BLown OD repair update - 92 4x4 with automatic

a dealer told me once to never tow in OD. however, others have said no problem with doing this.

The part that caused the failure was a VERY thin radial roller bearing that appears to act as a thrust bearing for the OD planetary parts. Once it went it allowed the other parts to shift back an eighth of an inch and start rubbing on each other.

I guess 127K miles isn't bad but it sure looked like Ford could have made the transmission an extra 1/8 inch longer and put a heavier bearing in there or something.

Having seen what failed it's now very easy to understand why they said DO NOT TOW IN OD for these things - It clearly is not a heavy duty design as far as OD loading.

How could this be a bad mark for Ford? Dig back through this NG and you will see many old, old, old posts from a Ford tech telling people to cancel OD in situations where OD is inappropriate.....

But, they all knew better....

It depends on the transmission. The ones in the early explorers definitely were a "don't tow with OD" version. I have heard there are other models where supposedly it's not an issue. Jim Warman may know.

well, my 2000 2WD owners manual says cancel OD when towing up/down steep hills, or towing heavy loads. it doesn't say cancel OD when towing anything.

but I agree that it should be cancelled when towing anything.

But, they all knew better....

They say the Explorer with the V8 has a strong tranny.

But I think this calls for some common sense. If you're towing a utility trailer with 500 lb gross weight on flat ground, that's one thing. ( I recently used mine to bring home an 8' sliding glass door, total weight under 500 lb- overdrive was not an issue.)

If you're towing a big, heavy boat in hot weather, in rolling terrain... that's quite another.

-Paul