Any southeast beach drivers running trans fluid coolers?

I live in Florida and do a decent amount of beach driving with my 2011. I’ve never scanned the temps, but I’m concerned about transmission temps. The length of beach driving I do can range from a 1/4 mile to 2 miles or so (no extended Long Beach drives). The sand can be very thick and obviously air temps can reach 95. What are your opinions on needing a transmission fluid cooler? Thanks.

 

I wouldn't worry about it for two miles of beach sand. But you could plug in a scan gauge and you can monitor it.

I have a ScanGauge II I use to monitor Voltage, Water temp, Transmission pan temp, Torque converter temp.
Highest temps I ever saw were in Palo Duro Canyon after about 6 hours of hard wheeling. Ambient air temp temp was 115f.
Water temp was about 230.
Converter temp was nearly 250.
Transmission pan temp was 240.

It would be nice to add a transmission cooler for that situation. But it's not a common situation for me... That was a very hot day in the canyon running "expert" level trails.
5th gen transmission failures are something I don't hear about often so I'm not gonna worry about it personally.

I know @2021venture has a trans cooler. As long as its done correctly I can't imagine it would hurt anything.

 

Monitor your temp and see how hot it's running. It can't hurt adding one for some extra cooling. I went with one that has a bypass so it allows fluid to warm up operating temp with bypass. Transmission failures for our trucks are uncommon. Heat kills ATF, depending on your temps might also want to factor that into your ATF fluid change schedule.

Ambient temps I see a wide swing in my ATF temp.

 

You already have a small aux transmission cooler below the horns?

Do the sand driving in 4lo and you shouldn't have problems.

 

Really? I thought the 5th gen’s didn’t have them. I always use 4H because it’s sufficient for the beach. Does using 4L help with the temps?

 

I recommend monitoring temps with Torque Pro or Scanguage/Ultraguage setups. Any time you heat the fluid past around 220 degrees Fahrenheit I would change the fluid. Customers who install my bolt in transmission cooler kits that I sell at Iconic Fabrication Offroad see 20-30 degree reduction in temperatures. Most can never surpass 190 degrees while towing a trailer!

 

4 low helps substantially. The lower gearing means the transmission is working way less.

Same thing applies with regearing the differentials. Less wear and tear and heat in the trans.

 

After my transmission cooler my temps stay 160 to 190 dependent on ambient temps and load I am putting on it. The low end 160 is when it's cold out. Love seeing the temp stay at 190 when it's 100+ ambient temp and working the rig hard.

From my research most failures occur from over heating not being too cool.

 

Who has lost a properly maintained 5th Gen Transmission for Overheating? First hand accounts only. “Not I know someone….”

 

I assume y’all are airing down as that helps as well. As we say on Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands “Don’t be a clown, air down”

 

"Properly Maintained" means changing the fluid every time it exceeds around 220-240 deg F. If you tow, have oversized tires, offroad, mountain passes, or have heavy bumpers with a cooler, you won't be changing the fluid nearly as often.

Most transmission issues crop up at the 175k+ mile mark if you abuse them. "Proper maintenance" will help them last past 300k miles.

 

The cooler certainly helps, but I have seen my trans temp get up to 210 F climbing a steep hill on the highway without towing anything. The difference is that the temps recover quickly and drop to 190F. The 120 F midday temps don't help either.

 

One of my personal (and admittedly selfish) pastimes on Hatteras while on vacation.....watching dummies with their built out rigs, some with tiny tires and Carolina squat get hopelessly stuck in the sand because they don't think they need to air-down.

Give me a beach chair, a cooler full of beers and that to watch, and I'm good for hours...

TimG

 

Here in FL people are happy to get towed before they bother to dig out and air down. There are a lot of people willing to pull somebody out but beach tow companies still make a fortune.