What should someone do before they tow with a truck for the first time?

Summary:

Jaden gives a checklist for first-time towing. Do not exceed the vehicle's tow limit, and know the actual rating. Check the fluids and make sure everything is topped up properly. Use tow haul mode, or switch overdrive off. He then explains the reasoning behind the overdrive advice in detail. Higher engine speed means higher line pressure in the transmission. If a truck is on a rural road at 40 miles per hour and shifts into overdrive, it drops to low engine speed while still carrying the stress of the load, which means low pressure under high stress. Keeping the truck in tow haul mode or with overdrive off holds engine speed and pressure higher, which he says is better suited to the added stress of the load.

Answer:

So if you're towing for the first time with a truck, first of all, you don't want to exceed the tow limit of the vehicle. Know the actual rating. Another thing would be to check the fluids in the vehicle, make sure everything is topped up properly. Watch your temperature gauge. And use the tow haul mode or overdrive off. Usually what I tell people to do is if you're in rural areas, then keep the overdrive off, because if it shifts into overdrive, the higher the RPM, the more pressure is going in your transmission. So if you're on a rural road going 40 miles an hour and it shifts into overdrive and you're going at 1,000 RPM, you're running low pressure with added stress. And so if you have it in tow haul mode or overdrive off, then it's going to keep it at a higher RPM with more pressure behind it, which is going to be better for that added stress load.