Towing in Overdrive ?
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Towing in Overdrive ?
Can you do any harm to the transmission by towing in overdrive? I am pulling a 5500# boat in OD. If it were shifting up I would think I shouldn't but it never shifts up and does seem to labor at all. Just wondering if it could be bad without and warning signs?
Truck is an F250 w/ 7.3 PSD.
Truck is an F250 w/ 7.3 PSD.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,859
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From: USA
The recommendation is not to tow in OD,but
if the tranny is not seeking all (shifting up/down )time you should be okay .if you tow alot change the fluid alot and get a tranny temp guage that is acurate.
Rich
if the tranny is not seeking all (shifting up/down )time you should be okay .if you tow alot change the fluid alot and get a tranny temp guage that is acurate.
Rich
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: I'm lost somewhere in NJ -- can someone please find me?!?!?!?
Change to Mobil1 Synthetic ATF. Install a proper tranny temp guage. Keep your eye on the guage, and you'll never have a problem. Like Forty said, OD towing problems occur when the tranny has to hunt for gears, excessively shifting out of OD to gain power. This causes heat buildup, which leads to tranny failure. Your best warning tool for anyone who tows is a quality tranny temp guage. Should be standard equipment IMHO in the oilers. If you have the factory tranny guage like I do in the instrument cluster, don't be fooled by it -- it's just a dummy guage. By the time it registers a glitch, it's already too late.
Sit. Stay.
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 18,308
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From: Washington State
Originally posted by FortyFords
The recommendation is not to tow in OD,
Rich
The recommendation is not to tow in OD,
Rich
Sure you can lock it out when it shifts back and forth excessively but it sounds as if it doesn't do that. And really, I doubt it ever would only towing 5500# unless there was a mechanical problem or the terrain caused the excessive shifting.
Although I agree about the tranny guage (installing one and the factory one is silly), if the average load pulled is only HALF of what the truck can pull & it nevers drops out of OD, then installing a guage may be overkill and unnecessary.
We all like more guages! Nothing wrong with that but no need to state for a certainty that he needs one. Or a fluid change for that matter.
However, taken in context both are good recommendations
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,859
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From: USA
Monsta is correct !
I should have worded differently.
You asked if you could do harm to the trans if towing in over drive !
If the trans is seeking in and out of t/c lock ,it will and it does cause long term problems.
Heat build up!
T/C failure
If your towing on flat highways ,no hills ,go for it
I don't have a auto in my truck,only seen alot of failures in trucks with diesels do to the torque developed from the diesel.
Alot of those failure were due to lack of regular fluid changes and towing in o/d.
Rich
I should have worded differently.
You asked if you could do harm to the trans if towing in over drive !
If the trans is seeking in and out of t/c lock ,it will and it does cause long term problems.
Heat build up!
T/C failure
If your towing on flat highways ,no hills ,go for it
I don't have a auto in my truck,only seen alot of failures in trucks with diesels do to the torque developed from the diesel.
Alot of those failure were due to lack of regular fluid changes and towing in o/d.
Rich
