Gearheads...help me figure out how heavy a camper I should be looking at,please!

[BigDaddyRog]

....
One final set of numbers that I've haven't seen discussed is what size and the ratings of the receiver is on your truck. ...
Larry

Actually, I dont yet have a reciever....and thats my next question.As Brady mentioned.....I plan to have a tranny cooler installed before I even purchase a any type of camper. Has anyone ever installed a tranny cooler? or is this something I should leave to the professionals? Also....Is any one reciever better than another? Is aftermarket good enough, or should I stick with Ford issued parts?

 

[BradyBz12]

Has anyone ever installed a tranny cooler?

DH has installed several and says "anybody can do it... pretty much. Look at JC Whitney online - search for B&M transmission coolers, stacked plate design - they have them the cheapest."

Is any one reciever better than another? Is aftermarket good enough, or should I stick with Ford issued parts?

DH again... "Drawtite, Valley and even U-Haul all work. They're all rated by weight categories. Just make sure it's rated for weight distribution type hitch."

 

[stacktester]

Actually, I dont yet have a reciever....and thats my next question.As Brady mentioned.....I plan to have a tranny cooler installed before I even purchase a any type of camper. Has anyone ever installed a tranny cooler? or is this something I should leave to the professionals? Also....Is any one reciever better than another? Is aftermarket good enough, or should I stick with Ford issued parts?

Rog I have a drawtite hitch and the sway bar that connects to it. I left the stirrups attached to my old camper but they're cheap. I'll give you a good deal. Half of what new is and it's in good condition. Don't let a dealer get you for $700 hitch work.

 

[LONE-STAR]

I bought my WDH for my trailer here and my elec. tongue jack. Best prices I could find.http://www.adventurervcenter.com/ I bought my goose neck turn over ball hitch here http://www.etrailer.com/ With a $150.00 or more shipping is free. Hitches are heavy so it helps.

 

[LONE-STAR]

Hitch http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2008_Ford_F-150.htm

Tran Cooler http://www.etrailer.com/tran-2008_Ford_F-150.htm

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I made a mistake...I already have a transmission cooler on the truck (I even posted pictures of it on here several months back, yep...the memory is the first thing to go).....but do I need a bigger one than what comes stock?

here's whats on it now...

 

[Doggmeat]

I made a mistake...I already have a transmission cooler on the truck (I even posted pictures of it on here several months back, yep...the memory is the first thing to go).....but do I need a bigger one than what comes stock?

here's whats on it now...

that kinda looks like a power steering cooler and not a trans cooler rog. trans coolers are typically small thin box shaped, p/s coolers are usually long and thin like that one is. look on the side tanks of the radiator for two metal tubes, 1 will be up high, 1 low. if those are present, trace them to where the go. straight back to tranny and you have the standard cooling package, if 1 line comes out and goes to that cooler you show(not sure it will) then you have what they call the "tow package". i worked on dodge/jeeps for 16 years and most of their tow packages had the line coming out of the rad to a nother cooler then back to trans, so i think ford has it the same way. oh and b&m coolers are good, you can also try hayden or tci coolers also. ive used hayden coolers and still do, not on my ram 2500(dont need it) but my other family vehicels all got them without issues.

 

[Gatordad]

Nothing like a concise and easy to understand answer. Impressive.

Are you a fan of sarcasm on Facebook? I am, please join.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Hitch http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2008_Ford_F-150.htm

Tran Cooler http://www.etrailer.com/tran-2008_Ford_F-150.htm

I bought my new receiver from E-trailer and was impressed with their service and price. I have heard that hidden hitch, putnam and Reese are all made by the same company now, if you order form E-trailer you may get any of those brands. IIRC the class III for your truck would be 5000# dead weight and 10,000 # with WD, easily handing any trailer you are looking at.

Someone may chime in on the Ford with info but I know that a Chevy truck that came without a trans cooler (my Avalanche supposedly had the towing package but didnt have one) can use a kit that GM parts sells that has the cooler and a new return line that is all plug and play using all of the OEM connectors. The hardest part of the job is routing the new line back to the trans.

