[somekevinguy]

I took my first trip towing my trailer last weekend with my new 04 2500hd and going up a big mountain road the transmission kept down shifting and i would be running right at redline for like a minute at a time sometimes. I was in tow mode of course. The engine and tranny temps stayed fine but it was pretty scary. And then coming home when it would down shift when i put on the brakes it was at redline too. By red line I mean about 3000rpm which is actualy just before redline. I am asuming this is normal. Is it? Going up the hill I didn't even have it floored. If it weren't for the tach I wouldn't have known. I didn't feel any excessive vibration or anything. Am I tearing up my engine or what? Also I want to get the factory spare tire lock that is keyed the same as the ignition. Mine didn't come with it and I haven't seen it on any of the accessory sites on the web. Can it be bought after the fact or do you have to get it from the factory?

 

[Mackin]

Mine will "Grade brake " the same,normal ....

The spare lock probably came with your truck and was never installed by prep guy ..... Probably on his bench .... I believe the only place to get one key'd to match and fit would be the dealer ..... Go stir the pot a little and see what turns up at your dealer ...

Mac

 

[Max Power]

I beleive on 03's and 04's that spare tire lock became an option

 

[Shainer]

I have an 03 and mine has the lock, no extra charge. I belive Mac has the right idea.


Shainer

 

[srode]

It was a $15 option on my '04

 

[Bronco]

I took my first trip towing my trailer last weekend with my new 04 2500hd and going up a big mountain road the transmission kept down shifting and i would be running right at redline for like a minute at a time sometimes. I was in tow mode of course. The engine and tranny temps stayed fine but it was pretty scary. And then coming home when it would down shift when i put on the brakes it was at redline too. By red line I mean about 3000rpm which is actualy just before redline. I am asuming this is normal. Is it? Going up the hill I didn't even have it floored. If it weren't for the tach I wouldn't have known. I didn't feel any excessive vibration or anything. Am I tearing up my engine or what? Also I want to get the factory spare tire lock that is keyed the same as the ignition. Mine didn't come with it and I haven't seen it on any of the accessory sites on the web. Can it be bought after the fact or do you have to get it from the factory?

Are you using your overdrive lock out switch?

 

[Zeeb]

It was a $15 option on my '04

As was mine and it came installed on the truck right off the transport, so I know the factory put it on.

 

[somekevinguy]

I was not using my od lockout switch. I am not sure if it was going in and out of od or 2nd and 3rd or what but i wish it would have stayed in the higher gear because i didn't think it was bogging down in that gear and when it would down shift it was reving way to high for my taste. man my original post was in october, i cant believe someone dug this up.

 

[a64pilot]

It's normal, fine, won't hurt anything. Normal operating charteristic. If you don't like it some of the power enhancement programs/boxes will reduce it. I would recommend normal (90 hp) juice for towing.

 

[BigdaddyG]

Wait 'til you hit some steep downhills with a decent sized trailer!!! The grade breaking will let the engine run up to 4,700 RPM as I recall from the manual. Mine has not gone that high yet but it did scare me until I read that it was supposed to do that. When I looked more closely at the tach. I noticed a dashed redline until almost 5,000 RPM where it turned solid red.


Somkevinguy, I grew up in Torrance and still go there often you coming to the Dyno Day?Edited by: BigdaddyG