Towing Too Much - Transmission Fail

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se7en
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:37 pm
Location: Vancouver BC

Re: Towing Too Much - Transmission Fail

Postby se7en » Thu Jun 25, 2020 3:02 pm

Thank you, ship and smj.

I will never tow over 3500 pounds again. However - driving for 6 hours through the rockies - changing 1km of elevation in 10 minutes and a few times throught the drive - i would imagine this could push things too far...
Maybe my transmission is not as good now as it was... So I'd like to be certain it will not happen again - at 3500lb total.
The only way may be shelling out a few hundred for the bully device someone mentioned...


wilsonjwco
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2023 7:57 pm

Re: Towing Too Much - Transmission Fail

Postby wilsonjwco » Sun Jul 30, 2023 8:10 pm

A ScanGauge II ($160) works great as a temperature monitor. We've pulled a 3900lb RV (dry weight, I should weigh it loaded some time but I'd guess it's over 4500lb) all over Colorado, Wyoming and some of Utah and Idaho with a 2012 R51 over the past 2 summers without transmission issues (so far). I just back off if I see it getting above 215 degrees F and get the fluid flushed ASAP if it spends much time above 220.

(By the way it's amazing how much transmission heat is affected by gear selection and torque converter lock up. )


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