ive done towing short distances but never long distances. will be towing a cargo trailer with my four wheeler, maybe 2000 pounds total weight. question is with the overdrive, do you always leave it off for towing on the highway at 60 miles per hour flat road, or just turn it off on the more rural road up to 55 windy and hilly. 1989 3.9 auto with od

 

non-interstate - i'd leave OD off and keep speed under 60-65 and keep rpm at a reasonable level.

interstate - if you're speed is up over 65-70, and your rpm's are getting up above 2200-2500 or so, and its reasonably flat and it will stay in OD and not shift in/out, i'd run it in OD.

 

True that! I think this is the b***est mistake I see people making. They tow but forget to lock out the OD which murders the trans, unless your at a speed where it could never possibly shift out of OD then it's ok to run it. People who tow rurally forget that when OD is 'on' thru hills or speed changes the trans is constantly shifting in and out of OD which is just like shifting from 3 to 2 and back up and down repeatedly. With that, I'm glad someone had the sense to ask, it saved you a ton of trouble in the long run. Also, if you're planning on doing a lot of towing, i would recommend, if you haven't already, investing in a trans cooler to keep it cool, and it'll extend the life of the trans.

 

i used to tow a boat that was maybe 5000 when loaded, od off and just short distances at low speeds. wanted to make sure about the lighter trailer and higher speeds, thanks everyone. i bought this truck new and had them put the full towing package on it at the dealer, extra cooler, tow bar etc. they sure be clearer in the manual that came with the truck, its not straightforward with regards to towing