Ok, as most of you know i am moving to Maine next friday.

Im picking up a 6x10 Uhaul trailer to bring my things up. I know we shouldnt tow in O/D, but im going on limited funds, and have a 284 mile trip with the trailer.

Now the weight all together is about 2000-2300lbs ill be towing...with that weight would it be ok to go in O/D? im trying to get the best mpgs on this trip that i can, and i know at higher rpms ill loose mpgs, which is why id like to know if, with that weight, could i tow in O/D

and might i add, my trans was rebuilt and MADE for towing...the PO worked on a farm and towed alot of farm equipment/trailers....So im wondering if it would be ok to tow in O/D


I have yet to tow anything with my truck so i dont know....

 

Just be disciplined and only be in O/D if you aren't pushing it (i.e. downhill or flat with no headwind) and bite the bullet and get out of O/D as soon as things start to slow down, don't wait until you have to.

 

man, you may actually SAVE gas by not using o/d.. It's all about engine load..

if you're tossing gas at the thing that it can't use (as in under load) you're just wasting it.. if it is comfortably maintaining engine speed, you're saving gas..

don't think in terms of RPM only...

 

Best thing to do is try it. If it struggles kick it off and slow down to 55 or so.

 

honestly ive pulled people out of muds pits and such, and it never struggled, ripped them right out....but thats also in 4x4 and not going fast...

ill try it if theres any type of bogging or anything ill kick it right out and leave it and just go 55, even though that will make the trip about 5-6 hours, when i can get there in 3 1/2

but I know how our trannys are, even though mines rebuilt (well has 32K on rebuild) but i didnt want to take chances and just wanted to ask...thanks ppl

 

284 miles @ AVERAGE speed of 70 is a hair bit over 4 hours.

284 miles @ average 55 mph is a little over five hours.

Keep in mind, no way in hell you are going to be able to average 70... you MIGHT be able to average 55...... The time difference between the two speeds is going to end up being negligible. Unless of course, by towing in O/D you burn up the trans.... then the trip is going to end up being a LOT longer, and FAR more expensive.

 

Don't even try it. Even if it doesn't feel like its struggling, the only way to know for sure whether you are causing an issue is with a transmission temperature gauge. Unless you have one of those, I wouldn't even try it, flat land or not.

That is, unless your limited funds include enough money to rebuild the O/D unit or the entire transmission again later. "Built for towing" doesn't necessarily mean towing at high speeds.

Lets put it this way...

Hypothetical MPGs.

284 miles divided by 14 miles per gallon is about 20.29 gallons.
284 miles divided by 10 miles per gallon is about 28.4 gallons.

Even if gas were atrocious at $5 per gallon (and I doubt O/D off would make a 4 MPG difference), we're talking less than $50. Even with a transmission "built for towing", do you really want to gamble thousands of dollars just to save $50?

 

i agree with you both heyyou and jason.....

I didnt factor in Towing at high speeds with the tranny "built for towing"

I wont even chance it, BUT i am going to try to get a tranny guage wired in before i go...Im thinkin about steeling one from the shop....because they have like 10 of them for the tow trucks...they are getting new trucks, and ive seen them on the shelf, havent taken a good look at them, dont know what brand etc....and the trucks we use are diesel of course...do the guages differ from gas to deisel?

even if i have to spend the $20 bucks to get one im probably going to do it to ensure a safe trip....and if i get one, i can put it right in in the garage at work, since they have a lift and it will be much easier....

thanks for the input guys

 

You save gas if you are NOT in OD. I did an experiment a month ago when I moved from Arkansas to Indiana.

You can average 60-65 MPH. in fact, the most economical "setting" was between 60 and 65 while NOT in OD:https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-question.html

Here is the experiment:
Gas: 87 octane
Truck: 2001 5.9L extended cab with 4.10 gears (stock from off road package) a camper top. Mods in signature (Stock airbox, took off the mopar round)

TRUCK UNLOADED WEIGHT: 5600 lbs
TRUCK LOADED WEIGHT: 8900 lbs. Towing a motorcycle and trailer, probably about 1700 in the bed)

Towing and hauling 3,300 lbs of stuff traveling 65 MPH
In OD: 10.6 MPG for 15 miles (relatively flat)
Out of OD: 12.9 MPG for 15 miles (relatively flat)
In OD until I hit a hill, then took it off OD to stay at 65 MPH for 15 miles : 11.1 MPG average, instant MPG readout

I noticed that if you are in OD, you hit a hill, your speed goes WAY down and you need to press the pedal to the floor and you do not even accelerate until the tranny kicks down.

MORE DATA:
Higher AFR (I have a gauge) when you are chugging along in OD trying to keep a constant 65 MPH
Lower AFR when you are out of OD and much easier to stay at 65 MPH.

FINDINGS:
Mileage has more to do about the mixture and load than the RPMs.

If you drive in OD with your 3.55s, you will have HORRIBLE gas mileage.

 

What kind of rpms are you running at 65 with od off?