Towing with F150 2022

[hondasaurus]

Hi

Just a quick question. We just change our truck for a new to us F150 with a 2,7 motor for towing our Escape 19.

What setting do you use when towing with the transmission? do you use tow haul?

Something else to check?

Thanks

[brroberts]

I don’t have a F150 2.7, but do have a Ford version of the 10R80 transmission, and Ford recommends using tow haul mode for towing or hauling heavy loads. I do, and it works.

[Perry Butler]

Have never liked the feeling with Tow Haul. It will try to keep the unit traveling at the same exact speed and have found the shifts more harsh. Since we purchased our 2019 new in November 2019 I use Eco mode. It slows some going up hills, and speeds up going down hills. We get better fuel mileage, ad it shifts sooner without harsh shifting, Every trip I try Tow Haul and never even make it an entire tank, before I go back to Eco mode.

We ride in the right lane at 57 mph on posted 55 mph sections and 62 mph when possible. The only time we go over 62 is in city traffic to avoid being a road hazard.

So it’s Eco mode for us.

Food for thought,

Perry

[Centex]

Originally Posted by hondasaurus

Hi

Just a quick question. We just change our truck for a new to us F150 with a 2,7 motor for towing our Escape 19.

What setting do you use when towing with the transmission? do you use tow haul?

Something else to check?

Thanks

IMO it's worth noting that you can 'experiment' with different transmission mode settings in your 2022 F150 with no harm to your truck.

Different settings may result in different shifting 'feel / behavior' and different folks may have different preferences about that.

Terrain and load can change, and you may well find that one setting does not work best for you in all situations.

Mileage may or may not be an important factor for you. Different settings may have an effect on mileage realized at any given time. While the truck's 'instant readout' of mpg may not be an accurate absolute value, it's probably a good relative indicator of mileage increase / decrease in different operating modes / conditions. Those differences may not be significant in all conditions.

I would suggest that you 'experiment' by towing for a full day in a 'mode' to give you a representative 'feel' for that mode; then try another for a different full day, etc.

Personally, I'd start with a day of towing in normal 'daily driving' mode and work from there.

By trying different modes for a reasonably lengthy time it's likely you'll find what works best for you in different situations. It's a process of you learning about your overall rig and your driving style in different situations.

Just for your consideration, Have Fun!

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by hondasaurus

Hi

Just a quick question. We just change our truck for a new to us F150 with a 2,7 motor for towing our Escape 19.

What setting do you use when towing with the transmission? do you use tow haul?

Something else to check?

Thanks

You can't go wrong putting it in tow haul and forgetting about it. Whereas the old style, limited number of gears, might mean the engine was revving up more than you wanted, with the 10 speed it typically will drop from 10 to 9 or 9 to 8, not a biggie. I played with it at the beginning but now it's tow haul and go.

Every once in awhile, on a long level straight section I might pop it into Eco but most of the time it's in tow haul. Was for the 19 and still is for the 21.

Ron

[hondasaurus]

Originally Posted by Centex

IMO it's worth noting that you can 'experiment' with different transmission mode settings in your 2022 F150 with no harm to your truck.

Different settings may result in different shifting 'feel / behavior' and different folks may have different preferences about that.

Terrain and load can change, and you may well find that one setting does not work best for you in all situations.

Mileage may or may not be an important factor for you. Different settings may have an effect on mileage realized at any given time. While the truck's 'instant readout' of mpg may not be an accurate absolute value, it's probably a good relative indicator of mileage increase / decrease in different operating modes / conditions. Those differences may not be significant in all conditions.

I would suggest that you 'experiment' by towing for a full day in a 'mode' to give you a representative 'feel' for that mode; then try another for a different full day, etc.

Personally, I'd start with a day of towing in normal 'daily driving' mode and work from there.

By trying different modes for a reasonably lengthy time it's likely you'll find what works best for you in different situations. It's a process of you learning about your overall rig and your driving style in different situations.

Just for your consideration, Have Fun!

