Add a transmission cooler to tow Casita Camper?

[MedicineMan4040]

Bought yesterday, and very soon to drive to very warm Texas and haul home a Casita.
My Ranger is the 2.4L.
Should I consider adding a transmission cooler? I know Mishimoto has the universal fit stacked plate
model. They look very affordable and this is something my local mechanic could easily knock out (I think).

Or is the Ranger's (I've never owned a Ford before) transmission solid?
There will be no major mountain ranges on this trip unless there has been some strange geological
event in Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama I don't know about.
Only mountains we'll deal with are here at home in s.w. Virginia (and most of those are nothing compared to our
driveway=steep!).

I've got a month to get ready and can put this on my list of things to do between now and departure.
Assuming it wouldn't hurt my warranty?
Thanks for any thoughts.
Robert

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6XJG3JP/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

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[CACTUSGREYFX4]

Your Ranger either has the 2.3 or 2.7 not a 2.4. I have had mine for 16 months with no problems.

 

[HotPepperLariat]

Bought yesterday, and very soon to drive to very warm Texas and haul home a Casita.
My Ranger is the 2.4L.
Should I consider adding a transmission cooler? I know Mishimoto has the universal fit stacked plate
model. They look very affordable and this is something my local mechanic could easily knock out (I think).

Or is the Ranger's (I've never owned a Ford before) transmission solid?
There will be no major mountain ranges on this trip unless there has been some strange geological
event in Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama I don't know about.
Only mountains we'll deal with are here at home in s.w. Virginia (and most of those are nothing compared to our
driveway=steep!).

I've got a month to get ready and can put this on my list of things to do between now and departure.
Assuming it wouldn't hurt my warranty?
Thanks for any thoughts.
Robert

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6XJG3JP/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Robert,
Welcome to both the Ranger and Casita family. I have a '24 Ranger Lariat with the 2.3 and a 2005 Casita 17' Spirit Deluxe which we picked up at the Casita factory. We've towed it with three different vehicles: a 2001 F150 with the 4.6 V8, a VW Touareg with a 3.6 V6 and the Ranger. The F150 pulled it like a dog. I absolutely hated towing with it due to a mismatch of engine torque and the 5 speed manual trans. The VW Touareg pulled like a charm including a 12,000 mile trip to Alaska and back. While we've only towed 5,000 miles with the Ranger including a trip to west Texas and back to Virginia, it surpasses towing with the Touareg due to better low end torque and the 10 speed trans. You do not need a transmission cooler on the Ranger. The Casita is well within the tow, tongue weight and payload limits.

Happy camping days ahead!

 

[AugPal]

With a 2024 Ford Ranger XLT 2.3 engine I've been towing a 3500lbs 22ft 192 RPod travel trailer without any issues. I usually keep the speed at 63mph towing

 

[MedicineMan4040]

Ok gents, thanks! I'll put the transmission cooler monies on the retractable tonneau Rod thanks for the glowing report/comparison to the other TWs you've had. Driving to Alaska would be a dream, though we have driven from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay on one of many trips we done there. Of ever bored, maybe worth a 30 second scan- https://www.flickr.com/photos/medicineman4040/albums/72157639067658694/with/10094925425

 

[bigb]

I looked into this as I plan to tow also.

The factory transmission cooler is an OTC heat exchanger and bolts to the side of the transmission and has 2 nipples with orings that seat into the transmission, then has coolant hoses routed to it. It is not a standard "in the radiator" OTC cooler where you can just tap into the lines. So you would have to have a kit that fits the holes in the side of the transmission and clamps down to convert to hoses running to an OTA cooler, plus you would lose the OTC cooler

.

The only kits I've seen are made in Australia and in Australia Rangers have different engines than ours, including diesels. Not sure if the transmissions are the same and I emailed the company that makes them to ask if it would fit a US Ranger and he replied that he didn't know.

