Regarding OD/off and towing

I am prepping to tow a 5x8 utility trailer with a rooftop tent attached. Other camping gear in the bed.

Correct, transmission saving protocol is tow with OD off, correct?

 

I think the consensus is (and what I do), keep the O/D off on hills, or any time you’re really pulling, but if you’re just cruising down the highway on flat land it’s okay to keep the O/D on to keep the rpm down and improve your mileage.

 

I believe on the early 4spd. automatics there was an issue with the overdrive gear being prone to breakage when towing. The later ‘05-‘06 automatics fixed the problem. Not 100% sure though...

 

I tow in OD on flat land, but you have to listen to the truck. If it starts hunting for gears, take it down a gear.
If it feels like it's bogging down, take it down a gear.

 

It was the 00-02 trucks, they don't like to talk about it. Something to do with a weaker (intergalactic) planetary gear, I never looked into it much because 03-04 didn't have that issue.

Now I'm off to find that song

 

I have the 2002 and have towed/hauled mucho over the years since it was new. I usually keep the OD on when towing flat terrain and no hills. I do not use the Cruise Control with OD as it likes toggle in and out when towing.

Where I find its best to tow with OD off is in hills and/or strong head winds where force is pushing back. These conditions cause the toggle effect when in OD, also. Basically, when you feel the truck toggling in and out of OD then drop out of OD.

Still have the same transmission with 171k miles. I’ve had the fluids serviced somewhat regularly over the years so maybe this has helped.

 

I knew PHM would jump in

So hard to find a J P Hewitt gif.

I have a feeling that the weaker planetary gear wasn't in every truck. It was a known issue long ago but doesn't seem to come up lately. Or, maybe when they do fail these days people just think its a 20 year old transmission and it did its job.

My buddy had an 02 Sequoia that he towed with often and it never failed either, but he kept OD off while towing.

 

2001 Tundra twice and both towed pretty much too.
I keep it in OD uness in the mountains and can pretty much tell if I need to kick it down by feel.

Not a single gear or really any other issue ever.

 

Yep. Same here. We’ll never know if those gears that exploded in the past were from someone leaving the OD ‘on’ while the gears are toggling in and out for 20 minutes. Goofy person for 20 minutes going, ‘Whats that?’, and then... Boom! Splat! Ugh!

 

Kinda like the little ‘suspension and shock’ landmine campaign I’ve had going for about a year now. I lay a landmine and 3 seconds later ‘someone’ steps in it. Like clockwork.

 

Auto tranny, yes, you are correct. Manual not so much, OD okay as long as it's not bogging...it'll tell you when to downshift out of OD...so pay attention mate. No auto drive/napping while towing.

 

The thing to remember is that you want the torque converter locked as much as possible. When it's unlocked it's slipping which is inefficient and is generating lots of heat.
What many people don't know is that if the tranmission automatically executes a downshift from OD to Drive, the torque converter unlocks. If the driver manually executes a downshift from OD to Drive (by pressing the OD off button) the torque converter stays locked.

So when you're cruising along on a flat road in OD, then you come to a hill, take it out of OD yourself... don't wait for the transmission to automatically do it.

 

There it is! A great explanation.

 

Excellent!

I'm pleased I remembered this tidbit. We are up in the high country right now, (hense the delayed response)and truck as performed well. Even with OD off.
Very pleased.

Thanks to all!

 

Theoretically 1st gen Tacoma's should have the same problem as they have the a340's aswell

 

I towed with my 2002 when I first bought it, and I always turned the OD off unless I was on a long flat stretch of road. I sill turn the OD off in hill country, so the transmission isn't shifting itself in and out of OD.

 

@Darkness Love this song

 

How do you know it shifts out of od? U feel like mine never really does. I know what it feels like when the torque converter locks up but not od

 

If the OD is left on the transmission with automatically shift in and out of OD as the strain on the engine increases or decreases, turning the OD off prevents up-shifting into OD.

 

Are you sure? The TC lock is much more subtle than the shift to OD. The shift to OD feels just like the shift to any other gear.

 

I must be confusing overdrive lockup with torque converter lockup

 

Can not resist doing the robot when I hear that song

 

Yes, random jerky movements are required when that song comes on.