Just think of your rig as the orchestra, where all parts are required for optimal performance. When towing, it adds stress to the drive train that wasn’t really designed for the loads being imposed on it. In order to keep the drive train happy, keep the engine in its optimal cooling range(in VW’s, it’s RPM’s). To get the RPM’s, use the transmission’s lower gears. Lower gears turn the trans faster, slinging more oil, keeping gears cooler. A good indicator to use whether towing or not, when climbing a pass for instance. When the speed is steady, and your foot is on the floor, you need a lower gear(this is the condition where your engine is straining all its torque, fourth or fifth gear is loaded under the strain. This where the heat builds up, oils start getting hot and breaking down, causing more heat and destruction. Best solution? Get into a lower gear, RPM’s up, Gear speed goes up. Engines gets back into power band, trans is slinging more oil. Hope this makes any kind of sense.
I'm at the age where "fuck off", "fuck you", and "fuck it" answer most questions.
