Does turning the Overdrive off have any effect on the 2nd gen. trucks besides locking out O/D? Does it change the way the trans shifts in the lower gears, ie: firmer shifts for towing, or what?

 

The O/D gear in these trucks was not designed to be used in towing. If you want to burn up your tranny, go ahead.

No, I do not believe it does anything else with the other gears.

 

I turn it off when I get in my truck first thing. Only time I use it is on the highway above 60 mph. What is the sense of driving around town with it going into OD at 40-45. Especially since you have 3:55's like I do. I get around 10mpg whether either way, and quite possibly worse if I don't turn it off.

 

Holy crap, 10 MPG with the 5.2? What tires are you running? I have the 5.9L V8, all in town with a heavy foot, and I get 11 MPG.

 

It doesn't make it shift different. The torque converter will lock up at a lower speed instead 43/45 MPH. By the way it should go into O/D at 30 MPH if you're not accelerating. The lock up is what you feel at 43/45 MPH.

 

wow, take it out of 4wheel low.. lol... theres got to be some thing wrong there

 

It does change the shift points as well. Not any firmer, just different.

 

It doesnt change anything. It just keeps the transmission from going into OD.

 

I don't know how you guys drive around with overdrive off up until 60? Your truck just sits there engine breaking all day long when it wants to downshift or up shift. I just don't think it's healthy for the motor. If your driving around casually, there isn't anything wrong with overdrive being on. The only time you should turn it off is if your towing something heavy around town.

 

Its really a preference thing. It really wont hurt anything to run it with our without (not towing) Personally i say leave OD on when you are just driving. My father in law has a 97 4x4 ram and he insist on shutting OD off when he gets in the truck.

But hey, to each their own.