Travel Trailer in my Future

Question

Good evening all,I have a 2009 Tahoe, 5.3 FlexFuel, 4wd, 6 speed auto, 3.42 gears.The vehicle has the Z82 towing package, but as best I can tell, does not have the additional cooling features (transmission and engine oil), nor is it listed in the RPO's (no KNP code). Looking through the grill there appear to be two "radiators", but based of pictures/descriptions, I don't think one is a tranny cooler.  I've asked a couple Chevy dealers, but not getting definitive answers.I'd like to add a tranny cooler without having to "cut up" the truck. My understanding is that's largely where the towing capacity comes from, per se, by keeping the transmission cool.Although we are only looking to tow a travel trailer with a "wet weight" less that 6K lbs, I'm looking to add headroom. Living in Phoenix, it can get hot.Any thoughts/recommendations?Thanks in advance.

cavemancharlie · Answer

The two radiators you see are: One is the engine radiator, for cooling the fluid in the engine. The second one is the Air Conditioners condenser, to make a long story short it makes the Air Conditioner work. The tranny cooler is built into the engine radiator. There will be two hoses from the transmission to one side of the radiator and there is a sealed tank inside the radiator that cools the transmission fluid using the radiator fluid. Too add a additional tranny cooler the hoses will be removed from the radiator and a T fitting added then there will be a cooler mounted in front of the Air Conditioner condenser and behind your vehicle grill. Any decent mechanic or radiator shop can do it. it's actually purty easy and I've done it myself before. They make kits for each vehicle that makes it even easier.

burbman · Answer

I would also plan on adding a trans temp gauge so you can see what's going on and when the trans is getting hot. By the time the light comes on the fluid is already toast. The 6L80 in the newer Tahoes and 5.3 vehicles is pretty sturdy and should be fine for towing 6K lbs. The tow package usually gets you a bigger radiator which means a bigger trans cooler inside the radiator as well.

I've never run hotter than 200 degrees on the dash gauge with the stock cooler even towing in 100 ambient temps, but then again Phoenix is a different ball game in the summer.

boostt · Answer

OttoB wrote:Although we are only looking to tow a travel trailer with a "wet weight" less that 6K lbs, I'm looking to add headroom. Living in Phoenix, it can get hot.This pretty much sums it up. You can buy after market trans coolers. I'm sure 1000 other people with the same truck added transmissions coolers. I just search some GM forums and try to find DYI instructions on what works.

scbwr · Answer

Finding a lightweight trailer with more headroom may be a challenge. You'll have to really compare specs from a lot of different companies/models. How much headroom are you looking for?

And, if you or someone else is in the 6'4" or taller category, be careful with showers. I'd say that would be a negative aspect of our Winnebago....I haven't had my adult 6'4" son try to stand in it yet...but I think it will be very, very tight!!

cmack · Answer

Being 6'1" myself I found headroom an issue in shorter length trailers. Even the shower bubble in them was too short. Dutchmen trailers have the height I needed which is why our current and soon to be delivered next trailer are both Dutchmen.

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Travel Trailer in my Future

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