I need to tow an empty uHaul trailer 400 miles to help a friend move. Once the trailer is loaded driving 400 miles back. my truck is a 2001 5.9l with an automatic and Off-Road package.

my questions are
1) Do i have to drive at 55 mph recommendation? I'll be on I-70 most of the trip and i think the speed limit is 65 or 70, seems a little slow.
2) will I have to make the drive back with OD off? or is this dependant on the weight of the load? I'm worried driving that far with the OD off i will overheat my transmission. Just need some reassurance. I'll tow back probably 1000 lbs (bed, dresser, fridge). the rest is going in another pickup

 

Uhaul recommends the 55mph limit.. you will be fine doing the posted speed limit. Leave OD off at all times when towing. It will save your transmission.. You have the off-road so you already have 4.10 gears which will make it alot better during towing.. Hook up and go.. Just remember OD OFF

 

everything depends on weight and trans temperature and engine rpm.

the transmission has poor cooling properties in overdrive ON, so with a heavy load it can overheat quickly. the same load being towed with overdrive OFF is not prone to overheat.

a second consideration is speed and rpm. with OD off, you want to be aware of engine RPM and hold it to reasonable number at or below 2500-3000.

what would i do? assuming this is a lightweight utility trailer that weighs 1000 pounds empty, and 2000 pounds loaded, i'd probably leave OD on when empty and OD off when loaded and I'd probably run about 60 both ways, making sure i wasn't turning more than 2500 rpm. if it was, i'd slow down, or if towing on flat ground, turn OD on provided it was holding OD and not shifting in/out, or lugging, or feeling anything less than good.

i would not tow with OD on if the load was more than 2000-2500 pounds.

 

thank you both for your help, much appreciated.

 

I just hauled a 6'x12' uHaul trailer from Ga to Va. Fully loaded, kept OD Off the entire trip, spent most of the rpm range in 3-3 1/2k.

I sorta ignored the 55mph recommendation, keep all the heavy stuff in the front of trailer, and you should be fine.

 

stewie, that's the same trailer I'm planning to use. We'll load all the heavy stuff first and to the front. I hear different things on whether I can drive with the overdrive on when it's empty; I will be driving with the OD off when it's loaded. Do you know what your gas mileage was after you loaded it?

 

Got about 10mpgs. But I've got 3.55 gears too.

The trailer empty isn't too heavy, I couldn't feel it behind the truck when empty, fully loaded they get pretty heavy. If your on flat ground towing empty with OD On and at a steady speed probably wouldn't hurt anything.

 

Hi so I have a 01 ford ranger edge 4x4 that the transmission has been replaced in and they messed it up or rather improperly installed it so my OD is faulty so I turn it off soon as I start my truck every time.. But I was suggested by a mechanic to not drive it over 55mph in any circumstance but I have to travel 40 miles one way to work 5 days a week and the only sensible route is the freeway so my question is this.. With OD off cami do more then that day the speed limit of 65 or 70 and be ok without hurting anything???

 

Take it back to the trans shop, and have it fixed properly.

This is a Dodge site, not Ford.... We know absolutely nothing about your Ranger. Can you go faster without O/D? Probably, so long as the engine stays below redline. Of course, your gas mileage will suffer.