Towing in 3rd gear on a 1300 mile trip

Why do you want to tow a light trailer in 3rd gear? A 1997 with 20,000 miles?

Bruce1963 wrote:
Will it be too much of a strain on my engine/transmission?

No but it might be a strain on your safety......if that results in going too much below the posted speed limit.

IF.....the transmission will shift into high gear/lock up and STAY there, you are much better off letting it DO that.

Downshifting when/if necessary is MUCH preferred to staying in a lower gear because the transmission will heat more that way.

Sounds like your transmission is done. If it won't go in 4 gear your tranny might blow

Everything I have read says to not tow in overdrive, 4L60e is a 4 speed tansmmssion. It runs great the truck is in tip top shape, I just don't want it to hunt for gears, I want to find the sweet spot and that seems to be in 3rd gear going 60-65.

That's correct, the 60e is known to have weak OD gears. With the weight you're looking at it probably doesn't matter. Run whatever gear takes the least throttle.

Frontal area / wind drag will always be more a factor than weight with travel trailers.

I would not tow all the time in third gear. If it starts searching you can pull it down to third or just push the throttle a little and make it down shift. But unless it is running at low rpm or struggling I would let it go to forth.

My main concern is over heating the tranny, OD is weak in the 4L60e,it has no problem getting to OD but it doesn't maintain the speed in OD, the constant shifting and locking and unlocking the TC is what causes the heat, from what I have read 3rd gear is 1:1 and will actually run cooler in 3rd. I am just new to towing a TT, and looking from tips from those that have experience. I thank everyone for the advice.

I think you have the right idea, you don't want up/down shifting continuously. I don't think towing in 3rd will hurt it, but would keep speed at a point of running closer to 2500 RPM, rather than 3K, unless climbing a hill etc.

Jerry

No problem going 1,300 or 13,000+ miles in 3rd gear at 3000 rpm.
This is how the older four speeders get it done ;)
I am about to put another 4,000 miles on my old 5.4 doing the same thing.

In 2012, I had an 02 Ram 1500 with a 46RE (4sp OD) that had an OD lockout. Pulled a 7000# TT for 5400 miles in 3rd gear all around the American West without any trouble. Eventually the 5.9l in front of it went south and I traded for the rig in my signature. So, I would say a 1300 mile trip should be no problem. And, you will eventually get used to the sound of the higher RPM and realize that the drivetrain is doing its job as designed.