Can you tow a small utility trailer (with a riding lawnmower) in overdrive without hurting my truck,or should I take it of overdrive just to be safe? I did it once & it towed fine in overdrive.

 

No problem towing something that small in overdrive, especially with the 5.4L. It's only when the truck tranny really starts to shift up and down between gears is when you should be taking it out of the overdrive.

A few shifts up and down on the hills is of course normal for any truck or car, but when it starts to shift often on the flat roads, is a good indication you should be taking it out of OD....should I repeat myself again!

Hope this helps and I am sure someone else will be along soon with their opinion on the OD issue.


Are these not the best trucks you ever owned!!

 

I agree. This subject has been discussed many of times of the years on this board, most will tell you it's okay as long as it doesn't hunt. I drove with my travel trailer with it on, just took it off for the big hills.....

 

I tow my 20' bass boat all over the place in overdrive without a concern. It weighs approx. 3000# give or take a couple hundred. I don't find that the tranny hunts around much at all, unless you're a spazz on the throttle!

 

A small load like you probable forget your towing at all.

 

My truck seems to work better overall with a small load. That load wouldn't cause me any transmission hunting at any speed.

 

I would recommend to just leave the OD off. This way you dont have to worry about gears hunting or torque converter continually locking and unlocking.

 

I say try it, if it goes good with no gear hunting or any other problems, then tow with it on. No way better than to give her a whirl!

 

As the fellas have mentioned, no problem towing under those circumstances. I have a "92 4x4 with 351 cu in. (5.8L) V8,a 3.55 rear axle, and an automatic transmission with electronic overdrive. I tow a 5000lb travel trailer, and drive in overdrive all the time, even on the hills. Works great, in fact, better than when I turn the overdrive off. Other guys I know with the same engine/transmission, do the same thing. Thing you have plenty of opportunity in the future.
JP

 

Tell me if I'm trippin' out or something -- but the more I tow (12,000 gcw) in OD, the less it seems to hunt.

Perhaps it's 'learning' the drill?

 

That's certainly the case with my truck which has the Electronic 4-Speed Automatic Transmission Operation,(E4OD) and has the overdrive lockout button located on the end of the gearshift lever. The advice I've been given is to tow in OD, unless going down some steep hills, then in Drive. As mentioned previously, the truck runs alot better when towing in OD.
- JP