What do I need to tow 10k???

[hpcbmw]

I bought my 2000 F250 w/7.3 to tow a fifth wheel. Loaded weight of the fifth wheel is just under 10k. My truck is basically stock w/147k miles. I've changed the diff fluid and transfer case fluid and replaced with synthetics, put in an AFE intake, did zoodad and ccv mod. Truck has stock exhaust, no cat, but full muffler.

I believe these trucks came stock with trans cooler, is this correct? Is the cooler enough, or do I need an aftermarket one?

I've got a boost gauge and plan on getting a trans temp gauge - or I might get the glowshift 3 in one gauge.

Do I NEED a trans cooler? Do I NEED the addtl gauges? Anything else I NEED?

Where is a good location for a trans temp gauge sensor?

I'll be towing the trailer rarely, but when I tow, it will probably be from Sacramento, CA, elevation 100 to Lake Tahoe, over a 7000 ft pass.

Thanks for any ideas/input.

[ridiculously_necessary]

you need a tranny cooler. your truck has one but many reccomend an upgrade. i think the 6.0 cooler pretty is popular, hopefully others will chime in. or just a larger aftermarket one.

for your application you need tranny temp, and pyro. mount the pyro probe in the drivers side manifold, collector area. boost guage is advised, but sounds like your covered there. i think there is a port on the drivers side of the tranny for a temp guage? not 100% sure on that.

[mas360]

Yes, there is a temperature gauge port on the driver side of the tranny.

My next door neighbor has been towing his 10K goose neck trailer for a year. He does it straight stock truck without any extra cooler, gauge or chip. He has not towed it over mountain pass though.

If I tow my 7,000 lbs travel trailer over a 7,000 ft mountain pass I definitely would have extra cooler and gauge installed. Overheated tranny dies really quick and it is very expensive for a rebuilt unit. Cooler and gauge expense is small change.

[Austinj427]

Remember,

These trucks were designed to pull loads like that.

But a tru-cool tranny cooler wouldn't be a bad idea. I think they are 120 bucks on dieselsite.

[my97blowsblack]

You dont NEED any mods to tow that much. Your truck will happily do it stock. Pay attention to your stock (idiot) gauges at least though.

BUT putting a trans cooler and at minimum a trans guage would be cheap insurance for an expensive tranny though. Stock coolers are small, and stock gauges dont give the actual temp so I dont like to trust them....

[big sig]

You can see my few mods in my sig. I want gauges and a chip but I have no need for them when towing 15k+. I have all the power I need and I know thats what these trucks were built for. My 2002 F250 CC SB 4x4 is rated to tow 13k and a combined rating of 20k. Tomorrow I will be towing 18k on it and I have no worries about it.

[Dietoremain]

i have a trucool tranny cooler and i agree its good insurance.

[hpcbmw]

Yeah, looks like I'll get the $120 trans cooler at Dieselsite, plus install a trans temp gauge I've got in the garage somewhere. Towing up 7000 foot Donner pass has me a little worried about the trans, so will do the cooler inline with the stock cooler for the extra insurance. Thanks for the input!

[merc123]

Check out my signature for the mods that would help. I bought this stuff simply to enhance my towing, not to be the fastest diesel around.

The Dieselsite cooler is just fine and get a set of gauges. I never knew with my stock truck that my EGT's would reach 1200 but they do.

[colinmitchell111]

seriously i wouldny worry about 10k through any mountain pass with a stock truck.. thats the only thing these were designed to do!! plus you are under the factory tow rating and they put that limit under any conditions. just drive it smooth and not hot roddin it up the mountain. this almost sounds like a post on a nissan titan forum.