I’d go to his web site for information on his 5spd OD trans. I can tell you this about it though, it is not set up (the overdrive) like the Chrysler band aid move.
As far as any towing is concerned, I wouldn’t worry about it because it is a manual and if you needed the extra torque on the road, you would leave it in 4th gear. Since you understand that lugging an engine is bad, the trans is a manual you select the gear in and get the idea of engine rpm and gear selection for best advantage, I don’t understand the worry.