2001 mounty getting ready to tow...

hi everyone. recently purchased a 2001 mountaineer 5.0L awd with 98k miles...has trans cooler already but no hitch or wiring (wiring plug was found below taillight and all necessary parts are ordered aka hitch 4 pin conector and 7pin wiring and on the way) have a hand me down WD hitch my parents used before upgrading. i have several questions before i get out onto the road but first the camper is a 2015 jayco jay feather ultra lite x18d. dry its 3400 loaded 4600. we do pack light so im not worried, we never travel with water in tanks (we glamp more than camp) so questions as follows...
1. should i add another trans cooler or swap current for a larger unit?
2. should i mess with changing trans fluid or diff fluid?
3. should i add a leaf spring, helper air bags, or sdtrucksprings.com has what appears to be a 1500pound bolt on helper pring (or leaf)that attatch to the rear half of the leafs on the car to help with cargo ect...
4. what else should i consider or be looking for or do before i get towing

amy input would be awesome and greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

[connerman15]

also forgot to mention i will be adding a trailer brake when adding the 7 pin hook up

 

[CDW6212R]

The trans is the weakest link for towing, the OD is obviously not to be used for heavy loads or any inclines. Keeping the ATF cooler and with more capacity should be the biggest goal, along with making the suspension as stable as possible(reduce soft springs/shocks and worn out parts).

Taller vehicles aren't as stable as lowered for towing, heavy duty tow trucks are usually heavier than small SUV's etc. So do what you can to choose lower profile tires versus tall(60 series versus 70 series etc). Example, 15" stock tires are 75 series, 16's are 70 series and a hair wider. I'm just suggesting if anything is to change, aim for more stable choices.

Their are very good used cooler choices to add for the ATF, others have found early 2000's Ford Super Duty truck coolers. The longest one with less height seems to fit the best, and it's about four times the stock size of your truck.

A deep trans pan would help also, they can add two quarts, which reduces how fast the fluid gains temperature.

 

[traveler]

Yep, what he said. I've been towing a camper smaller than yours for a few years now. Definitely get a bigger transmission cooler. I don't know what climate your in, but if you're in a hot climate get a big cooler (think F350, or even E350 V10 or diesel) and bypass the radiator. If you are in a place that has winter's you'll need to keep the fluid going through the radiator for warmups (Still need a big cooler). I live in Arizona so I got an all aluminum dual core radiator as well.
I use rear shocks with coil spring boosters, they seem to help in the rear. In the front make sure all your joints are good and tight, and you're alignment is spot on. Even though you have trailer brakes, make sure you're trucks brakes are solid with high end, name brand pads. Semi-mettalic are good for stopping power. Yes they wear faster and can be dusty but you are doubling the workload on them. Stopping is more important than clean wheels.
The 5.0 is a good little motor but it works pulling these things. Get a scanguage II. They are worth the money and really great for keeping track of what's going on. Engine temps, transmission temps, fuel mileage..

 

[connerman15]

Thanks guys!! I live up in western ny (rochester area) so summers get warm with some hot days, nothing like arizona.. but def still have cold winters snow ect.. the truck has basically new bfgoodrich 245 70 16 tires (I guess tireshop told the last owner the 265 wouldn't fit and didnt have a 255 he liked so he went with the 245) I'll look into a trans cooler. So to confirm u both reccomend switching out or bypassing the stock one with a much larger unit from a super duty or something along those lines rather than running in conjunction with the stock unit. Is there an aftermarket choice that works well for this application or is junkyard dog the way to go

 

[410Fortune]

B&M plate and fin type coolers work really well, also similar style coolers can be found on Chevy trucks
I have never bypassed the factory fluid/fluid cooler (radiator) because fluid/fluid cooling is way more efficient then an air/fluid cooler
First off you are in good hands, your 5.0 truck can tow very well, the 4r70w trans is a very stout unit and will hold up well even towing, that trailer will be perfectly suited behind your 99 V8.

Make sure your 99 is still outfitted with the dual core radiator, many times over the life of the vehicle the radiator will be replaced (even with low miles, 99 is still an older truck) and sometimes shops use the single core radiator as a replacement to save $$$. So make SURE you have a dual core

Pulling the trailer should not be an issue for you but stopping may be, so consider some brake upgrades like heat treated rotors and matching pads front and rear.
If your trailer has electric brakes, get a good brake controller so you can use them properly.

