I'm about to get a class III hitch installed and since ill be pulling some pretty heavy stuff I wanted to get a tranny cooler but I was wondering if it makes a big difference between the "heavy duty" and "Regular duty" tranny coolers? Its almost double the price in difference. The HD says its rated for towing up to 5000lbs or something and the Regular for 3000lbs, or in that area... So does it really make a difference?

 

its possible you have a tranny cooler from the factory, but not likely if youre truck didnt come with the towing package. that is, an auxiliary one, you do have one built into your radiator as well

i would get the better cooler, without looking i can only guess that the cheaper one is tube and fin and the more expensive one has stacked plates. you always want stacked plates, they perform SOO much better than tube and fin coolers. if youre going to spend the money and take the time to install it, do it right the first time and get a good cooler.

 

get the BIGGEST trans cooler u can fit and i agree with the stacked plate cooler. also, might wanna change ur fluid and filter while ur at it. dont forget with the cooler it'll take a little more ATF.

 

atf? im looking at the ones from UHAUL and they both look the same...

 

automatic trans fluid...

i saw a few at advanced auto that looks promising.

 

if it has fins on it that are as thin as alum foil that bend easy, dont get it. it would prob be cheaper at an autoparts store anyway

 

u want one that looks like this

 

mmmm, stacked plates...

 

uhaul claims thats both models are stacked plates... its just seems the same but theyre trying to upsale some of their stuff...

 

I use exclusively Earl's coolers. I have a 19 row cooler in my Ranger for tranny and a 9 row in my 350Z for engine oil. I even have a 12 row Earl's in my homebuilt plane for engine oil as well.

Spendy coolers but it beats the snot out of tube/fin styler coolers when it comes to heat exchange efficiency