What gear to tow in?

The owner’s manual for my 2024 says not to tow in D, tow in S5 or lower.

Really? Isn’t that what Tow/Haul mode is supposed to handle? S5 seems pretty low on an 8 speed.

 

It’s an 8 speed combined with pretty tall axle gearing. They also suggest limiting speed to 65, which in 5th gear is 3100 rpm. That doesn’t seem unreasonable, unless you’re towing something super light.

 

Using S mode allow you to take advantage of engine braking. Your manual probably says something about it.

Also keeps you out of the OD gears.

 

My first thought was that S5 is going to limit your speed. That's not a bad thing. I tow a ~4500 lb trailer with my 22 Taco. Towing at anything above 65 starts to get a little beyond good advice. It can be done but its starting to flog the truck a bit. I know you have a different motor but the platform is the same as mine. I do use a weight transfer hitch and at 60 it will go all day and there is no drama when a semi passes.

 

Just follow the OM. Don’t try to out guess the engineers. They have the knowledge and there are reasons not to tow in D. Most every OM I’ve seen says to not tow in D.

 

So what does Tow/Haul mode do?

 

Probably encourages it to be more eager to shift into gears lower than S5 for hills and such than if it were not in tow/haul mode while still in S5.

Not for the sake of gear hunting but for general pulling power most likely.

 

Just wanted to resurrect this thread real quick,

Tow/Haul mode will also most likely lock/unlock the torque converter sooner than it normally would to help keep tranny fluid temps in check.

On some vehicles (GM's for sure) it also bumps alternator voltage output from the 13's up to the 14's so that the charging system is better primed to a.) keep the trailer batteries(if equip) charged and b.) be ready go dump power for the brakes of the trailer (if equip)

 

Odd, they always recommended the 1:1 gear ratio in the past, which was 4th gear, and in a 4th gen would be 6th gear
1:1 gear ratios are usually the “stronger” gear path. Wonder how the 8 speed is built

 

S5 means your transmission will never shift above 5th gear. Tow/Haul mode changes the shift points meaning it will hold lower gears longer when accelerating and it will downshift to lower gears sooner when you start up hills, or down hills to provide engine braking.