# Towing And Not Using Overdrive



## kmwimmer (May 15, 2005)

I am posting this for my husband! We are taking a trip to Minnesota from our home state of Colorado next week. We have a 23RS and a 2004 F-150 Supercrew Lariat.

When we had our walk through, the guy told us never to drive without the truck in Overdrive, or it could ruin the transmission. My husband thinks that if you are on flat land (ie-Nebraska, Minnesota), it wouldn't matter and may even help you get better gas mileage to turn off the overdrive.

What do you guys think?

Thanks!
Kari


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## ford56312 (Jul 20, 2005)

kmwimmer said:


> I am posting this for my husband! We are taking a trip to Minnesota from our home state of Colorado next week. We have a 23RS and a 2004 F-150 Supercrew Lariat.
> 
> When we had our walk through, the guy told us never to drive without the truck in Overdrive, or it could ruin the transmission. My husband thinks that if you are on flat land (ie-Nebraska, Minnesota), it wouldn't matter and may even help you get better gas mileage to turn off the overdrive.
> 
> ...


I think what he ment to say was'Don't drive in Overdrive" I know that when you are in overdrive that your engine turns slower. Every thing else does too. The water pump,oil pump,etc.etc.When you are putting the extra load of the TT,It makes for an ugly seen. I tried to tow a small trailer with a Ford Ranger. Only had to go about 20 miles.Well I spent the time waiting for the tow truck wiping the trans fluid off the trailer. I'm not saying this will hapen to you ,but like you say if it's flat and your trans is not constently shifting then you should be ok.


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## Humpty (Apr 20, 2005)

ford56312 said:


> I think what he ment to say was 'Don't drive in Overdrive"
> [snapback]49929[/snapback]​


I agree. Keep the OD off.

P.S. If you drive my rig, you never have to worry about OD. I have to keep in in 3RD GEAR


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## dak (Jan 17, 2005)

I keep OD off pretty much all the time, except on perfectly flat ground or long downhills (assuming I don't need to slow the TT/TV). I've found with my F150 (04 SuperCrew with tow package) that even small hills will kick the truck out of OD and cause a lot of shifting.

Easiest way to know for sure you're safe is to install a tranny temp gauge and keep the temps below 200.

dak


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

If you are driving 55 to 60 mph it may never actually get into overdrive but if it does it may kick right out. As long as the transmission is not hunting it should be okay but the transmission temp gage is the best way to keep your eye on it. My Dodge Ram has a Tow/Haul mode which changes the shift points but still uses a modified OD.

You want to drive so you can smell the Roses not the transmission!!


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## drobe5150 (Jan 21, 2005)

i always tow in third gear, kills the mpg,but consider the cost to repair/replace the tranny.
just mho.

darrel


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

Towing in OD made my last trip to FL an expensive one. I roasted the tranny and on the return trip almost did it again. One month later ditched the 1/2ton burb for the current TV no more problems.

John


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

No OD
I towed once in overdrive by accident
Boy did the tranny temp gauge go up
Never again

Don


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

With the GM's tow/haul mode selected my Suburban will not even try to engage OD till I get above 60 mph. I have a trans temp gauge on the truck and on flat land I will put it in OD and set the cruise at 62 mph and let the transmission do it's thing while I keep a eye on the trans temp. Pulled to Florida and back without any problems. When we head north to PA the trans stays in Drive (3rd) all the time. I had one of our mechanic's check on the GM computer and the "Check engine light" (while also keeps a eye on the tranmission) light will not come on until the transmission temp goes above 260 degrees for 10 mins. (I think it was 10 mins).
On long grade pulling (east coast long grades) on a 95 degree day, my transmission got to 240 degrees and does not show any signs of problems. The fluid is still clean. I do plan on servicing my transmission every year at the begining of towing season.

Gary


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## Jose Fernandez (Jun 22, 2004)

Kari,

I have the same truck, and pull the 21rs. We've taken short trips and have towed with OD on and off-it really did not make much of a difference on gas mileage. After much reading (Outbackers.com) and consulting with others-I now tow with the OD off (light on in gear shift). The tranny does not hunt for gears and IMO the engine does not work as hard...

Jose


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

3rd, always.

Max trans temp in the pan so far has been 180 (northwest Nebraska, up and down all day in 95+ temps.) Not sure what that would equate to in the return line to the cooler.

