driving in Overdrive
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
driving in Overdrive
Hey I have a question. I have a 96 f-250 4x4,460 auto 4.10 gears. I have heard that if I drive around town in OD it will burn up the trans due to the constant shifting in/out of OD. I know that I shouldn't pull in OD but I was wondering about empty in town driving ( less than 40mph) will it hurt the trans to leave in OD or should I disable it for town? Thoughts? thanks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
It won't hunt if you drive a steady speed in town. I drive in OD virtually all the time. Pull a heavy trailer up a moderate hill in OD--that's hunting. Driving it like you stole is hard on the tranny. Drive it like it's burning gold, and your tranny will be fine.
Jason
Jason
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
That's nonsense. The truck will only shift into 4th(overdrive) when an appropriate speed is reached. A truck transmission that doesn't stand up to whatever a driver can throw at it doesn't deserve to be there(snicker in Dodge's general direction).
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Unloaded/city drivin I just leave mine alone to do it's thing, it computer controled, and computers know everything. HeeHee. But seriously mine, atleast, won't even shift into OD until 50-55 or so unless you are really,really featherin the gas. So it dosen't effect it at all. Now once I put more than a couple hundered pounds of anything, including friends, in it I always shut OD off until I'm at a steady highway speed. Pulling a trailer I leave it off all the time. I have had the tranny inspected and serviced and was told it was in tip top shape, especially since its got 175,000 miles in it. And I wanna keep it that way. Lets see one of those Dodge boys match that.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 371
Likes: 1
From: Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Ummmmmmm - I gather, then, that Dodge trannies are somewhat "weak"? I agree that in town driving just leave the tranny alone to do its thing - the computer knows what works the best under the varying in town loads. FWIW I always shut the OD off when we are towing the RV - just my.02.
Cheers!
Mike
Cheers!
Mike
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 1
From: The dark carnival
I know a guy that hauls cars for a living and he drives a 95 3/4 ton Dodge truck with a cummins motor and an automatic trans. The truck has 600,000 miles on it and he has yet to service the trans, the diff., change his fuel filter etc. The ONLY thing he ever does is change his motor oil, motor oil filter, brake pads, rotors, shocks and calipers...but going through brakes and shocks like that is normal for towing heavy loads like that on a regular basis.
By the way, he has 4 of those trucks. The above applies to all 4 of them. It seems to me that those things are bullet proof.
Edit: All 4 of these trucks are running great and have never had problems...aside from the brakes and shocks.
But then again, I know another guy with an identical truck that does the same kind of work that went through 4 tranies in 2 years....but he also drove like a madman and I think that had something to do with it.
By the way, he has 4 of those trucks. The above applies to all 4 of them. It seems to me that those things are bullet proof.
Edit: All 4 of these trucks are running great and have never had problems...aside from the brakes and shocks.
But then again, I know another guy with an identical truck that does the same kind of work that went through 4 tranies in 2 years....but he also drove like a madman and I think that had something to do with it.
Last edited by eco; Sep 29, 2006 at 12:13 AM.
Trending Topics
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Come on!!! This is a FORD site we need to stick up for our trucks. Seriously though, I don't think the fords got the best trans., but they aint the worst. And as long as them Dodges are still on the road it will stay that way. I know there are always exceptions, but they didn't get there reputation by accident. My brother had a '94 w/ cummins and I think he when thru 3 or 4 trannys and a dozen or so front hub bearings. It was rediculous. He drives like a grandpa too. But he plows, and likes the mud, and had a Bank's power kit on it. Anyways his newer one ('99) has been okay so maybe them Mopar boys figured it out. Or maybe joinin up wit the krauts helped.
I'm just sayin take care or your Ford tranny and she will live a long life.
I'm just sayin take care or your Ford tranny and she will live a long life.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer