Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

[jkust]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

The biggest thing about towing is the gearing. 4.10's are what you need.

3.73's will work just fine for a small boat and even 3.42 is ok for some loads. A quick primer for the OP.

Axle Ratio: Lower gearing (the numerically higher ratios, e.g. 4.10:1, 4.56:1, as opposed to 3.31:1, 3.42:1), typically produces greater tow ratings because of greater torque multiplication. There is a wide variance in the axle ratio?s effect on the tow rating, with some diesel-powered pickups varying only a few hundred pounds; on others, changing from a 3.73:1 to a 4.30:1 sometimes increases the tow rating by 3,500 pounds. In the past, some ratings have increased by a factor greater than three (from 2,000 to 7,100 pounds) simply by using a different axle ratio. Lower gearing will also make your vehicle accelerate quicker up to 50-55 mph. In general, a one-step drop in axle ratio (4.10:1 to 3.73:1) on an HD pickup will drop tow rating and gcwr by a ton. Lower gearing has an adverse effect on fuel economy, but it?s usually not proportional to the gain in towing ability. Under the best circumstances, the difference between the highest and lowest gear ratios offered (say, 3.42:1 and 4.10:1) results in a 1.5-mpg decrease in non-towing, steady state-highway cruising. In most normal conditions that change is less than 1 mpg, and if you tow a relatively heavy trailer a lot, there?s no question that the lowest gearing is best.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

3.73's will work just fine for a small boat and even 3.42 is ok for some loads. A quick primer for the OP.

Axle Ratio: Lower gearing (the numerically higher ratios, e.g. 4.10:1, 4.56:1, as opposed to 3.31:1, 3.42:1), typically produces greater tow ratings because of greater torque multiplication. There is a wide variance in the axle ratio’s effect on the tow rating, with some diesel-powered pickups varying only a few hundred pounds; on others, changing from a 3.73:1 to a 4.30:1 sometimes increases the tow rating by 3,500 pounds. In the past, some ratings have increased by a factor greater than three (from 2,000 to 7,100 pounds) simply by using a different axle ratio. Lower gearing will also make your vehicle accelerate quicker up to 50-55 mph. In general, a one-step drop in axle ratio (4.10:1 to 3.73:1) on an HD pickup will drop tow rating and gcwr by a ton. Lower gearing has an adverse effect on fuel economy, but it’s usually not proportional to the gain in towing ability. Under the best circumstances, the difference between the highest and lowest gear ratios offered (say, 3.42:1 and 4.10:1) results in a 1.5-mpg decrease in non-towing, steady state-highway cruising. In most normal conditions that change is less than 1 mpg, and if you tow a relatively heavy trailer a lot, there’s no question that the lowest gearing is best.

I ordered my last SD with 4.30's which is the recommended gearing for a V10 auto. This time I ordered 4.10's to split the difference in economy but so far I've noticed nothing towing anything over 12K.
If the OP's truck could be had with 4.10's it would make towing substantially easier on the trans than a 3.73. I'd never drive any truck with gearing higher than 3.73's.
3.42's are for passenger cars and mini vans.

 

[Pontoon24]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I vote for OD Off but also limiting your speed.

When I tow, it's slooow starts, OD off and 55 to 60 MPH tops.

At least that's the way I do it now after wrecking 2 automatic transmissions.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

Depends on the motor - I've got 3.21's in my Hemi Ram and it'll pull 5K in OD without any issues. Torque is good

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I ordered my last SD with 4.30's which is the recommended gearing for a V10 auto. This time I ordered 4.10's to split the difference in economy but so far I've noticed nothing towing anything over 12K.
If the OP's truck could be had with 4.10's it would make towing substantially easier on the trans than a 3.73. I'd never drive any truck with gearing higher than 3.73's.
3.42's are for passenger cars and mini vans.

Talking about gearing without reference to tire size is just silly.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

Talking about gearing without reference to tire size is just silly.

Stock tires that came with the 2010 F350. No need to talk about tire size until you start pushing 35's or bigger with these trucks. But if the OP had a mild lift and some 31's he would want to start with 4.10's for sure.
I swapped in some 4.10's in my FJ40 but with 37's I am soon going to swap in some 4.88's. Of course if you don't swap your own cogs this can get very expensive.
4.30 is the gear ratio to have in the gas powered SD world. I got the 4.10's this time as I don't tow more than 16K anymore.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

Ok guys need some advice. I have a 2005 ford explorer with a 4.0 V6. I've towed my jetski with no problems but that's under 1000lbs. I just bought a new 2012 seadoo challenger 180 SE jet boat. Dry trailer weight 2900lbs. I have to go about 45 miles to take it to the bay. Can anyone tell me if I need to pull this boat with my overdrive on it off. I've heard off or it will damage your transmission. If anyone has experience give me some tips. All advice is much appreciated. Thanks

My '04 F150 specifically states to tow w/ OD OFF (so does son's '09). I have the supercab 4x4 w/5.4L engine and 3:73 gears. My boat / trailer is right at 6,400 pounds (truck book states max 9,400) and I tow with no problem. Here in NY, there are a ton of hills / mountains and will be going to NH mountain lakes this summer and don't forsee any problems.

