vbert

This thread has been merged by Admin

Well I just had a chance to pull with my new truck and 48RE tranny. I am pulling about 7000#, yeah I know its next to nothing for the CTD. Although the CTD pulled the 7000# toy hauler up 7% grades like nobody's business, the tranny is another story I think. I found it pulled better (read here less OD to 3rd shifts) with the tow haul mode DISENGAGED! Why would that be? When I was in T/H mode it seem to be hunting for gears with numerous (over 10 shifts) on a 2 mile stretch of 7% grade while out of T/H mode it only down-shifted once for about 20 seconds. I used to pull with an '03 Dmax-Ally and although the Dmax seemed to have a bit less low RPM torque, the Ally was rock solid. Wow, I wish I could put the Ally on the CTD, but I do miss the ultra smooth ride of the GMC truck. Oh yeah, my Ram has the 3.73 rear end as did the GMC.

RATTLINRAM

I'm glad you posted on this. My Dad has ordered a 2005 CTD (auto/3.73) to replace his V-10 (auto/3.55) and I did not find out till just recently that the T/H button does not lock out OD like it did on the previous year auto's.
He pulls a 5er like mine at about 8.5-9k and I'm hoping that he will be happy with the way that the new tranny will operate. I'm still hooked on being able to lock out OD,,,,, because that's all I've been used to. I've read some posts where folks have said it takes time to learn how to manage the throttle in the T/H mode in order to keep from all the shifting.
If you had the choice, would you rather that the T/H button lock-out 4th gear OD like the older models?

vbert

Yeah I would rather the T/H button lock out OD, but thats just because I like to use my cruise control. If I am not using cruise I like it to go into OD because I can control the OD shift with throttle position. Does that make any sense??

jka

vbert:

At the risk of sounding dumb, when you say lock out OD what exactly do you mean?

Thanks.

Mopar_Mudder

You can still manually shift it out of OD can't you, that would solve the problem right their.

Oh ya, that is why I have always recomemnded 4.10's for autos, then you can pull in OD all day with no wierd gear hunting.

RATTLINRAM

It doesn't appear that the 2005 can be kept from shifting into OD.
CLICK HERE

I only hope that there will be a way of installing an aftermarket switch to be able to do this if DC doesn't come up with a change.

bluepp

Well DC just changed it TO this. They had a nice setup last year . All dealers telling me they did this to improve gas milage . So they sacrifice the trans for milage . I said this to a dealer today and it ticked him off. If you try to explain how crappy this setup works they get into this trans being so smart bull. If you try to give them a senario of what the trans does they get into how smart the engineers are and we dont know nothing, and they wouldnt build something that wouldnt work right,and put a 7 year 70,000 mi warantee on it . Well I beg to differ, they screw up more then we'll ever know and all changes arnt always for the good.
There telling me it cant be changed back by reflashing. But I'v learned you cant believe them . Maybe it can and maybe not, but there not going to do it for you ,not yet at least. If these trans go out enough on warantee they'll probably change them. Remember it isnt just shifting back to 3rd, its going out of lockup first then into 3rd and then back into lockup under power. Its the lockup clutch that'll go out.

Officer Al

The first couple years the Allison was out behind the Duramax, there was no provision for locking out overdrive (it did have tow-haul, though). Apparently, customers complained enough. Eventually, either a reflash or an aftermarket gadget allowed for an overdrive lockout. Then it became standard from the factory. The point is, people want control of the transmission, especially when towing. The absence of a lockout on the 05 Dodge is one reason I went with the stick, and I must say, I love towing with it.

hotdram

Another poster in the third gen. aftermarket forum posted this:

Thought ya'll might find it interesting.

Link to thread <-- GOOD INFO concerning this topic. *Admin edit*

~Rob

StrokeThisCTD

well, i noticed when i clicked tow/haul before the edge it shifted into OD

the other day i clicked in tow/haul UNLOADED, and it wouldnt shift into OD. i tried at 60mph, 70mph, then 75mph and i was out of RPM. Wierd.

eileeneh

The previous 10 posts were merged with this original post.

Hi--does anyone here own one of these? If so, could you please share your experience about using the tow/haul button when towing on steep grades, such as in the mountains? Have you had problems because it won't lock out 4th? This seems to be an issue theoretically, but I'd like to actually hear people's experience before I buy one!

Thanks, Eileen

bluepp

bump

bluepp

What gives here ?? We got no body thats towed with a 2005 with a 48re in the hills yet????

StrokeThisCTD

how much are you towing? The truck will pull 5000lbs EASILY uphill in 4th gear and accellerate up that hill. Loving every minute of my 48RE.

hammerjammer

I have an 05 48re ,I tow about 8k not a huge load and have no complaints. The main problem is people who think they should tow up a hill like Fancy Gap at 70 miles per hour and never loose a mph.Whats wrong with running sixty miles per hour for 8 miles and not abusing the transmission.If thats not acceptable , the 6sp. would be the answer.Then you can grab fifth gear,wind the engine to about 3000 rpm and hold constant speed up most any hill in american,except Black mountain in NC.I agree for those who need the OD lock-out it shouldnt be rocket science for
DC to make it available.