Comming from a GMC diesel Canyon tow haul was the way to go even if it did not reach the 6 th gear. It change the behaviour of there transmission without impacting on fuel economy

[Bouvier]

We have a 2022 F150 with the hybrid engine. On the flats and climbing we keep the drive mode in normal or eco. However, when we encounter a longer descent the tow mode readily downshifts after braking and adds to our confidence.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by hondasaurus

Comming from a GMC diesel Canyon tow haul was the way to go even if it did not reach the 6 th gear. It change the behaviour of there transmission without impacting on fuel economy

Understood.

FWIW my experience with the 10-speed in my 2022 F150 3.5EB towing the 5.0, I note that left to its own it will readily go to 10th using the turbos of the EcoBoost to provide the 'ooomph' at the resultant relatively lower engine RPM. In my observation, while 'tow mode' does alter shift points, it does not 'lock-out' any gear.

I've experimented using the manual gear-limiting capability to selectively 'lock-out' gears above 7th, 8th or 9th, with the effect of lowering boost while increasing engine RPM. While that seems to yield relatively lower 'instant MPG' in some situations, in others it does not. Personally, MPG is not a priority in my use of the truck towing or otherwise, so that doesn't affect my tranny 'mode' decisions.

Locking out higher gears when towing does seem to reduce the tranny 'gear-hunting' and often yields lower engine coolant and transmission fluid temps (my truck is configured using FORScan to display actual numeric temperatures on the instrument cluster). Though I've never seen a concerning high temp in any situation, I do prefer to keep the temps lower if I can in the interest of general longevity.

[brroberts]

I will lock out gears downhill sometimes, but tow haul mostly does a good job selecting.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by brroberts

I will lock out gears downhill sometimes, but tow haul mostly does a good job selecting.

It does and the only complaint or thing that I don't like is after you've gone down a steep descent and the grade is leveling off to the point that you're starting to give it some gas it doesn't instantly take the hint and upshift. Minor, but I do notice it.

Ron

[John in Santa Cruz]

I have a 2019 Expedition with the 3.5 Ecoboost and 10 speed, it also has the CCDS shocks. Tow haul mode not only changes the transmission operation, it also stiffens the rear suspension. That's nice but I use normal mode on level highways, tow haul on hills as the engine braking is a big improvement. Tow haul has some weird attitude, it will stick in 3rd gear after light braking until you blip the throttle

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

Have never liked the feeling with Tow Haul. It will try to keep the unit traveling at the same exact speed and have found the shifts more harsh. Since we purchased our 2019 new in November 2019 I use Eco mode. It slows some going up hills, and speeds up going down hills. We get better fuel mileage, ad it shifts sooner without harsh shifting, Every trip I try Tow Haul and never even make it an entire tank, before I go back to Eco mode.

We ride in the right lane at 57 mph on posted 55 mph sections and 62 mph when possible. The only time we go over 62 is in city traffic to avoid being a road hazard.

So it’s Eco mode for us.

Food for thought,

Perry

Other than NOT disliking the shifts on Tow Haul, I am in line with Perry. I pretty much use Eco mode for towing and unhitched driving, and I agree with his speed selections. If fact, I installed a $50 module (I found easy to install) that remembers the last driving mode used and cycles to it at startup because I found having to go to Eco mode manually every time I started my F-150 to be annoying. I do not even use the Tow Haul shifting profile on steep descents, I shift into manual (yes, it can be done on the fly) and control which gear I am in because Tow Haul does not slow down enough requiring repeated braking to maintain safe downhill speeds. When appropriate, I manually shift back into drive. Furthermore, on the flats, tow haul will not go higher than 8 on 10 speed transmissions, reducing fuel mileage.

[WillyB]

I have a 2016 F150 with the 3.5 EB and a 6-Speed transmission.

I very much dislike the tow haul mode. I feel it is much too aggressive on downshifting. Sport mode downshifts to aggressively as well. I prefer to manually downshift when needed.