I did tow the boat 1280 miles on one trip from Florida to NY when I bought it. We used with my son's '09 F150, (same truck I have, Supercab, 4x4, 5.3l, 3:73 gears, 18"wheels, but newer) which has the 6 speed tranny and it towed much better than the 4 speed that I have. On the long, flat stretches, we did engage OD for a bit to see what happened and did notice the trans temp on the gauge come down a bit while we were booting along around 65 mph. But as soon as we hit any hills at all, while in OD, the trans started hunting for gears and the temp shot up pretty quick. On trip, truck did drop from 19.7 MPG to 12.1 MPG

Road dead flat... OD makes trans run cooler / better fuel economy.
Road has any hills at all..... OD works real hard and temp shoots right up pretty fast.

PS: I would add some brakes. A lot of states have started requiring brakes for over 3,000 gross trailer weight. Adding the brakes is pretty straight forward, IF and that's a big IF, the axles have the brake flanges on them already and your coupler is a bolt on. If either of these items are no, then you need to have the stuff welded up. I just added Kodiak disc brakes to all 4 wheels on my trailer (only had drums on the rear axle). HUGE improvement and all for under seven hundred for a total new braking system, front to back. For 1 axle, you can do them for closer to four fifty for discs. The drums are cheaper, but not much / not enough to not go with discs.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I have an 04 F150 w 5.4L and 3.55 Gears. I have towed with it since it was new and have taken it out of overdrive 1 time and that was when i got into a bunch of rolling hills and it started shifting up and down. My 03 Explorer with the 4.0L i towed a light trailer with it and never took it out of OD. Ny 89 with a 4.9L and a 5 speed manual you CAN NOT tow in OD. The transmission will not handle it. The bottom line is what are you towing, how much weight, and what is Your vehicle rated for and capable of. IF you can tow in OD without it shifting up and down constantly, the vehicle is not struggling, then tow in OD, just let the truck run what it will and dont try to run harder than the the engine and trans can handle.

 

[jkust]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I ordered my last SD with 4.30's which is the recommended gearing for a V10 auto. This time I ordered 4.10's to split the difference in economy but so far I've noticed nothing towing anything over 12K.
If the OP's truck could be had with 4.10's it would make towing substantially easier on the trans than a 3.73. I'd never drive any truck with gearing higher than 3.73's.
3.42's are for passenger cars and mini vans.

GM midsized body on frame suv's in the gmt 360 variety came with the 3.42 standard from 2002 to 2009 if it had in I6 and never lower than a 3.73 if it had a 5.3. You could buy all the way up to the 4.10 however but not many were sold with the 4.10 unless it had a 6.0 in it and then the 4.10 was standard. I've got the 3.73 with the 5.3 in two of my trucks and they tow my 4000lbs as you'd expect...with no fuss. Of course 4000lbs is hardly anything to tow.

 

[mrbusdriver]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I didn't turn mine off and now I have a brand new transmission. So I would turn it off for sure. I had a Ford Explorer Sport Trac with the same motor.

 

[Lowe170]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I didn't turn mine off and now I have a brand new transmission. So I would turn it off for sure. I had a Ford Explorer Sport Trac with the same motor.

Back to the OP's initial inquiry: Any questions? 45 mile trip; why risk it!?

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

OD off towing that boat. The reason is the OD is weaker but mainly because your transmission will shift in/out of OD alot and tear up the transmission. Locked out of overdrive your rpms will be low enough that you can run that rig all day long.
Same idea when going over a mountain pass empty, when it shift out of OD on the hill go ahead and lock it out of overdrive so it does not shift in/out of OD.
Same think when you pull the boat out of the ramp, use low range if you explorer has it. On paved ramp shift into low range pull the boat straight up the ramp to prevent binding, at the top of the ramp shift into hi two wheel drive.

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I've been involved with rebuilding Ford automatic transmissions. Every one of the approximately 2 dozen I've worked on, were in our rebuild shop because the forward planetary gears had, for lack of a better word, exploded. I wish I still had some of the pics I took, but I no longer have them. If you live in a flat region, you might be ok towing in OD. If their are any hills/mountains, I recommend turning the OD off while towing. You can turn it on going down hill or in long flat sections, but that's just something else to try to remember to do while driving and any gains in your mpg would be very small. When I hook up to my boat or camper, I turn the OD off and leave it off. My advice is the same as many others on here have stated. Turn the OD off while towing. Best of luck and happy boating!

 

[TorchedGT]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

There's some funny stuff going on in this thread, primarily the token posters who come in a few days later stating that the universe will cease to exist as we know it, if the OP decides to tow the boat with the chosen rig.

