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Tow Package Transmission Cooler?

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Old May 2, 2016 | 02:33 PM
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Question Tow Package Transmission Cooler?

Hello,

I just bought this 2005 4.7 Dakota SLT a few months ago, i'm now looking at buying a 3,700# travel trailer to pull with the Dakota. I pulled the equipment build list using my VIN#

http://www.dodge.com/webselfservice/...HE42N95S308919

It says it has the "Trailer Tow Group" And from what i've read, that should include an external tranny cooler in addition to the one in the radiator. Am I right in that information?

I looked over the radiator area and I see the power steering cooler on the front, the A/C condenser in the middle, and the radiator in the rear next to the fan. I see the tranny lines going in and out of the bottom, drivers side of the radiator but I don't see where they connect to an external cooler.

I don't know much about vehicles so am I overlooking it or does it just not have an external cooler installed? If someone could post a picture of their transmission cooler so that I can know what to look for that would be great. If I don't have one installed then what cooler would you all recommend I buy?

Thanks for taking the time to help!
 
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Old May 5, 2016 | 06:43 AM
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the transmission cooler that they are talking about is the one in the radiator. easy to get confused with the term on the build sheet. i would look at splicing in an external cooler on the return line from the radiator to add extra cooling if you'll be towing something that heavy just in case. it's well within the capacity of the truck but you don't want the transmission to overheat causing you a transmission rebuild.

you can buy transmission coolers at any parts store, as well as the line to splice into and clamps. you can put the additional cooler anywhere that gets enough air flow but will also be in a spot that will not get road debris causing damage to it. Keep it low enough so that it keeps fluid in the cooler and doesn't try to empty itself when just sitting there. There are inline coolers that might work best in this case vs the ones that look like a small radiator.
 
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Old May 5, 2016 | 09:24 AM
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Ok awesome, thanks for the reply! I also plan to install a tranny temp gauge to monitor the temperature just to be safe

Originally Posted by pierrejoly
the transmission cooler that they are talking about is the one in the radiator. easy to get confused with the term on the build sheet. i would look at splicing in an external cooler on the return line from the radiator to add extra cooling if you'll be towing something that heavy just in case. it's well within the capacity of the truck but you don't want the transmission to overheat causing you a transmission rebuild.

you can buy transmission coolers at any parts store, as well as the line to splice into and clamps. you can put the additional cooler anywhere that gets enough air flow but will also be in a spot that will not get road debris causing damage to it. Keep it low enough so that it keeps fluid in the cooler and doesn't try to empty itself when just sitting there. There are inline coolers that might work best in this case vs the ones that look like a small radiator.
 
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