"Overdrive Towing?"

[atcboy]

I've heard that you should never tow your boat in overdrive. I have been thinking about the upcoming trip I have (1500 miles on the interstate)......I have a Nissan Pathfinder with 240 Horse, am I not o.k. to switch it to overdrive when I am doing 65 miles per hour on a flat road???? Seems like I will burn a lot of extra fuel, and really have the RPM's up there. Hate to do it if I don't have to. (Oh ya, my boat is 560lbs, motor 260lbs, not sure about trailer. Whole package probably around 1000lbs, truck is rated for 5000lbs)<br /><br />Thanks<br />KL

 

[DJ]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

atcboy,<br /><br />Follow you owners manual instructions. However, If your vehicle will tow the load without shifting a great deal, and only light throttle pressure is required, you'll be OK.

 

[atcboy]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

Thanks djohns19<br /><br />The owner's manual says nothing about not towing in "overdrive," so I'm not going to worry about it.<br /><br />cheers,<br />KL

 

[DJ]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

atcboy,<br /><br />Be careful. Don't just set the cruise and forget it. Drive it awhile using your foot as a guage to determine the amount of throttle pressure needed to hold speed. If it is very light, you won't be asking the trans. to keep shifting and/or lugging the engine. The Nissan V-6's like rpm's to produce hp.

 

[dtro]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

I've asked the same question to more than a few people and have always got the "don't tow in overdrive".My manual (4.3 liter chev) says to tow in third. I'm also concerned about rpms. I gain at least 1000 rpms when not in overdrive. Are my concerns warranted? What is a safe cruisin rpm?

 

[DJ]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

Do what your manual says!!!<br /><br />Some auto's. have a locking convertor in third and some do not.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

Hi Guys<br /><br />The biggest cause of trans failure is heat. Best way to generate heat is to disengage lockup. Best way to disengage lockup is to be in O.D.<br /><br />If you're really serious about towing:<br />>install largest cooler that will fit<br />>install trans temp gauge<br />>change trans oil as often as engine oil<br />>as far as O.D. goes......the temp gauge will guide you.<br /><br />Certain trans are weaker than others. To find out about yours, who would know better than your local trans shop? Ask em'....

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

The auto manual will always say what is safest - what is least likely to get you in trouble and will give the auto company the most protection if anything goes wrong. They don't really mind so much if you burn more fuel than you need to, but they do mind if you damage your engine or transmission while under their warranty.<br /><br />I think the true answer to this question lies in the ratio between the size of your vehicle and the size of your boat. Also, the driving conditions and road conditions play a part too.<br /><br />A big heavy V8 pickup truck or SUV wouldn't even notice the difference of a 1000 lb boat behind it - so leaving the overdrive on while cruising fast on a long flat road is certainly OK in my opinion.<br /><br />On the other hand, my Ford Explorer 4L V6 towing my 3000 lb boat - I wouldn't dream of leaving the overdrive on. It runs a lot better without overdrive when towing that boat.<br /><br />It comes down to how hard you're working the vehicle at low revs. How much over and above it's normal working conditions - in terms of pulling and braking. A judgement call relying on common sense. But when in doubt, err on the side of safety and follow the advice of the manual.<br /><br />Just my 2 cents...

 

[dave buckner]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

the simple answer is to try overdrive. if vehicle is constantly shifting between 3rd and overdrive, then turn overdrive off. if vehicle drives normally and rarely downshifts then overdrive is fine and you will save fuel in the process.

 

[Homerr]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

I tow my 22 ft boat with my 2001 V6 Ranger.<br />Crusie and OD no problem. Goes like *ell except on hills. Wishin' I have my big block at times like that.<br /><br />Of course, mine is set up for towing. Bigger cooler etc...<br /><br />H.

 

[dhammann]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

1000 Lbs on level roads? This is a cake walk for a Nissan. I tow 3000 Lbs 40 miles to the lake on hilly roads with an S-10 with a 4 cylinder and manual trans!! On the flats I shift into O.D. (5th gear) I go by the shift light on the dash...When it comes on I shift. In your case this will be automatic, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[lso254]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

I smoked the tranny in my s-10 Blazer last year on<br />a 3 hour drive with long rolling terrain pulling in overdrive. After the 2K rebuild and installing tranney cooler I'll never pull in OD again.

 

[jvolpe28]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

2002 chevy s-10 v6 vortech 4x4 and a 1700lb boat and motor, 100 miles per week NO PROBLEMS

 

[mbb]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

auto trannies make torque by slippage. Which produces heat. Better to make the torque needed with the engine at a higher rpm, than in the trannie.

 

[6MISFITZ]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

My 97 Astro manual says to tow in O/Drive.<br />I have a 21 foot B/R and with the factory trailer package, it does just fine on the highway. It stays in O/d on mild grades but I do shift to 3 on medium and bigger grades to stop any gear hunting. <br /><br />Here is a test I learned from this very forum for this topic.<br />On a flat highway at 60 - 65 mph, and with a steady pressure on the gas pedal, shift into 3rd. Does the vehicle pick up any speed or just turn much higher rpm? On my van it was just higher RPM. <br />O.d on the highway in my van actually runs cooler on the temp gauge too plus saves me gas.<br /> <br />Gear hunting is leading cause of heat and heat related failures. For hills select 3rd. Some transmissions do not have a lock up torque converter if shifted into 3 and without lock up, more heat! More heat in the tranny does affect engine temperature as well.<br /><br />Read and follow your owners manual.<br /><br />As for the big people with bigger toys who tow with turbo diesel and 5 speed automatics, I have not driven any yet so no comment on which gear there!!

 

[mikeblare]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

What I want to know is why some of you people insist on hauling huge boats (22' with a ranger or 3000lbs with an s-10) please tell me what roads you tow on so I can film the upcoming carnage for Jay Leno's Stupid Human Tricks. Your boat and trailers weigh about the same as your trucks.

 

[robertmcp72]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

All I know is I pull a 4999 pound boat sittin on a 900 pound trailer with my ford f-150with a 302 and it pulls nice without a problem. and hardly no gear hunting .And when it does i just take it out of overdrive.

 

[WaterHog]

Re: "Overdrive Towing?"

I pull about 2600 lbs with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4x4 4.0 Inline 6-cylinder, My book says not to use the o/d even with it off it feels like I am towing the Titanic, Thankfully I'm only about a mile from the ramp, On a long haul if you use the o/d and lug that engine up and down you wont like the repair bills, Burn that gas like you mean it.<br />RPM's make the world go around.