I know this maybe a dumb question, but I am asking it anyway.

Does it hurt the tranny to sometimes manually shift the gears..Example, I tow a lot, 63,000 miles on my 2006 XLT, and 60,000 has been towing.

When I am at a light, I will manually put it in second when towing. If I am on a real steep upgrade and the traffic is going slow, I will put it in second. Also, I will take it out of overdrive before the tranny tries to downshift.

Now, even when I am not towing, in slow traffic, going up hill, I will put it in 2nd, when the speed picks up, I put it drive.

Right now, at 63,000 miles, my trucks rides, and looks better than brand new. Oil get changed every 3000 at Ford, with regular oil. I had the 30,000 miles big service check done at my dealer too. That was the only time I had a problem with my truck. It ran rough. After taking it back several times, they had a rep come to take a look at it. The rep said he couldn't find anything, but after that my truck was running like it should.

I guess that is why at 63,000 I am reluctant to take it back for the 60,000 miles big service check..

I have none of the horror stories that I read about.. In fact, my truck is like a fairy tale. I never want to get out of it, that is how smooth and sweet she rides.

Am I hurting the tranny by doing manual shifts?

Thanks

 

The manual selections are good for holding range. Shifting at wot is a bad idea, that is not how they are meant to use. So to answer your question. No maunally shifting especially for towing reasons will not hurt your transmission. It however will not upshift very nicely if you are doing it for performance you'd be better off to let it do it on it's own. Knocking it out of overdrive for heavy towing is a very good idea.
Alan

 

It won't hurt anything, but like dirtydog said stuffing it into a gear at high RPM's isn't a great idea and just causes stress on the parts. People with automatic Civics do that pretending they have a race car.

I don't know about newer F-150's, but on my '93 putting the selector in "2" locks in into 2nd gear (not 1st and 2nd) so for that it just makes getting moving harder on the engine since it can't use 1st(E4OD trans) My parent's 07 Explorer is like that as well, put the selector in "3" and it only uses 3rd gear, it takes forever to get up to speed. Not sure what that has.

 

Thanks much for the replies. Since my tranny is working perfectly at 63,000, I will be taking it back for the big 60,000 service check at 66,000.

I have on several occasions when not towing, but moving at a high rate of speed, taken the OD off, to simulate a downshift for engine braking to aid in the late braking for a turn. I know it is crazy move, but it slows the truck down, and no brake lights showing. At the last minute I hit the brakes turn the truck, then right back on the gas and I accelerate through the turn. That's a fun move. And I will be the first to admit, it is a crazy move.

That is just the "kid" coming out of me.

Thanks again for the replies,

 

If you haven't changed your tranny fluid about
4 times already you are probably doing more damage to the
trans than the occasional power shift.

 

Wow!! Didn't know that!! Mine only been changed once. It was changed and flushed at 30,000, and was due back at 60,000. I am about 3 to 4 thousand past the 60k mark, but the tranny will get flushed and changed at 66,000.

The tranny has been perfect through the whole 63,000 miles. It has never even thought about slipping or messing up. If the next 60,000 miles can be just 75% as good as the first 60,000 miles, I be a happy camper.

Like I said my truck is running perfectly, hate to get out of it. My truck reminds me of the old Winchester rifles. Long time ago, when Winchester was testing their lever action rifles when one them performed exceptionaly, they would dub it "One In One Thousand"..

My 2006 F150 is " One In One Thousand"

Thanks for the advice, I will heed it..