00 - 02 Owners: Does anyone tow with OD *ON*? - Toyota Tundra Forums : Tundra Solutions Forum

kymatt · #1 (**permalink**) 04-02-2009, 01:33 PM

Just curious. Common practice (and good advice) dictates that us early first-gen owners tow with OD off due to a number of reasons, one being the weak planetary gear that some folks ended up with.
I've never had any problems with my tranny (knock on wood) but I don't tow much either.
I'm curious if anyone here regularly tows with OD on, and have you experienced any problems?

Derek24 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-03-2009, 12:03 AM

When i used to tow my 21ft Boston Whaler i would have to leave it out of OD because of all the hills here, but on flat open road i would have it on. With over 100 gallons of fuel, the boat, trailer, and all the fishing gear im sure i was up to about 6500lbs and it towed it great and the truck runs as good as ever. But since fishing here in California is the thing of the past, OD is always on.

cleanb13 · #3 (**permalink**) 04-03-2009, 05:59 AM

I tow an enclosed snowmobile trailer with 2 450lb machines and gear with OD on several times every winter without a problem. So far.

Hi Volt · #4 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 09:15 PM

I have towed with and without it. But no one should tow heavy or jerky loads with overdrive on ANY truck ( it is inherently a weaker gear design in any brand). No manufacturer recommends using OD for towing so don't just believe all the reteric about Tundra trannys, all manufacturers have had their share of O.D. failures through the years. A number of manufacturers have switched to having a "TOW" button, which is really a disguised method of disabling O.D. amoung some shift pattern changes.