modificatons to Tow

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towpro

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2006 limited. does not have towing package.

I want to tow a box trailer that is small, 6' x 4' with a Vnose front including an angled roof in the front. This is thinner and lower than my liberty so most of the trailer profile is hidden behind the jeep.

Trailer weigh around 500 empty, and will be adding 500 lbs worth of dirt bike and gear. Trailer Grose is 2990 lbs (no brakes)

So I have seen this transmission cooler they sell, but I already have one that goes all the way across the front of the radiator. do I really need to add another trans cooler in front of the factory one?
 

tommudd

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Most will tell you to install the tow package with extra fan, etc
With that said I have pulled my 6X10 enclosed , which is taller than my lifted KJ for 1000s of miles, twice from Ohio to Boston, Ohio to Orlando etc and all over Ohio fully loaded down with no ill effects , just stayed with the OD off

So if its that lightweight you should have no issues IMO
 

turblediesel

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I've hauled an 8'x16' with 2 axles, 2 wheelers, e-brakes, and a V-nose.

CRD is limited to 5000# and 64 square feet of frontal area.

OD off.
 

sota

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should I even bother posting about this again? :D
 

towpro

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when OD is off, does the convert still lock up? With automatic transmissions, its when the convert is unlocked that your producing heat (as the torque converter multiples torque, and creates heat).

Most of my trailer towing will be highways from 55mph to 70mph.

Would adding that little extra cooler make a difference of running with OD on at highway speeds? (I don't think so)

with my rigs that have cluth fanns, the clutch fan only "connects" making the fan work at City speeds for that extra cooling, so highway its not really helping.

Do they make an aftermarket electric fan to replace stock electric unit that moves more CFM?
 
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tjkj2002

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when OD is off, does the convert still lock up? With automatic transmissions, its when the convert is unlocked that your producing heat (as the torque converter multiples torque, and creates heat).

Most of my trailer towing will be highways from 55mph to 70mph.

Would adding that little extra cooler make a difference of running with OD on at highway speeds? (I don't think so)

with my rigs that have cluth fanns, the clutch fan only "connects" making the fan work at City speeds for that extra cooling, so highway its not really helping.

Do they make an aftermarket electric fan to replace stock electric unit that moves more CFM?
Kicking in/out of OD and lockup clutch locking/unlocking will create 10 times more heat then 1:1 ratio without the lock up clutch engaging.

If your going to tow on the highway keep it 55mph,60 max without the actual tow package installed.

You only have a stand alone trans cooler that will not like high speeds and towing.
 

LibertyTC

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Good recommendations ^ folks. I agree small trailer OD off no problem w/o HD cooling.
Outside ambient air temp plays a big role in how hot things can get.
If it's winter like now & it's close to freezing the KJ's trans wont overheat.
In summer however, when it hot outside, I've pulled a boat & trailer with OD off and was fine, but dang the under hood temps were reading 235 but the electric fans were keeping up.
I have experienced a Trans Temp dash light once towing, & it was a hot summer day.
I pulled over left it running, with hood now open, and monitored the coolant temps on scan gauge, it came down fairly quickly, and trans light went off. -Hood vents would be nice!
Knowing the trans fluid had basically over heated, next day got new ATF+4 fluid in there.
Have not had the problem since installing the 1.5 quart over stock PML aluminum transmission pan, & I don't have the HD cooling.
 

renegade 04

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I have a system in my jeep that allows me to switch from only using the in radiator transmission cooler to using the in radiator and external cooler. This is the best set up yet, it allows you to have extra cooling and also allows the transmission to warm up on very cold days.
 

JeepJeepster

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Have you ever verified that the in rad cooler actually 'warms up' the transmission in the winter? I think you'll find it does not if you do some testing.

Either way, you'll be fine towing <1500lbs without the hd cooling. Just take it easy and as others have said, keep o/d off. And yes, the torque actually locks earlier with o/d... which can be very annoying.
 

towpro

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The kj that had the actual trans cooler in the radiator will heat the fluid. That in radiator cooler uses heat transfer between radiator coolant and trans fluid. It will heat the trans fluid up to 195 (coolant temps). That is why when we added an aftermarket cooler to that type system, the aftermarket cooler has to be installed inline after the radiator.
 

tjkj2002

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Have you ever verified that the in rad cooler actually 'warms up' the transmission in the winter? I think you'll find it does not if you do some testing.

