So i know we are supposed to tow with overdrive off on the 1500's, have 2000 1500 5.9L 4x4, but my question is is there a weight starting point?

I have one of those pop up tent trailers that i am planning on towing and the thing weighs about 2000lbs. Its so light it doesn't even have its own brakes. So my question is, is that still necessary to drive with overdrive disabled or is it so light it doesn't matter?

 

I would turn it off if you're making long runs up hills.

 

Ok so I just ended up towing with it off, why is it we aren't supposed to tow with it on? I know the owners manual says to turn it off I am just curious as to why?

 

Heat. Running in O/D with a load generates a LOT of heat in the trans. Heat is the enemy of your transmission..... running it hot can smoke it in short order.

 

You can tow in overdrive as long as your going fast enough to not lug the engine and it isn't constantly downshifting into drive.

 

Heat. I’ve put a transmission cooler on mine and it helps a lot. I tow in OD (when it feels like working) and The trans temp stays about 10 degrees hotter than normal driving. I’m towing 4.5 tons so I don’t think that’s too bad

 

Ok so just to really beat a dead horse, the act of driving in OD while towing doesn't cause the heat, it is if it shifts in and out of OD repeatedly. So in theory if I am on flat wide open highway, I can shift into OD and be fine as long as I remember to take it out of OD when I hit hills or traffic?

 

That is what i would do, especially with something light as that pop up. I would take it a step further and add an external cooler, external magnefine filter, and delete the check valve. I rarely tow and performed these mods anyway.

 

The overdrive unit has steel and friction plates in it. During heavy load with OD on(pulling a trailer) they will slip generating heat. You can wear down the friction plates and the heat generated distorts the steel plates. The clutch friction material then clogs the filter. Pulling something light on level ground maybe ok but anything where od unit will struggle it should be turned off.