I decided to just monitor the transmission temps, if this is not available on the instrument on demand gauges I will use a Scangauge III at least until I see how it does with the factory cooler.

https://automatictransmission.com.au/heavy-duty-transmission-coolers/

 

[Jason B]

I looked into this as I plan to tow also.

The factory transmission cooler is an OTC heat exchanger and bolts to the side of the transmission and has 2 nipples with orings that seat into the transmission, then has coolant hoses routed to it. It is not a standard "in the radiator" OTC cooler where you can just tap into the lines. So you would have to have a kit that fits the holes in the side of the transmission and clamps down to convert to hoses running to an OTA cooler, plus you would lose the OTC cooler

.

The only kits I've seen are made in Australia and in Australia Rangers have different engines than ours, including diesels. Not sure if the transmissions are the same and I emailed the company that makes them to ask if it would fit a US Ranger and he replied that he didn't know.

I decided to just monitor the transmission temps, if this is not available on the instrument on demand gauges I will use a Scangauge III at least until I see how it does with the factory cooler.

https://automatictransmission.com.au/heavy-duty-transmission-coolers/

One of the screens available will show a bar graph for trans temp, oil pressure, and boost. I just don't remember which one.

 

[MedicineMan4040]

Jason thanks. I've got one of these en route https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076XVQMVS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title Hoping I can push some screen buttons and get an idea or two of whats going on temp wise. I looked at ScanGauge2 but didn't like any of the places on/near the dash I could put it.

 

[Jason B]

These are the gauges I mentioned. It's in the Off Road menu, so maybe it's only on 4x4, and maybe only FX4, which is what I have.
You access it by pushing the menu button on the right side of the steering wheel, and use the up/down arrows to navigate.
As I said, it's just a bar graph with no scale of actual temperature. I'd guess what you see here is normal after a 40-minute drive home in 97 degree summer.

 

[MedicineMan4040]

Jason, what am I seeing here. Oil temp on the right, rpm's on the left, and you're heading northwest but not very quickly Need more info, but it's better than nothing I suppose.

 

[Bushmechanic]

Jason thanks. I've got one of these en route https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076XVQMVS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title Hoping I can push some screen buttons and get an idea or two of whats going on temp wise. I looked at ScanGauge2 but didn't like any of the places on/near the dash I could put it.

That's a shame. The Scanguage 2 is one of my favorite electronic devices, in general.

Essentially, it's perfect from every perspective. I see very few products I can't criticize, but this is one of them.

 

[bigb]

Jason, what am I seeing here. Oil temp on the right, rpm's on the left, and you're heading northwest but not very quickly Need more info, but it's better than nothing I suppose.

For some reason all I get is the audio. The video flashes for a split second then just the audio appears, even with my popup blocker disabled.

edit: used my phone and saw it. I agree, I want numbers. I wish the bigger dash screen with the 4 round gauges had been available in other trims besides Lariat.

 

[bigb]

That's a shame. The Scanguage 2 is one of my favorite electronic devices, in general.

Essentially, it's perfect from every perspective. I see very few products I can't criticize, but this is one of them.

I have a SG III which I'm going to try and if there's no good way to mount it I'll try Torque Pro or Forscan. I like the TP gauges and layout best.

 

[MedicineMan4040]

Jason, what am I seeing here. Oil temp on the right, rpm's on the left, and you're heading northwest but not very quickly Need more info, but it's better than nothing I suppose.

Aarrrrg. It's a video. At first I thought just a screen shot. Color me daft. Watched the video and had sound. It's a cool graphic....I still want numbers.

 

[Jason B]

Aarrrrg. It's a video. At first I thought just a screen shot. Color me daft. Watched the video and had sound. It's a cool graphic....I still want numbers.

Yeah, I should have stated it was a video, and I was parked in my driveway.
I want a real tach too, not just a bar graph where you have to guess the RPM.
Instead of having the digital speed in the center, wrap by another speedometer around it, they should have had it be a tach.

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