Your transmission already has a temp sensor in it from the factory, you can get a OBD2 scanner that can display the temp for you or you can add a trans temp gauge, either way it is nice to keep an eye on the transmission fluid temp

You may consider some helper springs or airbags in the rear if you find the truck sags in the back when hooked to the trailer.
When towing I would also keep the tires inflated to their max psi rating, this will help handle the weight and get you the most MPG possible

 

[bacon76]

cool... 1st post here. I also live in rochester near house of guitars. just purchased a 2010 Explorer. Im coming from a 2006 f150 V8. but frame rotted out on me amd 1st baby arriving anyday
Sold my 9k lb cruiser boat after finding out how much daycare was gonna cost. however, i was pleasantly suprised to see a class 3 hitch on the back of this grocery getter. now i am thinkimg small travel and wife agrees.
paying attention

Thanks guys!! I live up in western ny (rochester area) so summers get warm with some hot days, nothing like arizona.. but def still have cold winters snow ect.. the truck has basically new bfgoodrich 245 70 16 tires (I guess tireshop told the last owner the 265 wouldn't fit and didnt have a 255 he liked so he went with the 245) I'll look into a trans cooler. So to confirm u both reccomend switching out or bypassing the stock one with a much larger unit from a super duty or something along those lines rather than running in conjunction with the stock unit. Is there an aftermarket choice that works well for this application or is junkyard dog the way to go

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d definitely fill the rear diff to capacity. Best bet is to get a cheapy pump and suck it out if you don’t feel like pulling the cover. These diffs are generally pretty solid, but low fluid will eat them up in short order, especially under load.!

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, replace all fluids especially trans, brake, and diff. Use best brands, like Amsoil Sever Gear for the diff, it's excellent and about $15 a quart with membership($10-$15 I think it was).

 

[connerman15]

hi yall... picking my camper up tomorrow (using my parents truck to get it home since my hitch is still not arrived) looking at transmission coolers is where im a little lost.. am i buying a tranny cooler (lets say a b&m ) and running that with the stocker? or running it instead of the stock unit? also anyone know what size unit they used? or a model number or anything? thoughts on how many btus will most likley be needed to keep her nice n cool? also does it have to be a b&m, has anyone had good luck with a hayden (at 1/2 the price?) again thanks so much for all the advice and i welcome any and all input

found on amazon:
b&m 13000 btu $87, b&m 14400 btu $102, b&m 20,500 btu $117

 

[CDW6212R]

The OEM Super Duty coolers will be bigger and better than the aftermarket units, and cheaper with your labor to remove them.

If you buy a new one as listed, plumb it in parallel with the stock cooler, not series(in line). You want more cooling but don't increase resistance by putting another in line with it. Use "Y" fittings to join the lines before and after each cooler, that reduces back pressure and still gains the cooling capacity.

 

[connerman15]

So take a run to my local automotive recycling center and snag a gently used cooler off a superduty (or a truck of the like) and remove the old and insert the new and viola ready to tow

 

[traveler]

That sounds about right. One thing though... As the cooler came from a used truck and sat in a salvage yard for who knows how long, be sure to flush it out before using it. I blow them out with compressed air first, then fill them and flush them with some sort of parts cleaner, then blow the parts cleaner out with air, then rinse and fill again with tranny fluid to make sure all the parts cleaner is out, then drain before installation. Yea its a pain, but better safe than sorry. I also use an external transmission filter. There is a how to on the forum here somewhere.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, if it comes from a truck with other parts removed, flushing the cooler out is wise, plus you don't know what condition the prior trans was in. So clean it out in some way.

I prefer my location for an external filter, it bolts to the empty pocket/spot just ahead of the body mount. Almost all external filter mounts use an FL1A filter, which are plenty large and easy to change.

 

[410Fortune]

One of my favorite things in this world:

https://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-19001-Tranny-Kooler-Trasmission/dp/B001DKNH8I

Kooler Klean!! I use this ANYTIME I change transmissions, radiators, coolers, etc
Phenomenal product

 

[CDW6212R]

Lubegard makes great stuff, I've been using their additives since about 1990.