Had an 04 f-150 yrs ago that would NOT run in O.D. towing the boat, approx 3500-4000 lbs. Drove me crazy! At 65-70 it would NOT even attempt O.D. Engine turning 3000 rpm, 8 mpg at best! Made me trade for F-250 Super Duty 6.4 Diesel, towed it like nothing, in O.D. all day but still 8 M.P.G. Got very tired of the price of Diesel so traded for the Ram 1500 , crew cab, 5.7 Hemi. Was impressed, ALWAYS a Ford man. This truck is the most comfortable truck I have ever driven/owned. 1st. tank full, 15.2 95% around town. Neither Ford ever saw anything resembling that. Diesel more like 12 and 5.4 MAYBE 14. But hauled Boat for 1st time yesterday with Ram. Of coarse it hauled it nothing like the Super Duty but couldn't expect it too, that 650 lbs. of torque on the 6.4 is just soo much more the Ram shouldn't do as good. It did feel it was hauling it easier than the 04 5.4 and suspension definately felt better as well as stopping. The frustrating thing? Ram can'd decide wether to run in 5th or O.D. Back and forth, back and forth. Almost like if I had maybe 20 more H.P. it would haul in 6th. Dealer told me with the manual option on tranny I could lock it in 5th or 6th. It wont do it, still shifts automatically. The thing drives me crazy shifting back and forth, back and forth. Tow mode it still tries 6th but can't maintain. Towing about 63-65. Is this normal, thinking cool air intake may give it enough more to help, any opinions?? I do believe it has relatively high gears, 1500 RPM, 65 MPH. in 6th. in 5th about 2000 RPM about 65 which isnt bad, just stay in one or the other, PLEASE!!! Oh, forgot to mention, 8.2 mpg towing boat but at least the fuel is .40 a gallon cheaper.

 

Are you towing with the tow/haul mode engaged? I don't think it will use the O/D gear if it is.

 

Thats what surprised me, Tow /Haul just seems to make slower shifts but it IS going into o.d. Was also surprised I couldn't lock it in 5th with the manual shift mode. Just talked with Dealer, he saws he believed I SHOULD be able to "lock" it in 5th with manual mode. I Definately have the wrong gear for towing although if he can figure how to "lock" it in 5th it should be a good set up. Hes gonna hook it up Thurs to see if Tranny is doing what its supposed to, if it is he will contact Dodge to see if they can program to work differantly. He ck the thing shifted more in 300 miles than most vehicles I ever owned shifted in a life time!!!! LOL

 

Tow mode should eliminate one gear, at least it does on my 11 with the 5 speed. Mine eliminates the 5th gear and of course the OD gear. Yours probably does the same, except eliminates the 6th gear and OD.

I don't have any problems pulling holiday trailers that max out at 8000lbs, granted that is with an equalizer hitch, but that doesn't have much to do with the motor. When I haul a few of our cattle, (net 5000lbs prob) I don't even use tow haul mode. We run on pretty flat land here in alberta, but none the less. I do use tow haul mode when pulling the holiday trailer in the cities however! Seems to work well...

I don't think your issue is your tranny, I think its in your gearing. I have 3.92 gears, which is more meant for towing then the 3.55s. I don't know if those are the same numbers for the 2012, but my guess is you have the lower one. (If you look on your rear diff, it should state the ratio)

As far as you using manual mode to "limit" the gear change. Are you trying that in tow haul mode or just regular? I think the problem there is that limiting in 5th throws the RPMS too high and the truck shifts anyways. At least I know thats what my truck does, I use manual mode in the cities, but sometimes I forget to upshift. The truck will shift automatically after a certain time limit in between certain HIGH RPM levels. Its a safety precaution, we all know higher RPMS mean more friction, which equals more heat! We don't want that!

Check on that diff number, I think thats where your problems at!

 

No ratio on housing. Dealer says he will have to run the vin no. Problem isn't oo high rpm. It only turns 2000 at 65+ mph in 5th. When it shifts to od at 65 it only turns MAYBE 1800. I would understand if It was turning 3000 in 5th, but not 2000. Dealer even said he THINKS I should be able to lock it out of 6th. Oh well, thanks for the help, I'll find out Thurs and let you know. The BIG problem is it doesn't really sound like the Dealer even knows.

 

Nate, does yours have the new 6 speed with the manual shift mode? I believe that's a new tranny, altogether differant.

 

mmm...should be, I know many guys on some of the gear swap threads are saying it is there....I have never looked tho cause I don't plan on doing it...

I don't have the 6speed, just the five speed. As far as I know tho they are still the same basic transmission just another gear involved. Its the new 8 speed coming out next year thats totally different..

Maybe it is your tranny, if those are the rpms your running at it should stay there....Dealer is looking into that tho?

 

yes he says he'll check if theres any codes, if not will ck with Dodge to tell them exactly its doing. Said maybe they reprogram the computer, I sure hope so. 8 speed? Wow, hope they get the hang of the 6 speed first, I'm sure they will. LOL

 

Let us know what the dealer says, be curious to see what they do to try and solve the issue...

The 8-speed is a fully electronic transmission, no shift linkages...Everyones hit and miss on it, but thats for another thread...

 

What kind of weight are you towing? Did you try reading the wners manual? Mine explains fully how tow/haul works and how high gear is converted to a 1 to 1 ratio and such.