Mike


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

Good point Mike. Where you measure the temp is important also...the GM temp is measured inside of the transmission, my gauge measures at the pressure test port on the transmission (internal temp).

Gary


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Gary,

From what I've been told, the hottest temp is in the return line to the cooler where the fluid has just exited the torque converter. Do you know if that's correct?

My guage is the one that comes in the denali instrument cluster, so it is reading from where the stock sensor is which I think is in the pan.

Mike


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

I think that the factory sensor is in the throttle body. I was told that the highest temp will be inside the trans and the line going to the cooler, of course the line coming back from the cooler should be the coolest. I would think that the pan temp would be somewhere around the coolest temp but I don't really know. I would have to go to the shop and pull it up on the GM computer, I don't know if the return line goes into the transmission or the pan?? I will see what I can find out.

Gary


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

That would be great, I'd like to know where that reading comes from.

Mike


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

kmwimmer said:


> When we had our walk through, the guy told us never to drive without the truck in Overdrive, or it could ruin the transmission. My husband thinks that if you are on flat land (ie-Nebraska, Minnesota), it wouldn't matter and may even help you get better gas mileage to turn off the overdrive.
> 
> What do you guys think?
> 
> ...


Kari - why has no one mentioned the obvious? Check the owner's manual for your truck and see what it says.
I know of a guy who pulls a 13' Scamp with an Escort. He does not use overdrive - orhis brain, either. Last week I pulled friend's popup Coleman for him, as a favor. I did use overdrive. One might suspect the truth lies somwhere between...

Slug


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## djd1023 (Sep 29, 2003)

Boy....I must be in the minority. I tow in OD all the time except on steep hills


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

I was keeping quiet as I tow in OD all the time also. It obviously has to do with each individual truck. In OD at 65 I am turning 2100 rpm s. If I am off the highway I will put it in third and if I figure it will keep going from third to OD on a hill I will also put it in third. In third only at 65 the 454 is screaming at 28 to 2900 rpm s. I do not have a OD button.

John


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

John,

Remember you've got a big block with the much more heavy duty 4L80E trans.

When the 4L60E in the 1/2 ton gm's starts hunting, it gets hot quick. In 3rd everything is turning a bit faster and circulating all the fluids that much faster which helps get rid of the heat.

In 3rd @65 the 5.3 in our truck is turning about 2750rpm's and will run all day long there. In OD it lugs and downshifts at the slightest grade.

Mike


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## glennsteers (Apr 25, 2005)

No OD here! Sometimes I forget and I start to wondering why the acceleration and pickup is so uneven, then I remember the "button" and it's smooth sailing. Actually, now as part of my routine I check brakes lights then turn off OD. I wish it didn't reset when you turn off the ignition. Everytime I stop while towing for gas or food, gotta turn it off again!

BTW, the truck's manual was not clear on it either! It mentioned that you should not use OD when towing heavy loads but failed to define what that meant. I guess a 26RS is a heavy load!


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

3rd gear only for me too. I'll run 2500RPM at 65 MPH. Not too bad.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Add my name to the list of those who never tow in overdrive. The Titan is a 5-speed automatic, so all I have to do is drop it down into fourth. Engage the Tow/Haul mode button - that raises the shift points - and I am good to go.

As an added observation, the Titan has a transmission temperature gauge. The couple of times I have forgotten to drop it out of overdrive, the tranny temp goes way up... way fast (as soon as I hit any kind of grade or headwind). Drop it out of O/D and the needle returns to it's normal position, and barely even flickers for the rest of the trip.

The added 300-400 RPM running in fourth instead of fifth, really doesn't affect MPG much, is only slightly louder, and I am still way below redline at sane freeway speeds.

Just my two cents.

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

My owners manual says tow in OD unless there is excessive shifting. That hasn't been the case. It will sometimes shift into 3rd on a long hill, but I don't see that as a problem. Certainly way less shifting than is gowing on in normal city driving, and we don't consider that something to avoid, even if we all know it generally causes more wear than highway driving.

But I'd love to put a temp guage on to see if the cooler is doing its thing. Is it easy? As I've understood it in the past, the hardest part is finding an easy and safe way to get through the firewall into the cabin with the wires.