Newsflash - that boat is WELL within the tow limits of your vehicle and you'll be totally fine with it!! Have fun, be safe/smart, and don't get stressed about what certain people on here say. Just because they need a 6000lb diesel truck to commute to work doesn't mean their opinion matters any more than other forum members haha.

In any event, I had a similar 20' yamaha jet boat on a trailer without brakes and I was TOTALLY fine, even in obnoxious stop-and-go traffic with my 13 year-old land rover Discovery II. Wheelbase also won't be too much of a concern with a trailer/boat like that.

 

[Pony]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

In any event, I had a similar 20' yamaha jet boat on a trailer without brakes and I was TOTALLY fine, even in obnoxious stop-and-go traffic with my 13 year-old land rover Discovery II. Wheelbase also won't be too much of a concern with a trailer/boat like that.

I think you are missing the point on the trailer brake part. I didn't suggest it because of the wheelbase, but because at over 3,000lbs he is at a point where the law states he needs to. (in the state he lives in) The fact that it helps you with a smaller wheelbase is just an added bonus but not necessary. Otherwise I couldn't agree more on the rest of your post.

 

[90stingray]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I did some research online and it doesn't specifically say yes or no for Ford explorer OD while towing. I did find this pdf for fords... scroll to the last page (28) and it has a statement about towing in OD. Enjoy!

https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2005/2005_Towing_Guide.pdf

 

[dgiles]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

Simple, towing in OD does not and will not destroy a transmission. Heat destroys a transmission and shifting creates heat (unlocking and locking the torque converter). As soon as someone says to "always tow with OD off" doesn't really understand how they work. They are only following advice or reading a manual. The manual was created to protect the lowest common denominator. In fact, a lot of newer 5 speed tranny's cannot lock out the OD. Ie my 2010 F250 does not allow you to lock out OD. So, if it isn't shifting up and down (ie no hills), let the vehicle shift into OD. But, if you need to hold the throttle at the point of wanting to down shift, while, you aren't hurting the tranny, you will get better fuel economy to then run it in D, if you can.

 

[TorchedGT]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

I think you are missing the point on the trailer brake part. I didn't suggest it because of the wheelbase, but because at over 3,000lbs he is at a point where the law states he needs to. (in the state he lives in) The fact that it helps you with a smaller wheelbase is just an added bonus but not necessary. Otherwise I couldn't agree more on the rest of your post.

Sorry I didn't mean to relate the two topics - my input on the wheelbase was a different thought from my input on the braking issue. The wheelbase comment was targeted at some people who hinted at that being a poor tow rig, and I was just saying that a short wheelbase suv is fine for that type of boat. On MY rig, from a technical/practical point of view the vehicle brakes were fine, but that has nothing to do with laws obviously - the land rover also has decent-sized brakes w/ 7700lb tow rating, so the explorer could most likely see a large improvement with trailer brakes.

...on the other hand, I don't come across many trailers that small with boats that light which have trailer brakes! That's a crazy law lol.

As far as OD is concerned, I just came back from dropping my boat off for a new engine. 2 hour trip (first with the range rover) and BOTH OD gears are selected and used while towing. I have no control over OD, it's all electronic (shift pattern changes dramatically with a trailer connected). I must say, 1750rpm at 65mph is nice!! I think it's a matter of the duty rating, available gears (OD in a 4 speed is pretty harsh, OD in a 6 speed isn't nearly as bad) and cooling ability - most standard passenger vehicles with 3-4klb tow ratings don't have supplemental coolers stock.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

Simple, towing in OD does not and will not destroy a transmission. Heat destroys a transmission and shifting creates heat (unlocking and locking the torque converter). As soon as someone says to "always tow with OD off" doesn't really understand how they work. They are only following advice or reading a manual. The manual was created to protect the lowest common denominator. In fact, a lot of newer 5 speed tranny's cannot lock out the OD. Ie my 2010 F250 does not allow you to lock out OD. So, if it isn't shifting up and down (ie no hills), let the vehicle shift into OD. But, if you need to hold the throttle at the point of wanting to down shift, while, you aren't hurting the tranny, you will get better fuel economy to then run it in D, if you can.

This is very true for our SD's but if I was towing with the op's rig I would probably slow down and tow out of OD. A lot of this has to do with the load on the motor. If you are locked in OD, and you've got your foot in it, the trans in a light duty rig is going to suffer.
On flat ground I would probably leave it locked in. But with those passenger car gears you may not have any choice.

 

[TorchedGT]

Re: Towing 3000lb boat OD off or on???

Yup - and this brings back memories of ski trips up the mountains with my Discovery II (4 speed) and finding the right gear in that thing was a PAIN! I finally realized that selecting 3rd gear on the selector actually allowed TC lock-up in 3rd as well once the target speed/actual speeds were met, and I could coast up the hills with no problem. Sucks when you're blasting music and forget that you're stuck in 3rd for 5 minutes once the road flattens out though.

In general I hate driving without TC lockup, it just feels like I'm throwing away power and generating excess friction/heat.