It is the planet that is failing in these units, but under normal conditions (
but we aren't driving our dakotas under normal conditions) the overdrive units
are fairly good. The best thing that you can do is to get the transgo kit ( I
know, I am working on a good price !!!!! ) and use a good synthetic ATF. I use
Mobil 1 synthetic atf in mine, It doesn't meet the mopar 7176 spec. but is
much better and handles the heat better also. After installing the trans. kit
the converter locks up at around 40mph in third and stays locked up a lot
better ( you can push down the gas more with out it coming out of lock up )
overdrive stays in much better as well.
FWIW
Colin H.
Rob Agnew wrote:
> I hear lots of speculation here, but does anyone know for sure that the OD
> is weak on the Dak automatic? I'd like to hear from some owners who've
> done some serious towing. I see lots of them out there ....Daks towing
> fifth wheels, Daks with campers towing 17 ft boats, Daks towing large
> trailers etc.
>
> I use the OD lockout when climbing a hill towing my trailer and descending
> steep highway grades to get a bit of engine braking. But the rest of the
> time (running empty), I let the automatic shift as it wants....isn't that
> what an automatic is supposed to be designed to do? I find it hard to
> believe that Chrysler would build a truck with a big tow rating then
> install an auto trans that is going to blow up. Back in the '70s, the
> Dodge automatic was 'bullet proof'.
>
> Thanks
>
> Rob Agnew
> ragnew@islandnet.com
>
> Victoria, B.C.
> Canada
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