I think my position is if the temps are good I'm going to use OD. When considering the cost of repairing the tranny, one must then also consider the additional cost for the lower mpg right? (Of course there's also an inconvencience factor in having the tranny blow.) I suppose we'd also have to consider (which is over my head) the relative wear on the engine of running at 3000 rpm vs. 2200 for 6 hours at a time.

What I do now is leave it in 3rd until I get on a flat stretch of highway and then let it go into overdrive.

While we're on the subject... I love synthetic fluids, but GM specifically states very clearly to only use their specified fluid. Any experts want to comment on that?


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## jgerni (Nov 10, 2003)

With our 5.3L Suburban I never towed in OD. It didn't like it and I actually felt I was straining the vehicle.

Now with the 2500HD I always tow in OD. I let the Allison do its thing and if it wants to go into OD then I let it.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

PDX_Doug said:


> Add my name to the list of those who never tow in overdrive. The Titan is a 5-speed automatic, so all I have to do is drop it down into fourth. Engage the Tow/Haul mode button - that raises the shift points - and I am good to go.
> 
> As an added observation, the Titan has a transmission temperature gauge. The couple of times I have forgotten to drop it out of overdrive, the tranny temp goes way up... way fast (as soon as I hit any kind of grade or headwind). Drop it out of O/D and the needle returns to it's normal position, and barely even flickers for the rest of the trip.
> 
> ...


Exactly the same as Doug...4th and TOW/HAUL engaged.
Never an overheat on the tranny.

Gotta love that TITAN 5 speed!


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## 7heaven (Jun 4, 2005)

In the flat midwest, once I get up to about 55-60 on the interstate, I turn the OD back on. Anywhere else, it's off.


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## camptails (Jan 18, 2005)

My Service Writer (who also races Chevrolet) told me that 3rd gear is no problem with the 5.3. He says that engine loves RPM so it is not hurting anything it will run all day at high RPM's. Isn't the 5.3 similar to the old 327 from days long gone?


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Man youre showing your age if you remember the 327!! Hey I resemble that remark too.









John


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## camptails (Jan 18, 2005)

tdvffjohn said:


> Man youre showing your age if you remember the 327!! Hey I resemble that remark too.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Impala SS...Chrome rims, buckets and 4 on the floor. Wish I still had it.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

327, wasn't that one of the old boeing passenger jets? How does the 5.3 resemble that?

Mike


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## merlotman (Dec 28, 2004)

We tow a 23RS with an 04 Ford F150 4X4 with the 5.4L and 3.73 gears. I do not use overdrive when towing the TT. This past trip we had a 15mph headwind and got only 7.2mgh traveling on the interstate between 60-65mph. Tachometer reads right at 2500rpm at 60mph. Transmission only downshifted a couple of times to a lower gear on some long, steep hills. I would rather burn alittle more gas than burn up a tranny!


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## schrade (May 5, 2005)

Ok so what should I do.

I just got the new (used) TV

I have a F250 V10 with 3.73 gears in it. And tow a 26RS. Would you guys leave it in overdrive? I honestly dont know what to do?


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## 7heaven (Jun 4, 2005)

camping479, all the Boeing jets start with a 7#7, I think we're about out of numbers, though........


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

thanks


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## camptails (Jan 18, 2005)

Put it in 3rd and "forgetaa about it" Use tow haul if you have it............


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## drobe5150 (Jan 21, 2005)

schrade said:


> Ok so what should I do.
> 
> I just got the new (used) TV
> 
> ...


3rd gear and leave it there

p.s gotta love that v10









darrel


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## mjwencl (Feb 25, 2004)

I put mine in Drive with Tow/Haul On if driving on flat roads. Otherwise I shift into 3rd and leave it there.


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## wercertifyable (Jun 23, 2005)

Hi!

Rule of thumb is never tow WITH overdrive. Overdrive isn't a very strong pulling gear, and your tranny will get very hot. The only exception I have heard of is with GM's tow/haul mode which is supposed to stop the constant shifting from OD to 3rd or 2nd gear. The tow/haul mode is supposed to stop the "busy-ness" of a transmissions shifting, hold gears longer during towing.


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## nascarcamper (Jan 27, 2005)

With the new 250-SD I leave mine in overdrive. It rarely shifts only on the steeper grades. Trans temp runs the same either way and with the towhaul mode the shifts take so long. Mileage is better out of towhaul mode too. It's a lot of truck for the camper but I like it much better that way than a lot of camper for the truck.


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