Overdrive When Hauling
01-10-2013, 06:12 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Overdrive When Hauling
I have searched through my owner's manual and can't find any *official* recommendations from Ford, so I thought I would ask for thoughts here.
If you are carrying, say, 700-1000 lbs. in your bed (not towing), do you disengage the overdrive? I've noticed more frequent downshifting on 5-10% uphill grades when carrying a load.
Aside from towing, is there an unwritten rule about a point where the overdrive should be disengaged?
If you are carrying, say, 700-1000 lbs. in your bed (not towing), do you disengage the overdrive? I've noticed more frequent downshifting on 5-10% uphill grades when carrying a load.
Aside from towing, is there an unwritten rule about a point where the overdrive should be disengaged?
01-10-2013, 10:45 AM
#3
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If the truck downshifts to third and stays there, that's fine. The problem comes when the truck is constantly shifting OD, 3, OD. When I haul my ATV in the bed (probably about 800lbs with extra fuel) I keep OD off until speeds get up to about 55. Of course, I live in FL which is flat as a pancake.
01-10-2013, 06:09 PM
#4
Senior Member
I was always a shut OD off until I got my 05 SCrew. Depending on the load and the conditions our trcuks can make some of the descision. I was hauling an empty ehaul full car trailer up a long hill at hiway speed and when the truck down shifted to 3rd it stayed there as I was on the the throttle and it was under load. When you let up it will shift back to OD. The problem is if your in cruise control of at a speed where you lifting your foot due to traffic in front of you. There is another hill I go up regularly and mostly unloaded where I turn of OD so that it does not shift and start hunting half way up due to a couple of corners I have to lift of the gas in. I also like to shut it off down hill so as not to have to ride or use the brakes as much, even when empty.
01-11-2013, 11:14 AM
#7
Grumpy Old Man
The newer F-150s all have tow/haul. If you are towing or hauling something heavy enough to make you ask the question, then shift to tow haul mode and let the computer determine which gear you need to be in.
Pickups old enough to not have tow-haul mode, you should almost always leave the shifter in "D", and allow the computer to figure out which gear to pull in. Exception is in rolling hill country where the automagic tranny is constantly shifting up and down as you go up one hill and down another. In that case, downshift out of OD to direct drive, but only until you get out of the rolling hills.
The idea to shift out of overdrive when towing was valid long, long ago with the AOD transmissions over 20 years ago. The Ford AOD (automatic overdrive) transmission was used in numerous Ford cars and trucks from 1981 to 1993. OD was not as strong a gear as direct drive. But that was then. Only if you have an old pickup with AOD automagic tranny would that rule apply today. (Ford automatics before the AOD did not have overdrive.)
Pickups old enough to not have tow-haul mode, you should almost always leave the shifter in "D", and allow the computer to figure out which gear to pull in. Exception is in rolling hill country where the automagic tranny is constantly shifting up and down as you go up one hill and down another. In that case, downshift out of OD to direct drive, but only until you get out of the rolling hills.
The idea to shift out of overdrive when towing was valid long, long ago with the AOD transmissions over 20 years ago. The Ford AOD (automatic overdrive) transmission was used in numerous Ford cars and trucks from 1981 to 1993. OD was not as strong a gear as direct drive. But that was then. Only if you have an old pickup with AOD automagic tranny would that rule apply today. (Ford automatics before the AOD did not have overdrive.)
Last edited by smokeywren; 01-11-2013 at 11:31 AM.