I have a 2004 supercab with the 5.4 triton and automatic tranny. when I tow a trailer do I take the O/D off?

i will be towing a 16' trailer with a jeep on it.

 

i believe it says something to the effect of if it comfortably pulls the load without coming out of lockup or overdrive, then you can use it, if it starts to switch in and out, then keep it locked out or your burn up the overdrive unit and the lockup. when you lockout overdrive, it runs the lockup converter in 3rd gear, which keeps the tranny temps down. If its a light trailer (open center) you'll probably be able to keep it in overdrive if your going fast enough on flat ground, but if your only going 50ish or hit some hills i would keep it locked out, as your rpms wont be that high anyhow. I have only pulled my 24' enclosed car trailer (much heavier) thus far, not my open, and it pulled it very nicely at about 50 with the od off and it doesnt try to search for gears.

 

I tow a 30', 6000 lb, travel trailer with overdrive off. I could probably get by some of the time with OD on, but with it off it's one less thing to worry about while towing.

 

I always tow with OD off. I have towed my 25' travel trailer for two years and the very small if any savings in gas is not worth the risk of damage. I get between 11 and 12 MPG with OD off and I feel that that is very good (ultralite trailer).

 

I tow 7klbs, if left in overdrive just going up a slight incline such as an overpass will make it downshift. This is attributed to the steep overdrive in these trucks. So in order to keep this from happening I do not use OD. The more the tranny shifts the more heat the more wear!

 

only use the O/D if your driving in say Kansas or Texas...some flat flat state. Once you get into any sort of hills at all, kick it out of O/D and keep on towing in 3rd.

 

cool. thanks for the info.