Gentlemen, I'd appreciate opinions. I have a short bed, regular cab, 4.6 V8, 3.55 rear, auto trans. I've fitted a class 3 hitch. I'll be towing 7000 lbs. Ford says that I should have a tranmission cooler if towing more than 50 miles or in hilly country. Well I'll only be towing about 60 miles with only a few small hills and only two times a year. I can do it early in the morning in early Spring and late Fall. Can I get away with it? I've towed this load before with a HD Chevy amd the Tekonsha brake control worked perfectly. I could brake and not feel the load. I'll tow under 50 mph but am I going to damage the tranny?

 

The prisons are full of those that asked the same question.

Tranny cooler = $200
Rebuilt Tranny = $2,000

If it was me, I would rather blow $200 and never know whether I really needed to rather than not spend it and give myself a $2,000 kick in the pants.

Keep in mind that the cooler is no garuantee. You could spend the money and still blow the tranny.

(That would be $2,200 by the way)

 

Could you get away with it. Probably. for the price of the cooler I'd get one anyhow. I think every truck should have a trans cooler as standard equipment. I see no reason to not have it. A truck is made to work. No other reason to have one.


-jeff b.

 

I agree with FarmBoy. If you put on the cooler, consider the fact that the trans fluid will last longer because it will stay cooler. I'd do it, and wouldn't even worry about it any further.

 

DO THE COOLER!

 

I say be on the safe side and get a cooler for it so your tranny doesn't go up in

 

Isspro Tranny temp guage and probe $50 from DIS and then you will be able to tell and can pull over if its going above 200. Then you'll know for sure if you need one. Simple to install by the way. Nice guage to have even if you do end up with the cooler.