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Tow Haul Mode on steep grades

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by Tierhog, Mar 8, 2018.

  1. Mar 8, 2018 at 5:48 PM
    #1
    Tierhog

    Tierhog [OP] SIG-AHOLIC

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    Searched the website. Mentioned T/H Mode but wondered if anyone used it on steep grades. The West Coast California area gives us
    Donner,Devils Gate, Pacific Grade, Sherman, Sonora etc

    Did it hold the gear too long and warm the engine up?

    No trailer. 450-500 lbs of passenger plus 255-265 lbs fuel.

    Thanks.
     
    Y0TA PR0 likes this.
  2. Mar 8, 2018 at 5:52 PM
    #2
    15whtrd

    15whtrd Mr. Blonde

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    Use it. It won’t hurt anything. It’s meant for towing so I doubt it makes anything run hotter because of it. If anything I bet it runs cooler. I tend to think lugging an engine is harderon the engine than being in the power band in the upper RPM range. A lot of people only drive with tow haul on a.k.a. beast mode.
     
    ColoradoTJ and Tierhog[OP] like this.
  3. Mar 8, 2018 at 5:55 PM
    #3
    Hoologan

    Hoologan New Member

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    I drive unloaded over Donner every week and use it most of the time.
     
  4. Mar 8, 2018 at 6:30 PM
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    Js18tundra

    Js18tundra New Member

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    I would use it, if anything your trans will stay at a cooler temp, it won’t hurt anything
     
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  5. Mar 9, 2018 at 3:39 AM
    #5
    71_340

    71_340 The German

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    I would use it on steep grades (uphill) if the transmission can't decide which gear to select or hunts gears (constant up/down shifts) or the engine is lugging, going downhill on the other hand I use S-mode and select a lower gear to facilitate better engine braking.
     
    NewImprovedRon and 15whtrd like this.
  6. Mar 9, 2018 at 4:04 AM
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    speckmon

    speckmon Must. Have. Pow.

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    I use it coming out of the Rockies pretty frequently and it works like a charm. No trailer.
     
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  7. Mar 9, 2018 at 7:10 AM
    #7
    831Tun

    831Tun heartless Bastrd

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    Nah, it's not gonna heat the engine up. I can't recall any of my Tundras starting to get too warm whether towing or empty. Even towing a 3,500 lb. boat + 3 passengers and camping gear up to Huntington lake at 60mph, that's a really steep grade.
     
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  8. Mar 9, 2018 at 7:56 AM
    #8
    TXMiamiFan

    TXMiamiFan SSEM #3 and tractor extraordinaire

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    I've used it going over highway mountain passes in CO. Have not used on off-road steep inclines though.
     
  9. Mar 9, 2018 at 8:51 AM
    #9
    Hoologan

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    This is pretty much what happens. I'm either in T/H mode for the steeper parts or manual shift mode.
     
  10. Mar 9, 2018 at 9:35 AM
    #10
    71_340

    71_340 The German

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    The manual shift mode sure keeps your brakes cool and ready when you need them, especially when towing and coast down a lung decline. I wish they would invent an exhaust brake similar I had had on my last Ram CTD, saved my a$$ more then once.
     
    Triton19X2 and NCinCO like this.
  11. Mar 9, 2018 at 10:14 AM
    #11
    15whtrd

    15whtrd Mr. Blonde

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    I do both modes at the same time. Manual shift so I can limit how far I want the transmission to go through the gears. A lot of times I lock out sixth. T/H To get my gears to hold out longer.
     
  12. Mar 9, 2018 at 10:22 AM
    #12
    NCinCO

    NCinCO Is it Friday yet?

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    Isn't an engine brake on a diesel only?
     
  13. Mar 9, 2018 at 10:37 AM
    #13
    Upgrayedd

    Upgrayedd Toyotaholic

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    I don’t have tow mode, so I use S mode in the hills to keep the transmission from hunting.

    Yes. But that’s a flap in the exhaust otherwise called a Jake Brake.

    However all engines will “engine brake” when in a lower gear off the throttle. The higher the compression engine, the more it will do it.

    If you’ve ever driven a manual transmission car and downshifted to slow down, that’s engine braking.
     
    Translucent likes this.
  14. Mar 9, 2018 at 10:46 AM
    #14
    15whtrd

    15whtrd Mr. Blonde

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    Wait, you don’t have the tow haul button? I don’t know if you have column shift or floor shifter. My button is at the end of the column shifter. It looks like we have pretty much the same truck. I would think you would have it.
     
  15. Mar 9, 2018 at 11:31 AM
    #15
    Upgrayedd

    Upgrayedd Toyotaholic

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    I have a 4.6 with the column shift. Apparently they did away with tow mode on the 3rd gen 4.6 trucks. Kinda lame.
     
    15whtrd[QUOTED] likes this.
  16. Mar 9, 2018 at 11:41 AM
    #16
    15whtrd

    15whtrd Mr. Blonde

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    That is lame.
     
    Upgrayedd[QUOTED] likes this.
  17. Mar 9, 2018 at 12:08 PM
    #17
    Upgrayedd

    Upgrayedd Toyotaholic

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    653EFF49-D32A-44B7-95C4-31BEA7A786FA.jpg
     
    15whtrd[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Mar 9, 2018 at 12:10 PM
    #18
    15whtrd

    15whtrd Mr. Blonde

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    At least a 4.6 is a great engine. I wonder if the BDX tuner would wake it up?
     
  19. Mar 9, 2018 at 12:13 PM
    #19
    15whtrd

    15whtrd Mr. Blonde

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    I had a ram with a 4.7.:anonymous:
    I will say this, I loved that little overhead cam engine. And it’s still going strong to this day. My mom drives it now.
     
  20. Mar 9, 2018 at 12:34 PM
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    Upgrayedd

    Upgrayedd Toyotaholic

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    I definitely don’t have any complaints, and the only towing I will be doing is a few dirtbikes in a lightweight trailer, so it should be fine.
     
    15whtrd[QUOTED] likes this.
  21. Mar 9, 2018 at 5:08 PM
    #21
    71_340

    71_340 The German

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    Yes, it is probably wishful thinking on my part. They do work great though.
     
  22. Mar 10, 2018 at 5:29 PM
    #22
    Tierhog

    Tierhog [OP] SIG-AHOLIC

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    I would love to see my truck zip up the grapevine in California. Every Tahoe and Wrangler straight dogged up it. 5.2V8/3.5V6.

    It’s a 5 Mile, 6%, 1600 foot climb.

    The song Hot Rod Lincoln was about a race between a Lincoln and Caddy on this same stretch of the SB I-5 on the “vine.”
     

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