Mark Prouty wrote:I have a Tahoe. The Tahoe dealer said tow it in overdrive if the tranny does not hunt. I use overdrive until we hit a long grade and then take it out if it seems it might lug. I also have a transmission cooler.
I wouldn't trust the dealer on that. On my Chevy, there are labels everywhere stating not to use OD. I don't like the idea of losing the fluid coupling the non-OD provides. Unless the road is dead flat, I would not use it. It is not a matter of hunting, as I understand it, it is the physical (OD) vs fluid connection from the engine to the transmission.
The cooler is a great idea. Cheap, easy to install.
There is no upside to use OD at all. Not worth the risk
My 2000 Ford Windstar manual discusses towing and says nothing about locking out the overdrive.
I ordered it equipped with a 3500# tow package (mostly for better trans and engine cooling) and 3.8 V6.
On a 3200 mile tow to FL and back in Feb. 2002, I towed my X in overdrive at about 60 mph, allowing speed to gradually drop uphill and build downhill between about 50 and 65 mph, feather footing the throttle to avoid automatic hunting between 3rd and OD. On steeper uphill runs and with strong head winds, the trans auto shifted down to 3rd and if hunting began, I locked out OD till grade/wind dropped enuf to resume OD use without hunting. On steep downhill runs I manually downshifted to use engine braking. Result= maybe 95% of trip in OD, 15.3 mpg overall, fewer total equilavalent engine miles,and no apparent ill effects then or since. I ran max allowable tire pressures to minimize engine and trans loading.
Absent a contrary instruction in the manual, it seemed to me that the trans would "see" the boat/trailer load as it would "see" a trailerless modest uphill run and shift down to 3rd if and when it felt the need of it.
However, this is not to advise others to proceed similarly.
I tow my Mac with a Chevy Tahoe as well and my dealer said that the vehicle was set up to tow to it's limit in overdrive. I've towed utility trailers, pull travel trailers (23ft.) and the Mac in overdrive. Maybey I've been real lucky (knock on wood) ouch that hurts the head. Some of these comments make sense with respect to gear lock up etc.
However of greater importance is gearing down when decending steep grades. When you pull the tranny down into a lower gear on steep downhills you are in effect engaging the brakes (surge) on the trailer and I think we all know that one shouldn't ride one's brakes while going down hill. I'd appreciate comments to the gearing down for use of engine braking on steep grades. Thanks terry
Terry Chiccino wrote:I tow my Mac with a Chevy Tahoe as well and my dealer said that the vehicle was set up to tow to it's limit in overdrive. I've towed utility trailers, pull travel trailers (23ft.) and the Mac in overdrive. Maybey I've been real lucky (knock on wood) ouch that hurts the head. Some of these comments make sense with respect to gear lock up etc.
However of greater importance is gearing down when decending steep grades. When you pull the tranny down into a lower gear on steep downhills you are in effect engaging the brakes (surge) on the trailer and I think we all know that one shouldn't ride one's brakes while going down hill. I'd appreciate comments to the gearing down for use of engine braking on steep grades. Thanks terry
But what does your manual say? I trust nothing the dealer says when it comes to cars. I can always tell when they are lying (or have no clue) - their lips move
We have pulled our 26x several thousand miles with a 1999 Explorer V6. One round trip from the Denver area to San Carlos, Mexico was 2500 miles round trip. We also moor our boat on a mountain lake duing the summer. I've towed over the continental and mountain passes many times. We always take the OD off unless it's flat road and no head wind. We have 115,000 on the Explorer and not a hint of transmission problems. Trail Ridge Road through Rcky Mtn Nat Park is our normal route. You are in the tundra and over 12,000 ft for many miles. There are many steep long down hill runs and being in a lower gear has never caused the surge brake to activate. The brake definately works well when I apply the car's brake. It immediately releases when I let up on the car brake. The surge brake naturally releases itself. The car continues down hill, the trailer brakes gentally pulls the surge brake sliding assembly to it's normal position and the trailer brakes are deactivated. This happens instantly. Our last tow over Trail Ridge was in our new Durango (yes it has a HEMI). I hardly knew the boat was in tow.
Its fun and nostalgic that Mopar has brought back the idea of the hemi combustion chamber. But gee, I wonder if they haven't done a bit of research on efficient combustion design during the last oh...30 or 40 years... As if they are using the same engine design from those days
Nice marketing gimmick though...seems to me that most all combustion chambers are hemispherical these days. But their TV ads sure have improved since they started touting the Hemi.
I used to own a roadster that had a 3-litre all aluminum hemi motor with twin carbs and a 4-speed gearbox with overdrive, all enclosed in a fiberglass body. That pocket-rocket was a blast to drive, and in fact the police even used them as chase cars on the major highways. Can anyone guess what it was?
