One main question...and then some rambling and other comments

Well since im always going off about the power of the dmax i was nominated to hook up to a 22-24ft Haulmark enclosed twin axle car hauler trailer, id guess several thousand lb empty.... Had to move my sister from apartment their new house....
Huffed it empty to pick up 2 couches all was fine, nasty wind(some swayin)blowin snow and not my trailer kept me to around 45... Got going on expressway to really get it opened up and tho i clearly knew the trailer was back there, but i was very happy on how dmax handled it...Got er to shift into 5th around 60-61, then had to slow to lower 50's, then came into a small knoll and bogged pretty good...I was planning on it downshiftin to 4th, but just hung around 14-1600rpm/50mph in 5th gear. I tried taping the brakes and then punch it, to see if it would take a shift but nothing It did it again bit later, under same conditions...
Find it odd, that it wouldnt want to take the shift for the power, but maybe the computer told it wasnt w/in the right paramiaters to shift or something...
The tranny never rose above 120, my whole way up, so i dont think i couldve limped it...No issues today...



Comments.....
Anyways, i dont usually get to pull this heavy& for this long so this was really a first outing for me and T/H...
The grade braking thing was awesome, notice it didnt always go on first tap of brakes but tap again usually was there...The convertor unlocking into 1st caught my off guard first couple times tho...
The shift pattern for TH, seem well balanced..Seemed to always have right power except for above...Once or twice it seemdlike it was keeping a gear (usually 2 or 3) longer than i though it should, but i just assume its the computer telling it better to stick w/current gear then going up...
Thats enough rambling...:blahblah:

Polarbear

We really don't want a downshift unless absolutely necessary. The object is to pull that load in 5th with lockup as much as possible. This keeps the trans cooler and the engine in its power range. I do not tow but I play with the trans alot and hit the 5th cancel button all the time to see where the engine is at a lower gear. I have found the higher gear much more acceptable. This is where a 60 to 80 hp tow program shines. You will not feel that you are in limbo at certain times pulling your load. Sometimes you do need a downshift and I feel that cancelling 5th manually with you controling the throttle (instead of having to do it at wide open throttle) to get that lower gear is much better. Just my opinion.
mike
mike

Bear in mind that the transmission will need to "learn" how you want to drive in Tow-Haul, just like it does in normal drive. I noticed a difference in the way it shifted after about 3,000 miles with the camper on in the mountains last summer. The more I drove it the better it seemed to work. I still think the 3-4 shift range is too high for my preferences. It upshifts at about 42 mph and I would like to see that closer to 36-38 mph.

I do remember that during the above mentioned 3,000 mile ride, there were times that it seemed to be stuck in gear. I would pull over to a stop so it would start out in first and then try to get it to shift better. Seemed like it worked but it took several different cycles to get it feeling normal.

It also seems like I read somewhere that shutting the truck off and starting it up again would help reset the transmission to the newer shift pattern, but I might be imagining that.