Using the Tow/Haul Mode While Towing

[revchuck38]

For context, this is with a 2020 Ram 1500 with a V6 and a 3.21 rear end towing this trailer. I sought out that configuration of the truck because I basically wanted a full-size car with a pickup bed. Towing will be a rare event, but this trip will be ~1600 miles mostly on I-10 across TX and then through Tucson and Phoenix to Las Vegas, moving my son's stuff, so there will be a lot of hills. My SWAG is that the total weight including the trailer will be ~1500 lbs, probably less.

This is my first vehicle with a tow/haul mode, and the longest distance I've towed anything. Is that mode beneficial? Anything I need to watch for? How much will it affect my gas mileage?

Thanks!

[BehindBlueI's]

The only thing it does is change the programming for the automatic transmission to shift differently. It will wait longer to shift, so that you stay in lower gears longer to help accelerate the heavier load, and it will hold gears/downshift as needed to help with engine braking on declines. It doesn't turn off overdrive like some of the old school tow modes did so it won't have any affect on highway fuel economy.

[SecondsCount]

I've towed with a couple V6's and they don't have a lot of torque, but if you find their RPM sweet spot, they do okay.
I always try to listen to what the transmission is doing on the hills. If it is constantly shifting up and down then I manually drop the transmission down a gear or two while climbing and bring up the RPMs a little so the engine is making some horsepower.

Same thing can happen in a strong headwind, I slow down some and downshift.