Acceptable transmission temps

I just installed a trailer break controller in preparation for towing a trailer loaded with a couple quads. I see a lot of guys on here with their scanguage monitoring their trans temps while towing, but I never see any mention of what acceptable temps are, what the max they'd allow is, etc..... HELP!!!

 

Are you towing below rated capacity and not extremely steep and slow roads? then, dont worry about it much, enjoy and do a fluid flush every 60k

 

Just a couple ~800lb quads on a 14ft trailer. I'm still curious what temps would make these guys overdoing it say "oh shit"

 

so 2600lbs tops? I wouldn't worry at all.

 

195* degrees the tranny thermostat should open and start circulating. I try to keep it 220* or lower. Fluid starts to really degrade at higher temps according to charts I have found.

 

I've always gone by the rule that if its exceeding 100* over ambient its too hot and time to add a bigger cooler.
the newer trucks don't have the external transcooler and just the one in the radiator, adding the earlier "towing" package one in line isn't that expensive or difficult.

 

He's got a 2019 so if he has the tow package he's got the separate transmission cooler.

 

I haven't looked for the transmission cooler but I do have the tow package. It sits in front of the radiator?

 

Looks like a mini radiator up front passenger side. Also somewhere, I think in towing, there is a thread about pinning the transmission. Meaning you can push the thermostat open and push a finishing nail or 3/32" drill bit through the tiny hole to hold the thermostat open at all times.

 

That may be true, but these trucks have a thermostat that doesn't even circulate the oil through the cooler(s) until it hits ~190 degrees.

 

I think people worry about this too much. If it makes you feel better, this is how manufacturers determine the towing capacity rating.

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard/

 

Reminds me, it’s about that time of year i should unpin my trans thermostat

 

Mine regularly runs at 180, under high load while towing on a warm day I have hit 225 with around 3500lbs behind. Thats lifted 295's and mild build weight aswell.
But that corrects itself pretty quick.

 

That chart is IF you run the temps for 1 hour straight! Hitting higher temps for a few minutes is no big deal. I have seen 245 at the TQ and 230 at the pan for a few minutes towing an 5,000 lb trailer over passes. And yet according to TW the universe should have imploded. Yet we are still here.

 

I was not trying to imply that if you hit temp x the fluid is toast. The chart shows higher temps degrade the fluid faster. By monitoring temps you have a better sense of how hard you have run that fluid.

 

I understood that for sure. Have see that chart so many times without context.