Towing vehicle

Automatic or Manual. Which is the best?

On Friday, April 5, 2013 9:17:42 AM UTC-5, Colin Roney wrote:
Automatic or Manual. Which is the best?

not a lot of options for manual transmissions anymore anyway. i've always towed with an auto. not a bad idea to have a transmission cooler installed. tow away.

On Friday, April 5, 2013 9:17:42 AM UTC-5, Colin Roney wrote:
Automatic or Manual. Which is the best?

If you have an automatic, good to have a tachometer so you can see what is going on. If the torque converter won't stay locked up, your transmission will not last long. You can see this if you have a tach. And an extra transmission cooler probably can't keep up with that much added heat generation.

On 4/5/2013 8:49 AM, Steve Leonard wrote:
On Friday, April 5, 2013 9:17:42 AM UTC-5, Colin Roney wrote:
Automatic or Manual. Which is the best?

If you have an automatic, good to have a tachometer so you can see what is
going on. If the torque converter won't stay locked up, your transmission
will not last long. You can see this if you have a tach. And an extra
transmission cooler probably can't keep up with that much added heat
generation.

If the torque converter unlocks, you will see a 100 to 150 RPM increase.
Based on what I have seen with my full size Chevy/GMC Vans.

Lordy, I love religious questions on RAS!!! :-)

Dunno your location/country/towing geography, but I'm a fan of KISS (as a
philosophy, I mean :-)). Others have noted availability (possible lack of
manual tranny-ed vehicles), and heat generation (in automatics) as potential
realities.

If your geography and personal philosophy permit, there's little actual need
to buy into the "massive vehicle is massively better for towing my 15 (or even
18 nowadays) meter baby," in which case a whole world of manual transmissioned
vehicles opens up to you. It's hard to get much simpler than a manual
transmission driving rear-wheels. This from someone who towed all sorts of
gliders (including 2-seat Schweizers) throughout the intermountain western
U.S. behind a 3-speed manual transmissioned, 2,600 pound, rear wheel drive,
unibody vehicle for 37 years, using the same transmission that never needed
any maintenance beyond (one time) topping up the gear lube (after 30+ years).
It got replaced - body rust - with a 4/RWD Toyota pickup (4WD insisted upon by
my wife for her donkey trailer...which the first vehicle towed just fine, too,
with both critters in it).

The 2600 lb vehicle never towed a trailer with electric brakes, and only
rarely one with a surge brake (Twin Grob factory trailer). Drum brakes all
around. I replaced brake linings approximately every 60,000 miles IIRC.

Never had an accident towing. Was rarely alarmed by the towing vehicle
dynamics. Never overheated. Rescued more than one immobilized buddy towing
with newer, more complex, vehicles. Never needed rescuing myself.

The 37-year vehicle wasn't rated for towing (I've no idea why) and - other
than the aftermarket (non-)universal trailer hitch & self-added trailering
pigtail(s), had zero mods for towing.

Bob - if it ain't there, it can't fail - W.

Oh, Bob. Nothing on a religious level. So far. The OP asked "Manual or Automatic?" Tony said "I have only towed with an automatic. Best to get a transmission cooler." And I added "A tachometer is nice so you will know what is going on because a transmission cooler won't save your transmission."

Nobody was saying bigger is better. The only reason you would need a big crew vehicle is if you have lots of support equipment that won't fit in the trailer with the glider. That is why I have a full size van. The gas mileage sucks, but I deal with it. And, I just got done removing the extra transmission cooler the previous owner had added to my van. He use to pull travel trailers and guess what? I got to have the transmission replaced. Even with his added cooler. The van also now sports a tachometer. Those who are unaware laugh at this add on.

I agree with you and much prefer a manual transmission. That way, you KNOW what is happening in that part of the drive system. Pulled all sorts of things all over with my V-6 Camaro with its 5 speed manual. In and out of fields, up and down hills, and all around. Never any brakes on the trailers.. And only once was there ever a problem. Not transmission related.

Tony wrote:
On Friday, April 5, 2013 2:00:30 PM UTC-5, Bill D wrote:
On Friday, April 5, 2013 11:47:13 AM UTC-6, Steve Leonard wrote: Oh,
Bob. Nothing on a religious level. So far. The OP asked "Manual or
Automatic?" Tony said "I have only towed with an automatic. Best to get
a transmission cooler." And I added "A tachometer is nice so you will
know what is going on because a transmission cooler won't save your
transmission." Nobody was saying bigger is better. The only
reason you would need a big crew vehicle is if you have lots of support
equipment that won't fit in the trailer with the glider. That is why I
have a full size van. The gas mileage sucks, but I deal with it. And, I
just got done removing the extra transmission cooler the previous owner
had added to my van. He use to pull travel trailers and guess what? I
got to have the transmission replaced. Even with his added cooler. The
van also now sports a tachometer. Those who are unaware laugh at this
add on. I agree with you and much prefer a manual transmission.
That way, you KNOW what is happening in that part of the drive system.
Pulled all sorts of things all over with my V-6 Camaro with its 5 speed
manual. In and out of fields, up and down hills, and all around. Never
any brakes on the trailers. And only once was there ever a problem. Not
transmission related. If you really want to make a tranny dance to your
tune, there are aftermarket electronic transmission controllers
available. They allow fully manual control as well as manual control of
torque converter locking. You can have it both ways.

on Old Blue the transmission is original 1994 equipment, just turned over
286,000 miles. I did have it flushed about 4 years ago, other than that I
have done nothing to it, and after reading stories about maintenance
induced failures i'm hesitant to even have it flushed again. I don't have
a tach but don't think the torque converter is slipping. With the low
drag Komet trailer which basically just fills the turbulent airflow
behind the truck, it tows happily at highway speed in overdrive. With the
humongous breadbox Cherokee II trailer forcing it into Drive is required
to prevent constant shifting. So far so good, i'm figuring if I can get
another season or two I should be able to celebrate the symbolic
achievement of getting it to 300,000 miles and then maybe start the
search for a new tow vehicle.