I dont know how the U-haul dealers are in Y'alls part of the world but up here I tell folks to avoid them.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

As usual...you guys are right about the power steering cooler! So Im back to step one, building the tow-package.

Im craigslisting this morning and look at this.....I wish this was for real...but that price HAS to be some kind of scam. I'll let you guys know as soon (or IF) they reply.
Too good to NOT be a scam

 

[BigDaddyRog]

The listing has already been removed......that didnt take too long!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Roger, unless your F150 is significantly different than my 2005 F150, then the picture you have posted is the transmission cooler. I didn't post earlier because I wanted to go home and double check mine, but the lines on mine go to the tranny. I see nothing that could even be considered a power steering cooler on my truck.

 

[kc5grw]

I don't think I've ever seen a PS cooler on any vehicle I've ever had. I can't imagine the need for a PS cooler. Some really poor engineering if it would require a cooler for the PS.

I don't have a transmission cooler on my F350. No lines going from the tranny to the radiator either. Oh, that's right, it's a manual. No need to worry about frivolous items like tranny coolers.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I don't think I've ever seen a PS cooler on any vehicle I've ever had. I can't imagine the need for a PS cooler. Some really poor engineering if it would require a cooler for the PS.

I don't have a transmission cooler on my F350. No lines going from the tranny to the radiator either. Oh, that's right, it's a manual. No need to worry about frivolous items like tranny coolers.

I was thinking the same thing re. the PS cooler, Mike, but I'm no mechanic and didn't want to appear to be a bigger idiot than I am. I don't think I have ever seen a PS cooler.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

This post is going to make me sound like a girl.....because Im flip flopping. But with Jim & Mike posting this....I had to go back out and double,triple, and quadruple check.....THIS IS A TRANSMISSION COOLER!!!! This morning when I went out, I located the power steering pump and followed one of its hoses down to the general area of where the lines from this cooler are. Now, the area of where this coolers lines come out is a mass of other small pipes and hoses,and unless paying close attention...which I rarely do...it was easy for me to half-assed assume that the hose from the bottom of the power steering pump lead to the cooler in front of the truck. IT DOES NOT! It travels the width of the bottom of the truck, u-turns and goes back across the width of the truck and hooks into a connector for the front brake lines. There is another set of lines in this cluster that lead to the rear brakes....but none of these lines connect to the cooler. This cooler has 2 simple lines ...one going to the radiator...and the other traveling directly to the transmission. I took some video....but being under the truck with the phone doesnt make this any easier to follow!!! But Im glad Jim & Mike stepped up and assumed our trucks had the same general cooling system.

 

[LarryJ]

I don't think I've ever seen a PS cooler on any vehicle I've ever had. I can't imagine the need for a PS cooler. Some really poor engineering if it would require a cooler for the PS.

I don't have a transmission cooler on my F350. No lines going from the tranny to the radiator either. Oh, that's right, it's a manual. No need to worry about frivolous items like tranny coolers.

You might be surprised and your PS cooler IIRC is sort of behind your front bumper and lower than your A/C condensor, radiator, and intercooler. As I remember it's a U-tube fin type cooler. At least that's where it's located on PSDs with Auto trannies. Mine sets out front along with the tranny cooler and they are show here:

The stacked plate on the left is my tranny cooler and the finned U-tube cooler is my PS cooler.

Larry

 

[BradyBz12]

DH confirms that your pic is definitely the stock tranny cooler, but he says you can never have too many tranny coolers (90% of transmission failure is due to excessive heat). He suggests adding a super cooler in series with the stock cooler.

 

[Doggmeat]

heres why i thought it might be a p/s cooler:

this is the p/s cooler on my truck(not a ford, not a big fan of them,long story not a flame fest)

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Like I said, I'm no mechanic. I just have never seen a PS cooler before. For all I know, Ford has one hidden on my truck. I just don't know where they put it.

 

[Gatordad]

duh Jim, it's next to the whoositwatsit and the finnegan pin.