DB>     The Automatic is nice for everyday driving and for
DB> climbing up hills. The disadvantage is if you come down a
DB> long windy hill you have to ride the brakes and they get hot
DB> and start to fade. I put mine in low range and that helps a
DB> little, but the manual trany has the advantage here.     I
DB> would stear clear of the truck trany's with overdrive. They
DB> don't seem to hold up as well as the TH-400.
 
VK>  What about turning off the overdrive (push button on the dash on the
VK> Rams) and setting the cruise control?  That's what I've resorted to doing
VK> but (1) I have not tried it with a trailer and (2) we probably don't have
VK> what you'd call SERIOUS hills around here.  Maybe TWO between here and my
VK> mom's place.
 
     Yes, you should always have the overdrive off when towing. Here in Wash.
it is very hilly and we have the Cascade Mountains. I just had to have the
trany in our Ford Probe rebuilt. It cost me $1800 and the mechanic said the
reason it went out was because we had been leaving it in OD all the time and
it was constanty jumping in and out. Now,the ONLY time I put it in OD is when
I am on flat land at freeway speeds. The same problem exists for the truck
tranys with OD up here. Hold On To Your Hat!! The new truck tranys with OD
that use electronic shifting and computers to tell them when to shift,average
around $2500 for a rebuild. One shot like that to your wallet will make a
believer out of you By the way,my TH-400 trany can be rebuilt for $800
and it is one of the heaviest duty tranys ever made.Try to figure that one
out
     I might use Cruise on flat land in light traffic when towing, But
that doesn't happen very often up here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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