I'd recommend a manual as it is what I have in my protege 5 towing my big
box Ka-6 trailer :-)

It's fun to see the e press ion on people's faces as they pass your slow
ass on the interstate.

If I do get a new car I'd be seriously looking at a Jetta or Golf TDI


Pete

On Friday, April 5, 2013 2:46:20 PM UTC-5, vontresc wrote:
Tony wrote: On Friday, April 5, 2013 2:00:30 PM UTC-5, Bill D wrote: On Friday, April 5, 2013 11:47:13 AM UTC-6, Steve Leonard wrote: Oh, Bob. Nothing on a religious level. So far. The OP asked "Manual or Automatic?" Tony said "I have only towed with an automatic. Best to get a transmission cooler." And I added "A tachometer is nice so you will know what is going on because a transmission cooler won't save your transmission." Nobody was saying bigger is better. The only reason you would need a big crew vehicle is if you have lots of support equipment that won't fit in the trailer with the glider. That is why I have a full size van. The gas mileage sucks, but I deal with it. And, I just got done removing the extra transmission cooler the previous owner had added to my van. He use to pull travel trailers and guess what? I got to have the transmission replaced. Even with his added cooler. The van also now sports a tachometer. Those who are unaware laugh at this add on. I agree with you and much prefer a manual transmission. That way, you KNOW what is happening in that part of the drive system. Pulled all sorts of things all over with my V-6 Camaro with its 5 speed manual. In and out of fields, up and down hills, and all around. Never any brakes on the trailers. And only once was there ever a problem. Not transmission related. If you really want to make a tranny dance to your tune, there are aftermarket electronic transmission controllers available. They allow fully manual control as well as manual control of torque converter locking. You can have it both ways. on Old Blue the transmission is original 1994 equipment, just turned over 286,000 miles. I did have it flushed about 4 years ago, other than that I have done nothing to it, and after reading stories about maintenance induced failures i'm hesitant to even have it flushed again. I don't have a tach but don't think the torque converter is slipping. With the low drag Komet trailer which basically just fills the turbulent airflow behind the truck, it tows happily at highway speed in overdrive. With the humongous breadbox Cherokee II trailer forcing it into Drive is required to prevent constant shifting. So far so good, i'm figuring if I can get another season or two I should be able to celebrate the symbolic achievement of getting it to 300,000 miles and then maybe start the search for a new tow vehicle. I'd recommend a manual as it is what I have in my protege 5 towing my big box Ka-6 trailer :-) It's fun to see the e press ion on people's faces as they pass your slow ass on the interstate. If I do get a new car I'd be seriously looking at a Jetta or Golf TDI Pete

you should see the expressions of your passengers as semi's pass you on the interstate!

On Friday, April 5, 2013 9:17:42 AM UTC-5, Colin Roney wrote:
Automatic or Manual. Which is the best?

- Accord automatic - just change the transmission oil once a while. Did a major cross country with a asw19 trailer a couple of times. Reached speeds of 85 mph and 100K and absolutely no issues.. Fellow club member has one with 240K regularly towing different trailers - including Blanik. 4 bangers of course. I think the fact that this was the last year produced in Japan had a lot to do with it. So a Acura TSX is the last one from the family still produced in Japan. Jetta TDI with a double clutch transmission should work well too - fast shifting transmission and lots of low end torque should be ideal for this purpose.

On Friday, April 5, 2013 9:17:42 AM UTC-5, Colin Roney wrote:
Automatic or Manual. Which is the best?
- Accord automatic - just change the transmission oil once a while. Did a major cross country with a asw19 trailer a couple of times. Reached speeds of 85 mph and 100K and absolutely no issues.. Fellow club member has one with 240K regularly towing different trailers - including Blanik. 4 bangers of course. I think the fact that the car was produced in Japan had a lot to do with reliability. So a Acura TSX is the last one from the family still produced in Japan. Jetta TDI with a double clutch transmission should work well too - fast shifting transmission and lots of low end torque should be ideal for this purpose.

Originally Posted by Steve Leonard[_2_]

Oh, Bob. Nothing on a religious level. So far. The OP asked "Manual or Automatic?" Tony said "I have only towed with an automatic. Best to get a transmission cooler." And I added "A tachometer is nice so you will know what is going on because a transmission cooler won't save your transmission."

Nobody was saying bigger is better. The only reason you would need a big crew vehicle is if you have lots of support equipment that won't fit in the trailer with the glider. That is why I have a full size van. The gas mileage sucks, but I deal with it. And, I just got done removing the extra transmission cooler the previous owner had added to my van. He use to pull travel trailers and guess what? I got to have the transmission replaced. Even with his added cooler. The van also now sports a tachometer. Those who are unaware laugh at this add on.

I agree with you and much prefer a manual transmission. That way, you KNOW what is happening in that part of the drive system. Pulled all sorts of things all over with my V-6 Camaro with its 5 speed manual. In and out of fields, up and down hills, and all around. Never any brakes on the trailers.. And only once was there ever a problem. Not transmission related.

I have towed various objects on trailers with both manual and automatic transmission vehicles...both transmission types have worked fine.

One observation I've made is that having more weight in front of the hitch is preferable to having it behind the hitch. Driving a 4,500# vehicle in front of a 4,500# sailboat was a real treat in a crosswind!