These little motors do not provide much engine braking so I prefer to watch and start my slow downs or down hills earlier.

The one thing that I do like about tow haul is the shift pattern when taking off. It tends to hold the gear longer. When I do use tow haul mode I use it on steep uphill take offs. If sport mode didn't downshift so aggressively I would leave it in that mode all of the time.

Options-Options.

[hondasaurus]

thanks all for your input. I've took possession of the truck yesterday and we will leave next week to escape a bit of winter.

Happy season of camping

[Ron in BC]

Enjoy your new truck and hopefully you'll call it what I call mine, "best tow vehicle ever".

Ron

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by hondasaurus

Hi

Just a quick question. We just change our truck for a new to us F150 with a 2,7 motor for towing our Escape 19.

What setting do you use when towing with the transmission? do you use tow haul?

Something else to check?

Thanks

I don't have a Ford I have a Toyota but I have found with MY truck I feel like tow/haul mode is designed for a load closer to the truck maximum...it held back the shift points too much. I do use engine braking and do downshift on steep grades but my 5.0 TA is so much less than the 6500 lb max towing that the tow/haul mode did not work for me. As others have said....try it and see.

[Centex]

Perhaps of interest to some, particularly regarding engine braking in Tow Haul Mode, this clipped from the 2021-2023 F150 Service Manual (emphasis added by me) ....

Tow Haul: For improved transmission operation when towing a trailer or a heavy load. Tow Haul moves upshifts to higher engine speeds to reduce the frequency of transmission shifting. This mode also provides engine braking in all forward gears, which slows the vehicle and assists in controlling the vehicle when descending a grade. The amount of downshift braking provided varies based on the amount the brake pedal is pressed.

So, at least in in Tow Haul Mode, the degree / effect of engine braking is variable and somewhat proportional to footbrake application.

IMO that's pretty smart - too-aggressive engine braking without commensurate application of the footbrake (and thereby attendant application of trailer brakes) could yield undesirable outcomes.

[AllanEdie]

I tow an E21 with a 2023 F150 with the 2.7 and 10 speed trans. It is a spectacularly effective tow vehicle for the 21, and will be so for the 19. I don't bother with tow haul mode, I find it makes negligible difference. The ten speed trans. is so effective that IMO, tow haul shift strategy is not needed with our 21, and will not be with your 19. As others here mentioned, just try it both ways and see what you like. You will not hurt the truck either way.

Congratulations on your new truck, I expect that you will love it.

[John in Santa Cruz]

One place where tow haul made a huge difference was coming down a long long grade from Central Mexico to the Gulf Coast, where we dropped 7000 ft. I don't know how many kilometers, and it would have required constant riding of the brakes, but tow hall would drop it into third locking, maintaining about 4,000 RPM, while I went a constant 40 or 50 mph. This saved me from constantly pumping the brakes. Yes I could have done this with manual, but at least on the expedition I find the manual is kind of annoying as it's controlled with push buttons on the center console, and not steering wheel controls like my wife's Mercedes that has paddle shifters.

[AllanEdie]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

One place where tow haul made a huge difference was coming down a long long grade from Central Mexico to the Gulf Coast, where we dropped 7000 ft. I don't know how many kilometers, and it would have required constant riding of the brakes, but tow hall would drop it into third locking, maintaining about 4,000 RPM, while I went a constant 40 or 50 mph. This saved me from constantly pumping the brakes. Yes I could have done this with manual, but at least on the expedition I find the manual is kind of annoying as it's controlled with push buttons on the center console, and not steering wheel controls like my wife's Mercedes that has paddle shifters.

I accomplish the same thing by gearing down manually. That way, I decide how slow I want to go and in which gear. I like that the display shows which gear the truck is in, and that buttons on the shift lever allow me to shift down easily to control hill descents. I did the same thing with the Tacoma, but only having 5 gears was a huge limitation. The 10 speed tranny makes towing a whole different experience, especially when combined with the 2.7.