New 2025 Ram 1500 with hurricane engine.

[paulsharvey]

Serious? They don't include a brake controller, glad my '19's got one then.

2019 Classic Bighorn, no brake controller. Based on YouTube, there is a pigtail hidden under the dase set up for one though. Heaviest thing I town regularly is just the little Ck2610, and heaviest I have towed is a 5000# durango on a 1800# trailer. Have had a couple other cars, and pallets on it, but nothing over 6800# total.

 

[Hay Dude]

In my Ram 5500, I wish the “default” mode for the transmission was “tow/haul”.
IMO, I’d rather have the truck in that mode and put up with switching it to “normal”, than forget and start towing 38,000lbs NOT in tow/haul mode.

I think that’s way more protective of a 100K truck investment.

 

[mrmikey]

In your case HD, you're 100% correct. Even towing my puny little trailer, it makes quite a difference both in up and downshifting. I can't imagine the difference it would make hauling your kind of weight.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have already caught myself NOT in T/H mode while towing heavy. I asked ram tech if it could be changed. He didn’t think so.

 

[KennyG]

My 2017 F150 came with a tow package but no brake controller, I paid to add a factory one.

I have a 2017. There were two tow packages. One just had the wiring and hitch. I got the one with the controller.

 

[deserteagle71]

I have already caught myself NOT in T/H mode while towing heavy. I asked ram tech if it could be changed. He didn’t think so.

Over on the Ford forums the guys talk about an aftermarket software program for Fords called Forscan that they download onto a laptop. They can use that to change all kinds of different parameters on their trucks. I wonder if there is something similar for Ram trucks?

 

[Dftodd]

"The Ford has an automatic tow haul mode if it senses trailer lights and brakes."

My new trailer does have lights, and brakes as well, but I don't have a brake controller (Dodge should have included that in the tow package imo), but we have all towed plenty without lights, brakes, tags, or air in the trailer tires. Ford might not want to out think the redneck in us

I just know what I've seen with the 23' ecoboost at the shop. I spent a half hour trying to find a tow haul button for it.

Finally pulled it around and plugged it up to our trailer and it popped up on the display about going into tow haul mode.

When I unplugged the trailer it went out of tow haul mode

I'm not a fan of that. And explains why our salesman almost burned up the transmission when he picked up the piece of equipment. Customer had ripped out the wiring for the trailer lights.

In that case, the salesman either has to hook up a set of magnetic tow lights on the equipment, or shift it using the up and down buttons.

 

[Dftodd]

Over on the Ford forums the guys talk about an aftermarket software program for Fords called Forscan that they download onto a laptop. They can use that to change all kinds of different parameters on their trucks. I wonder if there is something similar for Ram trucks?

I have a lap top with universal software for my equipment put out by diesel laptops at work.

We licensing for off road equipment and highway trucks.

For giggles I went out and hooked it up to my F550 diesel out in the yard and checked out the software.

Boy, someone could get in trouble with that software pretty quickly.

It showed every operation on the truck and could adjust many things including Governor, shift points, etc...

Software is set up for everything from a 1/2ton truck up to semis. Just select make, model, and engine

 

[WM75Guy]

In my Ram 5500, I wish the “default” mode for the transmission was “tow/haul”.
IMO, I’d rather have the truck in that mode and put up with switching it to “normal”, than forget and start towing 38,000lbs NOT in tow/haul mode.

I think that’s way more protective of a 100K truck investment.

In the past I too have forgot to switch into Tow/Haul mode. My GMC 3500HD Denali flashes a reminder message in the driver's information center to place it in Tow/Haul mode when you shift into Drive with a trailer attached and not in Tow/Haul mode. The trailer function also remembers your brake setting for each trailer and checks the lights for issues. I have TPMS on all my trailer tires so I get constant monitoring of air pressure and temps on the trailer tires.

 

[WinterDeere]

I have a 2017. There were two tow packages. One just had the wiring and hitch. I got the one with the controller.

Same. And their integrated brake controller is a really nice one, both in location and operation. If you're ordering a new truck and own a trailer with brakes, you definitely owe it to yourself to choose this option, versus the aftermarket controllers.