Best of luck with your family "issues" - my pa is hitting 83 this year and I can't imagine what I'd do ..... Its a bridge that many must cross I know, just keep your hat pulled down tight.The auto tranny in my old F-150 had the electric OD lockout switch to "add or subtract" fourth gear for towing. Don't know the trans model - but is that a method of using the three speed selector and utilizing the low position? Then maybe an auxillary cable to move the AOD trans selector lever a little further into "one more gear"? For everyday driving use the standard shift pattern - then add fourth as required on the freeway. Just another way of looking at it....