Downshifting the 2019 Ranger

[HenryMac]

Anybody actually routinely down shift their 2019 Ranger? We're wanting to replace our '02 Tacoma that has a 5 speed manual. We test drove a Ranger on 8-30-2019 and the salesman says no worries, wont hurt a thing. Just wondering if that's legit?

Thanks in advance.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have been doing to my 2002 F-150 for over a decade.

 

[HenryMac]

I have been doing to my 2002 F-150 for over a decade.

That's great... thanks!

 

[Dirtman]

Why do you want to downshift a 10 speed automatic? If you want engine braking all you have to do is hit tow mode to disable the coast clutch. Not sure what you want to accomplish?

 

[HenryMac]

Not sure what you want to accomplish?

Engine braking... manually, on my terms. If you simply hit tow mode it always brakes. The reality is sometimes you want to brake, some times you want to coast and sometimes a little of both.

I've driven a stick shift since 1977, my '02 Tacoma that I want to replace has over 175,000 miles, and has the original clutch and brakes. My goal is to buy a new vehicle, and obtain similar results.

 

[Dirtman]

Fair enough. When you downshift you'll only get engine braking for a couple seconds though because after the initial rise in rpms it will still engage the coast clutch. It wont allow you to downshift beyond a certain point either. The computer will simply say no lol. It gives you "some" manual control but not a whole lot.

 

[HenryMac]

Well... that sounds like a lack luster result, at best. We're planning another test drive mid week, I'll have to give it a try and see what results. Thanks.

 

[Ralphy]

You could pop it down into sport mode. I think it should be able to drag gears that way. I came out of a ford fusion with a paddle shifters. About the only time I would use them is to engine brake on rural New England mountain roads. Wish these trucks had the paddle shifters. They may not be as responsive as the high performance twin clutch trannys, that they imitate, but I find them the be more ergonomic than the cheezy up/down botton on the shifter.

 

[8thTon]

I'm a manual trans fan, but my Ranger is an auto simply because that's what I found in good shape when I was looking. When I drive an automatic I just drive it as it was designed to be used, not as I would would drive a manual. It works fine actually.

When you brake using any method, you are transferring kinetic energy into heat which goes into the air around the vehicle. If you use the brakes, then the kinetic energy of the vehicle goes into the pads/shoes/rotors/drums, and from there into the air - it's a pretty short path and the components were specifically designed to do that. Also there are brakes on all 4 wheels so the load is shared.

When you engine brake with a manual the kinetic energy of the vehicle is transferred through the drive gears and transmission to the engine, where it's turned into heat through compression and flows out the radiator. A much longer path, but the gears transfer energy with very little loss, and the engine and cooling system can handle it. It saves on brake lining wear, so it's useful.

With an automatic it's similar, but there are more losses in the auto, so the transmission will take some of the heat load (depending on if the converter is locked, etc.). The rest will go out the radiator as with a manual.

If you think about it, why do you want to send that energy through the drivetrain, especially the automatic trans? Why not use the brakes - they were designed for that and are much more easily (and cheaply) replaced? It sucks that it's not a manual, but in fact it's not a manual and no amount of pretend shifter games will change that.

 

[Ralphy]

I don't engine brake much and about the only time I do is stated in my previous post. But I'm not a big fan of dragging brakes down a 3 mile long 12% grade switchback decent either. Would rather have the engine drag, at a reasonable rpm, and modulate with my brakes (when needed). My 2016 Fusion would engine break if the brakes were applied 3 times within a certain time period. I think its good practice in my opinion.

 

[adsm08]

But I'm not a big fan of dragging brakes down a 3 mile long 12% grade switchback decent either. Would rather have the engine drag, at a reasonable rpm, and modulate with my brakes (when needed).

This is the only place I think engine braking is appropriate, when you need something else to take the load off the brakes for a long decent. I was at Pike's Peak earlier this year, and half way down there is a brake check station where they use a laser thermometer to check your brake temp, and if it is too high you have to pull over and wait for them to cool off.

I was sick as a dog at altitude, in an unfamiliar vehicle, with an auto, and managed to make it to the brake check station with my rotors only a little over 100*, while going under the speed limit the whole way down. My transmission had a manual shift mode though, and I used it a lot.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

This is the only place I think engine braking is appropriate, when you need something else to take the load off the brakes for a long decent. I was at Pike's Peak earlier this year, and half way down there is a brake check station where they use a laser thermometer to check your brake temp, and if it is too high you have to pull over and wait for them to cool off.

When we were out there in the 90's the guy touched it to sense the temp...

I guess by downshift I mainly just take the OD off. Coming down the highway to our road it works nice to slow down, as it coming down the hill into town where the speed limit changes from 55 to 50, holds the truck back so it doesn't want to coast to 65-70.

 

[HenryMac]

This is the only place I think engine braking is appropriate, when you need something else to take the load off the brakes for a long decent. I was at Pike's Peak earlier this year, and half way down there is a brake check station where they use a laser thermometer to check your brake temp, and if it is too high you have to pull over and wait for them to cool off.

I was sick as a dog at altitude, in an unfamiliar vehicle, with an auto, and managed to make it to the brake check station with my rotors only a little over 100*, while going under the speed limit the whole way down. My transmission had a manual shift mode though, and I used it a lot.

I'm curious.. Sport mode is basically a manual shift mode on the 2019 Ranger, correct?

Why then is it inappropriate to use it to slow a 2019 Ranger, when you stated that you used manual mode to slow the vehicle you were driving? Isn't the transmission specifically designed for this? Are you saying it will damage the transmission or perhaps cause premature wear?

Not arguing, I see you are a Ford Tech. and I just would like to know why in one case it's acceptable, yet you feel in another it isn't.

I'd really like to hear from an actual Ford transmission tech, familiar with the actual Ranger transmission. Hear now.. vs when the transmission fails, if you get my drift.

Thanks.

 

[91stranger]

I'd like to know why you want to go from a good running reliable Toyota to a ford? Just wondering.... as it's normally the other way around. I've been watching the videos compare the new ranger to the Toyotas and they both have ups and downs but the Toyota out performs the ranger almost every time at everything they were testing, on the road and off road.

 

[HenryMac]

I'd like to know why you want to go from a good running reliable Toyota to a ford? Just wondering.... as it's normally the other way around. I've been watching the videos compare the new ranger to the Toyotas and they both have ups and downs but the Toyota out performs the ranger almost every time at everything they were testing, on the road and off road.

That's a good question, thanks for asking.

1st Point: I refuse to drive an ugly vehicle, regardless of how dependable it is.
Have you seen the new Toyota's? They are ugly as hell... well, at least I think so. I am 58, grew up on 60's and 70's Chevy's. I'm not into the "Transformers - Optimus Prime" look.

2nd Point: Even if I could stomach that ugly Tacoma, we moved into the mountains. The nearest Toyota dealer is literally 96 miles away. There's a Chevy / Ford / Ram dealer that's 24 miles away.

3rd Point: My current Tacoma has chrome bumpers, a chrome grill and spoke style aluminum wheels. I've always liked that look. The Ranger has that. I'm also looking at Chevy Colorado's but to be honest I got screwed on a brand new GMC Jimmy back in 1993 that was truly a lemon and I vowed to never again buy a GM product. I may eat crow on this... I'll let you folks know what we end up buying.