Engine braking an auto

Luke(MI) · Jul 14, 2011

From time to time if I'm pulling a heavy load down hill or aproaching a stoplight, I'll manually down shift my automatic tranny to avoid riding the brakes and risk loss of control, and/or to help stop/keep speed down while headed down hill. I've had three people tell me it's bad for the tranny, all of these people without mechanical background. I was taught to do it this way, and that it isn't going to damage anything shifting from D-3-2-1 as long as it's done correctly (when you reach the gears normal speed downshift to the next lower) Who is right?

txbass06 · Jul 14, 2011

I've always seen it this way. If you're pulling a trailer to where you would HAVE to do this, you need a trailer with their own brakes, or a bigger truck. Pads and rotors are a lot easier and cheaper to replace than a transmission

Hemiguy0302 · Jul 14, 2011

I do it to hold long hills or to help slow down the truck. Like mentioned your brakes should be your primary stopping device this just takes some load off the brakes.

OlDirtyJohn · Jul 14, 2011

as long as you are doing it at normal speeds then yes its fine. it shouldnt wear down your tranny any faster than all the normal downshifts that take place during normal driving. for example, if you are going down a hill, then shift it down into 2nd, and the engine jumps up to 5500-6000 RPMs, you arent doing it right.

joetama · Jul 14, 2011

OlDirtyJohn said:
as long as you are doing it at normal speeds then yes its fine. it shouldnt wear down your tranny any faster than all the normal downshifts that take place during normal driving. for example, if you are going down a hill, then shift it down into 2nd, and the engine jumps up to 5500-6000 RPMs, you arent doing it right.

Agree totally with this.

I have done this in a car before to prevent riding my brakes down a mile long hill. Girl that was with me was trying to explain how it was bad for my car cause she knew someone who's transmission fell out of their car by downshifting. Lolz

KGBIGCOUNTRY · Jul 15, 2011

Agreed as long as your not running the rpms through the roof you should be ok. Your year is still a computer controlled trans I bet so it wont downshift on the dime esp if the rpms are to high.

Bigtman07 · Jul 15, 2011

I do it all the time. Manual or auto. I would personally rather risk blowing a tranny than trashing truck trailer and load. I agree with all the above. Don't run your rpm through the roof and you won't have any issues. I usually brake with about 2500 to 3000 rpm depending on the load and hill.

Engine braking an auto

Luke(MI)

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txbass06

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Hemiguy0302

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joetama

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