.
It does,the in-radiator cooler is the best way to regulate trans temps.Cold trans fluid is just as bad as to hot trans fluid.

It doesn't warm the transmission, but it radiate a good amount of heat away from the transmission.
False,it does at cold start up and helps it get up to 80 degrees faster so the trans can safely shift into OD.

The kj that had the actual trans cooler in the radiator will heat the fluid. That in radiator cooler uses heat transfer between radiator coolant and trans fluid. It will heat the trans fluid up to 195 (coolant temps). That is why when we added an aftermarket cooler to that type system, the aftermarket cooler has to be installed inline after the radiator.

False.

The in-radiator trans cooler is on the "return" side of the radiator which is 35-45 degrees cooler then the "intake" side of the radiator which will be actual coolant temp(engine,not radiator).
 

towpro

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It does,the in-radiator cooler is the best way to regulate trans temps.Cold trans fluid is just as bad as to hot trans fluid.

False,it does at cold start up and helps it get up to 80 degrees faster so the trans can safely shift into OD.



False.

The in-radiator trans cooler is on the "return" side of the radiator which is 35-45 degrees cooler then the "intake" side of the radiator which will be actual coolant temp(engine,not radiator).

but I said "That is why when we added an aftermarket (trans) cooler to that type system, the aftermarket (trans) cooler has to be installed inline after the radiator."

this is so the aftermarket trans cooler can bring the temp down (lower) than the best temps obtained by the fluid to fluid trans cooler that is inside the radiator
 

tjkj2002

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but I said "That is why when we added an aftermarket (trans) cooler to that type system, the aftermarket (trans) cooler has to be installed inline after the radiator."

this is so the aftermarket trans cooler can bring the temp down (lower) than the best temps obtained by the fluid to fluid trans cooler that is inside the radiator

You add the AUX cooler after the in-radiator cooler simply because the in-radiator cooler stabilizes the coolant temps better(able to absorb and control temp spikes from heavy towing and offroad) then a stand alone cooler can.

Plus fluid going through the trans cooler can be up to 100psi,an air to liquid cooler is not very effective at those pressures unlike the much lower pressure that the radiator would see.
 

JeepJeepster

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This may be getting a little OT. My 94 ZJ with the 42re has the typical cooler in the radiator then an aux cooler in front of the condenser. This setup came with the factory towing package in 1994 on this Jeep.

Today it was 17F when I left work. I let the Jeep warm up for ~3 minutes and drove 25miles at 60mph with no red lights. The last ~2 miles of my trip I had to stop at 4 red lights.

As soon as I got home I used an infrared gun to check the lower radiator hose (90F), the cool side of the radiator end cap at mid height (82F), and the transmission pan (100F). Take those numbers as you please.

My 04 KJ only has the factory aux cooler and according to my transmission gauge it stays pegged on 100F when its cold outside. Next time its cold and I drive it Ill see what the IR gun shows on the pan.
 
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towpro

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after measuring my bike, both the KTM EXC 690R and Beta 300RR measure 7' long. There not going to fit in the 4'x6' v-nose trailer. But I found a beautiful 2017 5x8 left over. V nose, 15" mag wheels on 3500 lb 4" drop axle. GVWR 2995 lbs. matches color of jeep. I think I am going to buy it.

My jeep stands 6'-6" to top of rear roof, trailer is 7' tall so trailer is 6" taller than KJ.
both Jeep and trailer are 5' wide, i can see past it with factory mirrors.
fenders stick out 10" on each side. basically trailer fits into slip stream of Jeep accept the fenders and 6" of top.
Trailer weighs 900 empty. heavier bike and gear runs 400 lbs, total = 1300 lbs.

5' x 6" frontal area (if it was flat) would give me 30 sq ft. Since its a V-nose i guess this figure would be lower. Owners manual says max 32 sq ft for 4x4 without cooler for a max of 2000 lbs.

Its cheep enough to add an additional trans cooler. If i have a problem I could add a fan to cooler using a manual switch.
But after reading, the best option seems to be to just by the 02 radiator with the fluid to fluid cooler, then run that PLUS the current cooler.

on PA turnpike it would be nice to be able to run the speed limit (70mph) on the flat parts at least, which will require OD.
 
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