After much work, I convinced my nephew to buy an 04 CTD 2500 2wd. He owns a small concrete company and needed a truck that could haul small bobcats and like equipment to jobsites. Question he has asked me is with his CTD w/auto tranny, can he tow his empty trailer (24-2500 #) in regular drive , or should he engage his tow/haul switch??? I could not answer him since I have a 6 speed. I told him to find a manual, but he fell in lust with a nice black 2500 with an auto.

Any input would be greatfully appreciate.

Mods, If I placed this in the wrong forum I apologize, but I felt it would glean more input here.....

Thanks again!!!!

Gary

 

You only need to use the Tow/Haul switch if the tranny keeps shifting in and out of overdrive every 15 seconds or so. All that shifting wears out the internal parts. All Tow/Haul does is keep the tranny from shifting into overdrive. You might be able to haul a load w/o the tranny shifting all the time on the flat roads, but if it starts shifting all over on the hills, you might as well hit the switch. I don't imagine you'd need to use the switch while hauling a 2500 lb trailer though...that's actually a joke to a CTD w/ an auto.

 

I've pulled a few bobcats, I just leave it in OD while on the big road. In town, 25 mph speed limits, I take it out of OD. The CTD/auto didn't really miss a beat either way. Disengaging OD in town just felt better starting from a light. I wouldn't worry about it unless there is gear hunting/shifting going on like welder27 said, though I have not expierienced that.

Mike

 

That's the rule of thumb that I use. If the trans is shifting back and forth, it is time to disengage overdrive.

 

I leave my OD off at speeds under 55-60 mph. Always.

 

Thank you all for your responses. That is pretty much what I told him based on my previous experiences with OD autos. I just wanted to be sure though because of the inherent nature of aauto tranny failures Dodge seems to experience.....

Too bad he didn't get the 6 speed because it sure sounds sweet rapping the gears out with a straight pipe set up..... Even he likes to ride shotgun in mine when hauling around my 16 foot George Foreman around to cook-offs (eat your heart out Scotty)



Gary