Well got a 5er hitch installed and hooked up the trailer to it for a test drive. Trans temp hit 185. The air temp is around 90 out and was getting on it a bit. In my GMC I wouldn't let it get that high but I didn't know if diesels were any different. The trailer prolly ways 14k maybe. I was a little surprised it squatted the 2500 pretty good. Any recommendations on air bags?

Brent

 

Mine is the same towing my 5th wheel in hot weather, I have a Double deep Hytech trany pan also.

 

For air bags i like firestones.. good price for good quality.. I have em in my 04 and sticking them in my 2011.. i buy the compressor kit also I keep a 1/2 inch impact in my truck for removing wheels and such.. a air nozzle and a few other goodies..

 

Mine hits around 175 towing a 30' enclosed car hauler with a 1946 Cadillac in it.

 

Ok thanks for the reassurance on the trans temp. I know mineral oils tend to breakdown around 180 so I'd hate to tear up a 700 mile new tranny. Another question when towing in tow/haul mode and engine break on, does your truck downshift pretty hard? I was a bit surprised how rough the downshifts seem.

Brent

 

Yes, downshifts are fairly aggressive in tow/haul

 

I just took my camper in for some warranty work and the dealership is located about 65 miles away (about 1.5 hour drive). My 5er is 39' long and weighs around 14k loaded. I watched my tranny temps on the trip and I was hitting as high as 215 degrees and the weather outside was hot at around 98 degrees. I felt like this was high for a new truck. The coolant temperature was running about 212-213 degrees. At what point should I get worried on the temperature?

 

I have seen my tranny over 200 on long slow hills and the coolant as high as 222 in 95 degree weather.

 

Doesn't it scare anyone to have temps that high? Or is there some special synthetic that they put in there? Just glad to hear I'm not the only one.

Brent

 

No subject matter experts out there with the temperature limits for the transmission? I know the idiot lights are available to warn when your too high but I don't know at what setpoint they actuate. It would be nice to know if I was approaching the limits ahead of time. Anyone have that information available?

 

Your Transmission should have a synthetic oil in it.

 

Does this mean the factory fluid is synthetic or that I should change it to synthetic? The truck was just bought a couple months ago and has 1800 miles on it.

Even with a synthetic oil there still is a limit to the temperature I'm sure and would still like to know what numbers to watching for before the idiot lights come on.

 

I was thinking my dealer told me that the synthetic was good up to around 230 for short periods of time, but I could be mistaken, and yes the factory fluid should be synthetic.

 

Thank you that is what I was looking for.

 

I had my tranny up to 290. It was 102 out and we were unloading off the combine on the go. Was pulling 41,000 pounds in a solft field and the hired man forgot to put it in low range

Never hurt anything and the fluid still looks like new I always thought 300 was where transmission oil breaks down.