Older Chevy Tow trucks

[Okie Guy]

Hey gang,

I am trying to find out if anyone else has an older tow truck. We have a 1997 Chevy 3500 Dually 1 ton for our Montana Mountaineer 330 RKBS Travel Trailer. This was our first weekend out. The truck manual says to leave the truck in Overdrive but when we got to going up some of the hills it would downshift. I am worried about downshifting causing the tranny to go out. We do have a transmission fluid cooler on the truck. I had it serviced before we took off and everything looked good. We are right at 79,000 miles on the truck. I need this truck to last a little more than 2 more years when we can get a new one. Can anyone give me suggestions, life experience suggestions or anything to help me figure out if I am towing propperly or if I am just a blown tranny waiting to happen.
Thanks
Phil


Okie Cowboy Guy
1997 Chevy 3500 Truck with Prodigy Brake Control
2005 Montana Mountaineer 330-RKBS
http://i1.tinypic.com/23k9b4g.jpg

[Mac]

Okie,

I tow my Montana 2955 with a 1998 3/4 ton with a vortec. I just take it slow up some of the hills around CO and seem to do ok. I have about 85,000 on it and I've taken very good care of it but I know a Duramax with an Allison is the way to go. My problem is, with two daughters in college I could only afford one thing at a time, so we upgraded our fifth wheel. If Chevrolet, and all dealers weren't going to make all the changes to their diesels in 2007 I would buy one next year. But since I'll never own a new car again or one with many "upgrades" I have to wait until year 2008.

Now, all that said, I still got 10.2 mpg towing from Buena Vista to Montrose, CO, a distance of about 155 with a good sized pass inbetween, Monarch Pass.

Now, if everyone on the MOC feels sorry for me they can all start a "buy mac a diesel" fund, if that's the case I'd wouldn't even require a Chevrolet.

mac



1999 Silverado LS Extended Cab, Prodigy Brake Controller
2006 2955RL

[Montana Sky]

While I have the Duramax, I do tow in O/D while on the flats. If the tranny starts "hunting for the right gear" I lock out O/D while in the hills/mountains. Towing in O/D can cause tranny temps to increase, but in my opinion, if your engine temp is good and your tranny is not hunting, towing in O/D while on FLAT roads wont hurt the tranny.

On edit~
I towed alot with my older Chevy 1/2 ton truck in O/D. I also used O/D on my 2001 Chevy 1500. If the tranny is hunting, probably best to not use O/D with your truck. You also might want to consider having a tranny temp gauge installed in your truck. Cost is less than $300, this will give you a very "true" picture of just how hard your transmission is working.


2004 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD CrewCab Duramax
2004 Montana 3400RL

[Wrenchtraveller]

I always heard that the older Automatic Trannys were not made to tow in OD. The newer ones yes, they are fine. If it starts to hunt between high and OD, for sure take it off OD.
One of my best friends has a Chev pickup about your truck's age. I am certain he told me the manual says not to tow in OD. He could have been mistaken but check it out.

Don & Donna
Vancouver Island
2005 Ford F350 V10 Lariat CC 4x4 LB SRW 11200 GVWR
2006 Montana 2955RL
click on the little pic to see a big pic

[richfaa]

I had a 96 Chevy 1500 and towed a Terry TT at about 7500lbs. It did not tow well in OD always hunting. I would say that what you are experiencing is normal for that vintage Chevy... We never had any trouble with the Xmittion.

Rich& Helen N.Ridgeville,Ohio.

F-350SD, Lariat, V-10,4:30 Diff, tow command Long bed, Crew Cab Dually, 06 3400RL
Mor-Ryde Pin Box

[bsmeaton]

Phil,
I've towed with a 95 2500 pickup with 3:73 gears, and a 2500 Suburban big block with 4:10 gears. The pickup continuously had to bounce in and out of overdrive with the trailer just going down flat roads. The dealer advised to take it out of OD when its starts shifting back and forth, as that is the highest stress to the overdrive. The earlier OD problems in GMC had already been fixed by '95.

The suburban however, needed overdrive just to get up to 65 mph with those tall gears. Once up to speed, it never shifted again as it had the raw power to deal with it.

I think you can get by with OD as long as it is not continously jumping back and forth. Once it starts, drop it out of OD and settle for the slower speed until you get on better terrain.

Brad & Dory





2003 2955RL - 5.5KW Gen - great for the lake!
New '06 F350 Stroker towmoter in July - love the new trans shift and integrated brake controller.
'95 SeaRay 200BR named Dam-It - occassional tow buddy

I ain't as good as I once was - but I'm as good once as I always was - Toby Keith

Brad & Dory


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