20tony20

Hey guys, I spend lots of time reading this forum, but don't post to often. I have learned alot, but still consider myself pretty ignorant on lots of issues with these trucks.
Here is short backround, I have a early 04 2500, stock with the exception of a transgo shift kit and a K&n air filter. The truck has 247,000 miles on the original 48re. I pull a 18ft enclosed work trailer est. about 5-6000lb, 9000lb. 5th wheel and a bass boat. Needless to say this truck is pulling something 90% of the time. I have just traded for a new 5th wheel that weighs 10,700 empty, after DW loads it and with a weekends worth of water we are looking at prob. 12,000 or 12,500lbs.
While there is nothing wrong with my tranny now, I'm easy on it, same for the brakes, still on original front rotors, I know that tranny time is coming.
I have been looking at options and reading about aftermarket transmissions for weeks, want to be preemptive about replacing or rebuilding the trans. now, because I think at 247,000, asking it to pull 3,000lbs more than it ever has, is asking too much. It seems there is no middle ground, you either go stock or Jasper at 3-4k(questionable quality) or you can go Georend, AST, or suncoast, beefed up like crazy at 5k plus(possible overkill for me). My question is, if I don't plan on doing any mods to my truck and all I want to do is pull a heavy fiver on the weekends, do I really need a 5k tranny? Does installing a performance tranny not have a negative impact on other stock parts of the truck, rear end, ujoints, etc.? Are there any other options? I don't have a recommended Goerend installer here in East TN or any of the aftermarket companies either. This is my work truck and I plan on keeping it, so I don't want to experiment and cause myself unneccessary problems. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.