Trailering in OD

[ssiredfish]

Originally Posted by tsubaki

Look at the computer and see what the mpg is when in OD and not.
In my situation I found I get the same or better mpg by turning the OD off.

Yea 3mpg difference....doesnt sound like alot but thats a 30% increase for me.

MJ - I was ALWAYS told the same.....thats why I had to ask

I have a 2005 Chevy 2500HD and the boat with my gear comes in right under 4000#(truck excluded)........I also hate that when OD is on with cruise control and I hit an overpass, the SOB acts like it wants to redline to get up it and just guzzles gas.....

I will try w/o the OD on this next trip and see how it goes. At 1200mi roundtrip I need all the help I can get!!! Especially when my normal fuel econ with no load is 11.3mpg!!!! Ol girl is tough but she aint a cheap date by any means......

[bigshrimpin]

OD off and slow down to 55 - 60mph.

[smokeonthewater]

personally I wouldn't even consider turning the o/d off with that truck and that tiny load (unless you have airplane gears and it is shifting a lot) but if you slow down as mentioned above you will save LOTS of gas.

Read the owner's manual... it will tell you what gear to tow in.

The closest truck I had to that one was an old 94 chevy 2500 4x4 ex cab with 4:10 gears... It had no trouble towing a 10,000 lb 38' fifth wheel AND a jeep wrangler on a towbar behind the camper in O/D and I HAVE to believe that your truck is WAY tougher than that old pig was.... the best thing you can do for your trans tho is to add an aftermarket trans cooler.... I put them in all of my towpigs...

I will say that my trans in my dually DID finally give out while pulling at 29k lbs but she had 330,000 HARD miles on her at the time so I can't fault it.

[smokeonthewater]

With my 29k dually camper and jeep combo mentioned above I can get 10+ mpg at 55 and with cruise on 78 I get 6.6 mpg

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by ssiredfish

Yea 3mpg difference....doesnt sound like alot but thats a 30% increase for me.

MJ - I was ALWAYS told the same.....thats why I had to ask

I have a 2005 Chevy 2500HD and the boat with my gear comes in right under 4000#(truck excluded)........I also hate that when OD is on with cruise control and I hit an overpass, the SOB acts like it wants to redline to get up it and just guzzles gas.....

I will try w/o the OD on this next trip and see how it goes. At 1200mi roundtrip I need all the help I can get!!! Especially when my normal fuel econ with no load is 11.3mpg!!!! Ol girl is tough but she aint a cheap date by any means......

Put it in tow/haul mode and go with it. No need to shut OD off for that. Heck I've towed ALOT more than that with a 6.0L 3500 SRW, and it towed just fine and stayed in OD. As for revving up, the VORTEC engines do NOT like to be lugged down. They run the best high up in the RPM's, and it is probably helping your mileage in doing so(and also helps your trans).

[ssiredfish]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

Put it in tow/haul mode and go with it. No need to shut OD off for that. Heck I've towed ALOT more than that with a 6.0L 3500 SRW, and it towed just fine and stayed in OD. As for revving up, the VORTEC engines do NOT like to be lugged down. They run the best high up in the RPM's, and it is probably helping your mileage in doing so(and also helps your trans).

I thought that tow/haul mode took it out of OD???? Am I mistaken?

Kevin - I shudder to think of what my MPG would do with that load!!!! Id have to pick up a night job just to afford to move it.....

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by ssiredfish

I thought that tow/haul mode took it out of OD???? Am I mistaken?

Kevin - I shudder to think of what my MPG would do with that load!!!! Id have to pick up a night job just to afford to move it.....

No, tow/haul mode simply moves the shift points up some and keeps the converter locked longer to keep tranny temps down. It will still go into OD, just at a higher speed.

[smokeonthewater]

I travel and work pipeline construction... the trailer is my home and the jeep is my commuter car.... Family is in Indiana and most work is in Texas.... Safe to say I tow a LOT

[bgreene]

My Ford Explorer overheated ONCE while towing the boat with OD off.

Dealer told me keep the OD ON - that's right - ON, doesn't make sense but won't overheat.

Well......that's what I did, and still do - OD is left ON, and I haven't had any problems since.

No issues trailering 60 miles each way whenever I fish, hills or not.

[reelapeelin]

2001 Ford F150 Crew Cab w/5.4 litre 2wd...tow my v20 from SC to FL, NC, TN and anywhere else Ive ever taken the boat WITH OD on...no problem...

Seems to me a 2500 HD should tow a V20 in OD w/no sweat at all...the only problem I see in yer posts is when ya got Cruise Control on...that's something I would NOT expect to work well and wouldn't do w/my truck...