Turn overdrive off when towing?
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 117
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Turn overdrive off when towing?
Just curious, I've heard it was ok then some others said to turn it off when towing anything...
When would I want to turn OD off otherwise?
With 3.08 gears with a trans cooler and stock tires, what would be the most I would want to tow or haul before I would hit the button on the dash?
When would I want to turn OD off otherwise?
With 3.08 gears with a trans cooler and stock tires, what would be the most I would want to tow or haul before I would hit the button on the dash?
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,208
Likes: 2
From: North Reading Mass
My father had a 83 F150 with a 302 2bbl, AOD, 3.55 gears, and the towing package. He hauled a 25' 4500 lb travel trailer several times between Fla and Maine. When hauling he would take the trans out of OD when pulling hills or accelerating. The truck logged over 220k on the original power train including about 20k hauling. The truck was rated to pull over 5000 lb.
With 3.08 gears and without a trailer package I'd stay below 3500 lbs.
regards
rikard
With 3.08 gears and without a trailer package I'd stay below 3500 lbs.
regards
rikard
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 658
Likes: 2
You really have to judge it by your rpms. Towing is all about keeping the engine working at its peak torque. Do whatever you have to do to get the engine within that range. Doing so generally can drive you crazy if you use OD, because you end up hitting the button every 5 seconds. On terrain anywhere but the desert its usually best to just leave it off, especially with that gearing...
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,033
Likes: 32
From: Aurora,Colorado
Just curious, I've heard it was ok then some others said to turn it off when towing anything...
When would I want to turn OD off otherwise?
With 3.08 gears with a trans cooler and stock tires, what would be the most I would want to tow or haul before I would hit the button on the dash?
When would I want to turn OD off otherwise?
With 3.08 gears with a trans cooler and stock tires, what would be the most I would want to tow or haul before I would hit the button on the dash?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 0
From: Des Plaines, Illinois
Even Ford suggested towing with OD off. With those gears, you'll want to be in 3rd, no doubt.
Same reason I don't drive around town with my AOD in overdrive. As Numberdummy will tell you, these trannies hate heat, and have a high failure rate if they overheat. Since my local speed limits are all 45 (the shift point from 3rd to 4th) I just lock it out of OD and play it safe. Hunting will build the heat fast.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: covington wa.
Got a 104 grand on my wifes 97' Expy and never had any problems towing our 27" wilderness around in OD, IT was about 6200#'s and my grandfathers boat at about 4000#'s and drive around town all the time in OD and on top of it all the trans fluids has got 63,000 miles on this change. Humf maybe it's the way we treat our workhorse, love that thing.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,033
Likes: 32
From: Aurora,Colorado
Third to fourth.
Even Ford suggested towing with OD off. With those gears, you'll want to be in 3rd, no doubt.
Same reason I don't drive around town with my AOD in overdrive. As Numberdummy will tell you, these trannies hate heat, and have a high failure rate if they overheat. Since my local speed limits are all 45 (the shift point from 3rd to 4th) I just lock it out of OD and play it safe. Hunting will build the heat fast.
Even Ford suggested towing with OD off. With those gears, you'll want to be in 3rd, no doubt.
Same reason I don't drive around town with my AOD in overdrive. As Numberdummy will tell you, these trannies hate heat, and have a high failure rate if they overheat. Since my local speed limits are all 45 (the shift point from 3rd to 4th) I just lock it out of OD and play it safe. Hunting will build the heat fast.
My Bad-I have been around 5 speed manual transmissions too much and momentarily forgot that the autos in these trucks are four speeds!
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
How long the tranny lasts while towing depends heavily on the final gear ratio, I'll bet $$ the '97 Expy has more than 3.08 gears. It also has an E4OD tranny which has 6 years more updates in it, it's possible the '97 version is rated to pull in all 4 gears.
Temporarily Deactivated
Joined: Apr 2008
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i was reading my owners manual in my 91. with an E4OD, towing is recommended. AOD, not recommended. I myself pull in OD always with my 7.3/E4OD. my trans has been rebuilt c/w updates shift kit fluid rerouted to make 3rd and od have more fluid and big trans cooler and so on (the bill lists all the stuff) If it wants to downshift frequently, then OD off. if it holds it... then on. i used to have an 85 with an AOD.. i pulled in od with it but not heavy loads. a car hauler with a stripped demo car. after they were bent up they'd catch the wind sometimes and i would drop it to D and leave it there.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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The only thing I would tow often would be my 15' fiberglass bass boat (it has a 85 HP outboard) it can't weigh no more than 2000# with everything in it... I only have a factory bumper hitch.
And, how much weight in the bed before would I would want to turn OD off? Of course no more than 1500# in the bed max...And not when towing either, btw...
And, how much weight in the bed before would I would want to turn OD off? Of course no more than 1500# in the bed max...And not when towing either, btw...
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 289
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From: Va. Beach, VA
I had a 1994 F-150 short-bed ext cab 351ci with the Centurion package and did a lot of towing of boats to the lake. I made the mistake of not coming out of OD on several trips over time and eventually burnt out the torque converter which cost me $700 at the time to have fixed. I learned a hard lesson not to do it even in my F250 7.3L plus I believe it said not to use OD when towing in the owners manual of the F150.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
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From: Lafayette, IN
I recall that the manual for my '90 said that in general, if the load is more than 50% of the rated maximum tow weight, then turn OD off. I think the manual for my '93 says to leave OD on with the E4OD (no matter the weight) as long as the tranny is not hunting.
Jason
Jason