The GM 5.3 doesn’t have very generous cooling capacity compared to Fords 5.4L Triton. There is a reason the ford can tow so much more. Agreed, you have to tow cautiously.
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Tow/haul mode experience
- Thread starter Casflynn
- Start date
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I took my '17 expy to Georgia to pick up a trailer and haul it back to Montana. The Expy has the heavier payload and towing package. The trailer I picked up is about 10 feet tall and 8.5 feet wide. Although the Expy had no problems towing the trailer, it spent most of the trip in 4th and 5th gear with a whopping 6.5 mpg. I think I might use the truck next time.
Personally I cant stand the tow haul mode, it holds gears too long that'll take me over the boost threshold and these EcoBoost motors don't seem to do much at the top end of the rev limit, also the engine braking it does by down shifting a couple gears when slowing down is on part with the high revs issue....
Thses motors are just not ideal for top end grunt, at least not the way tow mode does it, I dont use the tow/haul mode, matter of fact I try not to exceed 4,000 rpms when towing, that leaves plenty of boost ready on demand for when a pass or a sudden acceleration is needed.
Thses motors are just not ideal for top end grunt, at least not the way tow mode does it, I dont use the tow/haul mode, matter of fact I try not to exceed 4,000 rpms when towing, that leaves plenty of boost ready on demand for when a pass or a sudden acceleration is needed.
The EcoBoost doesn’t have a lot of engine braking which is why it downshifts in Tow/Haul down a hill. Engine braking is dependent on displacement (cubic inches) because it uses the rotational mass of the engine to slow the vehicle. Bigger the engine the more engine braking available. For example the 5.4L has relatively good engine braking, and doesn’t have to downshift a lot in tow/haul to slow it. In comparison it’s little brother 4.6L doesn’t brake as much with the smaller displacement and stroke. They are supplementing it with the transmission hence why you notice the revs. Without it you’d have to use the brakes a lot.
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shane_th_ee
Full Access Members
I love the engine braking, even if it's cheating by downshifting and use tow/haul mode exclusively when towing. We took a pass this summer that my father warned me to be careful not to overheat the brakes. I only had to touch the brakes twice! Of course, with the newer 10 speed transmission, there's no giant jump in RPMs between gears, so the truck stays below 4000 when engine braking...
Indeed overhearing the brakes is no good, they stop working! These transmissions help a lot now. The V8/ 6R80 will occasionally downshift as well to assist slowing in tow/haul, just less often.
ANGEL TORES
Member
We purchased our camper in Indiana and we had to pass through PA and just a few times I remember getting into 6th gear. Heading down I95 i definitely see 6th gear. I usually cruise at 60 mph just to conserve some gas. I get about 220 miles to a full tank at 60 mph and I use super (93 octane) with the tow haul feature.
shane_th_ee
Full Access Members
FWIW, I just got back from our first real road trip with the trailer fully loaded*. In tow/haul mode and at 70mph over flat ground with little/no headwind, our 4th Gen will run ~1800rpm in 9th...
(*guessing 6k lbs based on GVWR. I elected not to weigh it because I didn't want to know.)
(*guessing 6k lbs based on GVWR. I elected not to weigh it because I didn't want to know.)
The only thing I don't like about the engine braking in tow/haul mode is that I feel it stays engaged to long. Often times I am accelerating with my foot on the gas and it takes a bit of time to up shift. I would think once you press the accelerator, it will shift to the correct gear much like when going up hill it shifts up once you back off the accelerator.
