll find that you can only get 87 octane in some places. These places are generally high altitude and 87 octane will work fine in 99% of engines normally setup for premium. This is because of the reduced air density at high altitude. The real rub is that you will fill up at high altitude and then could immediately drive down to lower altitude within that tank of fuel and be stuck with tank full of lower octane fuel your engine doesn't like at that lower altitude....something for you guys that travel the west, especially while towing, should think about.

 

Good information to have. Never considered that, but it makes sense.

 

edit: off-topic, but what tires did you go with?

[Pilot12]

As you travel the west, you'll find that you can only get 87 octane in some places. These places are generally high altitude and 87 octane will work fine in 99% of engines normally setup for premium.

And regular is 85 octane. Sure hope that works ok in the new truck.

[Spurshot]

As you travel the west, you'll find that you can only get 87 octane in some places. These places are generally high altitude and 87 octane will work fine in 99% of engines normally setup for premium.

And regular is 85 octane. Sure hope that works ok in the new truck.

 

 

You mean 85 octane in the mountains of the west? Yeah, probably so, I can't remember (CRS disease strikes again). Carrying some octane booster might get you by in a pinch if a tuned truck is pinging while towing. But, getting a 87 octane rather than a 91-92 octane tune gives me some cushion in a pinch like if I ever tow in the summer up that long grade out of the Colorado river in 120F heat.

[ShoddyHog]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who suffers from CRS. Can't remember what it stands for, but nice to know I'm not alone

[Pilot12]

You mean 85 octane in the mountains of the west? Yeah, probably so, I can't remember (CRS disease strikes again). Carrying some octane booster might get you by in a pinch if a tuned truck is pinging while towing.

 

Yeah, I find 85 oct. in eastern NV, and UT and CO. I've heard of it other states too.

 

The octane booster is a good idea. Probably cheaper than buying premium. Sure would like to keep running regular ; gas is EXPENSIVE out in the boondocks! Almost as high as Kallyfornya.

 

Sorry, seems like this thread got sidetracked. Back to the towing button........

 

On my old truck, it seemed like all the towing button did was keep it from going into overdrive to prevent constant shifting on hills. On these new trucks, it's a lot more refined and useful.

[jgold121]

i drive in it all the time since it tends to stay in the lower gears longer to give you more power on demand especially on windy roads where u are constantly cornering.... and actually the tranny is stronger clunking like that... it stiffens up the shifts which should technically make the teanny lasdt longer where soft shifts do more harm from what i hear..

 

 

Can anyone +1 this? I got my BB tune the other week and the transmission is shifting noticeably harder...but no so much that's SLAMMING into gear. I just don't want to screw anything up.

[Pilot12]

like if I ever tow in the summer up that long grade out of the Colorado river in 120F heat.

 

Ever do that one west up out of Imperial on I-8? I have a friend pulled his boat over to San Diego with an 5.3 Avalanche. Started at the bottom with a full tank, needed gas at first station at the top. I think that's about .5 mpg. He didn't say how much water he put in the radiator.

[music]

And regular is 85 octane. Sure hope that works ok in the new truck.

 

Around here: "regular" = 87 octane. Mid-grade = 89. Premium = 91+

 

I've heard that octane is lower in the mountains out west... I guess that's true? I'm guessing that lower O2 (and lower fuel) doesn't ignite as easily (lower charge density), so lowering the octane allows combustion to occur "on time", rather than "late".