I did a search but i'm not sure I found what I was looking for, so my apologies if this is already covered somewhere else.

I have an 05 f-150 5.4 with edge programmer set to lvl 2 with no modifications. I've started noticing that when driving moderately steep downhill dirt roads if I manually shift from 2nd gear to 1st gear there is a delay of approximately 1-1.5 seconds where the transmission completely shifts out of gear. During this the truck is coasting and picking up speed. When it finally shifts into 1st gear it does it with a firmness that will lock up the rear tires and throw you foward in the seat. This is in 2wd, the problem is the same in 4wd and 4wd low. This is the only problem I have with this transmission, I am very happy with it's performance everywhere else.

I am trying to figure out the best way to solve the problem, as I do a fair amount of dirt road driving and engine braking is much cheaper than replacing brake pads, but the coasting and harsh shift is hard on the passengers, terrain, and possibly the truck.

So my question is this. Is there a way to adjust the transmission via the edge to both speed up and reduce the harshness of the shift? Or, failing that, what can I do to the transmission itself to solve the problem? Thanks in advance for the help?

 

I don't know if it will help your problem, but there is an option in the custom programming of Levels 2 and 3 that allows you to change normal shift points. A change there might change your downshift pattern as well.

 

as I understand the shift points affect upshifting, not downshifting. It might help and i'll play with it some but my problem is specific to manually downshifting to 1st gear.

 

I agree, but changing shift points may possibly affect down shifts as well. I would try it and see. Also, there is a significant difference in the downshifting between level 2 and level 3, you might try running level 3 and see what happens.

 

Shift points have nothing to do with this.
I dont think there is a way to fix that via the Edge. You might need to downshift 5-10mph slower than you usually do. If I manually downshift to 1st going 25mph on wet pavement the *** end will kick out. Kinda sweet, reminds me what stick was like.

 

How fast are you going at the time?

 

between 10-15 mph.

 

If you shift at 10-15 on a steep grade than I would expect you are doing 20-25 when 1st kicks in.

 

that wounds pretty accurate, unless i'm riding the brakes the truck picks up speed quick.


Now that i'm home I have access to the computer, and i'm noticing one thing that may help. Would changing the shift pressure for the 1-2 shift to a lower setting reduce the harshness of the shift? Nothing else on there seems like it would affect what i'm trying to accomplish

 

Honestly I don't think it'll help at all. I would imagine the Edge only sends signals on when and how hard to shift while it's doing what an automatic transmission is suspose to do.....shift when it feels like it wants to. Not when you tell it.

I think this is just the nature of the beast. Your forcing your truck to shift into a gear which will cause the engine to increase in RPM to slow your truck down...which is esentionally the same thing as engine breaking.

If you decrease shift firmness in your truck (I'm not 100% sure you can even go into negative figures) all your going to do is cause the clutch to slip even longer than it does normally and this will increase wear and tear on it.

 

What he said...Thanks for typing all that, I'm a lazy faucker today

 

okay, thanks for the help, i'm going to be leaving the transmission along at least as far as the programmer goes.

 

Umm... you'd rather replace your transmission instead of brake pads? Cuz that's what you're gonna be doing when you burn out your clutch packs.

 

How do you figure i'm burning out my transmission? I'm shifting into a lower gear to allow the motor to slow down the truck. That way my downhill travel is more controlled and I save my brakes for when I REALLY need them. The only concern I have for the tranny is the delay and harsh shift, which I can somewhat control by riding the brakes through the shift.

 

When you downshift like that and it is "harsh" you are putting alot of stress on the transmission, rear end(gears-shafts), and the driveshaft among other things. Your brakes were made to slow you down, first gear is more if you were towing something up a hill and you want to hold it in first.