Like the title says. I will be towing this weekend and I was just wondering of I should leave it on or turn it off. I will be driving from NY to Nc towing about 700lbs including trailer.

 

usually i turn my off, but i tow more than 700lbs. if it were me i'd turn it off, but that's just me.

 

Turn it off on any grade, and turn it off if you need to pass.

 

I normally turn mine off when towing.
BTW what part of NC are you heading to.

 

I'm sure with just 700 pounds of trailer you'll be fine leaving overdrive on. You will get much better mileage and not hurt the truck at all. 700 pounds is the equivalent of 4 people in the truck and no trailer.

 

If you were towing 'heavy', of say #5000 or more, then I'd be inclined to say just leave it off... When I tow my little utility trailer that never weighs more then #1500 I leave it on...

I then let the terrain dictate what happens then... The truck is more then capable of holding it's hwy speed in OD on the flats and such, but if I get into some serious grades, then it'll want to downshift.

Basically, if you find that you can't hold OD for any length of time, then just switch it off. If you can hold it, then let it run in OD.

Mitch

 

Here the deal total. I will have a two passengers, with me that equals 3. I will have a ATV in the rear bed that weighs less than 400lbs and I will have a ATV (that weighs less than 400lbs) on a trailer (290lbs). So should I turn it off. If so, what will the gas difference be like?

 

you only need to turn it off if you keep downshifting out of it... its not about weight. I can tow a 5500lb trailer on the interstate at 70 and take hills no problem with overdrive on...

 

When I tow my Seadoo's around 1400 pounds with trailer plus more with extra fuel, gear and 4 of us in the truck I just leave it in OD and set the cruise at 65mph and forget it. Does really good in the hills and most of the time it doesn't even feel like I'm towing anything.

I worry more about blowing out one of my trailer tire's cause trailer tire's never wear out they just explode.

 

should it be turned of for heavy mudding?

 

I towed a a dodge neon form MI to Pa - about 560 miles one way. Dropped the car off found another load for the way back to MI - a Windstar van needed a ride up here . Dropped the van off - dropped the trailer off and dropped the tranny the next day

No I didn't "Drop it" But I f'ed it up - Damn , I can't recall exactly - overdrive band maybe ? But I was in Overdrive the hole trip and had to much chit on mind because as soon as I heard and felt that trans screwing up I new exactly what I did wrong.

That was a power stroke F350 dually too,..Totalled that in Philly on the turnpike not to much longer after that..yea , that was me.

The funny thing about the trans damage is that it towed fine there and back with a half way decent load , not one problem shifting ,passing, with anything !! - It didn't sweat it.

Your sure could tell following day , without a load, she was hurtin..

 

Are you in overdrive while your muddin??? Id hope your not going that fast. A lot of people think their truck accelerates faster when they turn od off, which doesnt make a bit of sense because all that does is keep it from shifting into OD...

 

+1 the computer will kinda let u know if uneed to turn it off. the only time we turned it off was when the 3800lb tool box was in the bed and when we were towin the 54 pontiac

 

I completely agree. I make the same trip several times with trailer (U-Haul Grade) with about 1000 Lbs. load & trailer and rarely notice the increase. ( NY-Rocky Mt./Wilson/Greenville ) You'll probably get more problems getting around Washington,DC with it's traffic problems on I-95. The traffic goes so slow that you won't even reach the OD shift point.

Good luck with your trip.

 

Really, you should just let the truck tell you. if it "searches" while at highway speeds, take it out of overdrive. Otherwise, use it.