CENTER CONSOLE SHIFTER Vs on the column? Why not?

[akirby]

31 minutes ago, road turtle said:

I had a lot of towing miles on my F150, and felt the computer did a most excellent job controlling speeds both up and down hill.

 

WOT will always downshift as required for the optimum performance.  And with having different drive modes available, I found the performance setting worked quite well, as does the tow mode.

 

Only one long tow with the SD and 5th wheel, again, I found the computer did an excellent job, but it was pretty much flat mid west.  We're going to FL in a couple of weeks, and while that won't put me in steep ascent or descent conditions, it will give me some experience.

It works perfectly fine on it’s own 99% of the time.  The one exception where selectshift is needed is to hold a lower gear when descending a long steep road.  But you can certainly get by without it.

 

Its more about how you drive and subjective improvements.  E.g. being able to downshift so that when you pull out to pass you’re accelerating immediately rather than waiting a couple of seconds for it to downshift automatically.  Some don’t care, some care a lot.

[road turtle]

9 hours ago, akirby said:

It works perfectly fine on it’s own 99% of the time.  The one exception where selectshift is needed is to hold a lower gear when descending a long steep road.  But you can certainly get by without it.

 

Its more about how you drive and subjective improvements.  E.g. being able to downshift so that when you pull out to pass you’re accelerating immediately rather than waiting a couple of seconds for it to downshift automatically.  Some don’t care, some care a lot.

I Have noticed the F150 would downshift quicker with less throttle than the SD, but I never felt lacking available power.

[Ford truck guy]

Like Akirby states, I will use the computer for 90% of my towing, only switching to manual when descending longer grades, or exiting highways to save on the brake pads.