Towing with Auto Transmission

[Rich]

I know it is fine to tow the basic box trailer and light loads around ok, but for the heavier tow items such as 2 tonne, does anyone know if a transmission cooler is required?
Rich.

[stressed_au]

I am thinking of putting on one soon for the just in case scenario, they help even without towing anything

[Dave]

don't they even have one?? i haven't really checked.

[TOMUCH]

I have not looked at an Auto yet... but I would strongly advise fitting a GOOD quality cooler if you plan to tow a big trailer any distance... the couple of hundred buck spent here is cheap insurance to protect your transmission... Stressed_au... yep you are right... less heat/ more fluid..... Tranny lasts longer... Cheers TOMUCH

[Rich]

I spoke to Toyota today and they said its only required if you tow heavy loads a lot.
Cost about $250 fittted.

Might get one anyway, will keep the transmission cooler if it is working hard even if not towing, like perhaps 4WDing in sand on the beach....

Rich.

[stressed_au]

Super Leb Auto, I mean Super Cheap Auto have them for abou $ 120 fit yourself

[saab463]

I recently towed an enclosed 3 bike trailer from Brisbane to Sydney. All was going well until I reached Newcastle. Trans light came on and trans started shifting erratically. Pulled it back to 3rd and backed off as bit and light went off and all returned to normal. Havnt had any issues since, but will prolly get them to change trans fluid at next service. Vehicle is a TD auto and trailer prolly weighed about 1000kg all up. Will also be fitting a trans cooler.

[Stu-k]

sounds like I will be getting one at the first service

[Rich]

I towed a car trailer today with my partner's car on it (that had overheated and cooked on the weekend) and all up probably would have been close to the towing limit of 2250 Kg's.

I wasn't sure if they had a transmission warning light, but saab463 you answered my question (unless this warning light is another thing they have added in the 2007 models!)

Rich.

[NMK]

I have had the A/T Oil light come on when driving on the beach through soft sand. Is this it? I just stop and sit for a while until it goes off, only have seen it when i have been doing alot of beach driving that day. It never came on when towing the camper in the sand with a fully loaded car though?

[NMK]

Just called my local toyota dealer, the guy in service didn't know anythin about them so he put me onto spare parts and i was told to go to repco. Are they very hard to install yourself?

[TOMUCH]

Mate for the piece of mind I would go to an Automatic specialist... they can fit a professional heavy duty system with a warranty and it will only cost a couple of hundred bucks...very cheap insurance for a $40K + car... and they can drain and flush the probably burnt ATF thats sitting in your tranny now... OR if you are determined to do it yourself... no its not hard to do.... if you have reasonable mechanical skills..... and the guts to cut your transmission cooler lines to plumb into them...Cheers TOMUCH

[Rich]

TOMUCH I read your post a couple of days ago and thought 'That's a good Idea, an Automatic transmission specialist - why didn't I think of that'.



We only have a couple here in Townsville and I rang them and one said 'oh, we have never done a new Hilux - sorry no idea' and the other one said ' yeah about $360 should get you one mate...'

So that good idea of your's didn't come off that good for me unfortunately.

Toyota quoted me $250 fitted, so If I get one, I guess its going to be through Toyota, that way, if the tranny still overheats they won't be able to blame someone else's transmission cooler as well...

Not as much choice up here and down south unfortunately.



Rich.

[TOMUCH]

Cheers Rich... $360...s#%t... I got one fitted to my Commodore Wagon about 2 years ago and it cost me $230 including a complete flush and service...and the cooler was so big it added an extra 2 litres of ATF to the system... Yeah If Toyota have Quoated $250...then you can't go wrong.. thats a pretty good price for genuine... I'd definately go with that..Cheers TOMUCH

[Naci]

@Rick:

the tow limit is 3000kg I suppose?

In Belgium it is 3000kg however.

[Rich]

In Australia it is 2250 KG's.

Well that is what my 2005 model is rated at, perhaps they have upped that too !

Cheers.

[Stu-k]

Nope 07 is still 2250 kg

[kazdan69]

I tow an enclosed go-katr trailer which fully loaded would be 1.5 tonnes or greater. Its roof is equal to the roof of the hilus and is about the length of a tandem (Bit shorter). I have driven to Canberra, New Castle, Griffith, Orange and many other places from Albury and towing seems not to be an issue with the Auto. (And I dont muck around when travelling, we sit on the high side of 110klms, and on those long back country roads .......) The only time the AT light has come on for me was in summer doing some long hill climbs in 4x4 where the frount wheels where workin thier ar5e of. But each hilux may be diferent. $250 doesn't sound like a lot for the cooler, is it any good though, is it mounted upfront so the fan draws air through or underneath (where all the heat sits)

[Rich]

I never ended up getting one mate, so sorry, I can't tell you.

Rich.

[NMK]

Bringing up an old thread but has anyone had this done yet/ got any feed back?

About to do a few long trips towing a trailer so i'm back looking at getting one installed.

I called my local automatic transmission specialists today and got quoted $350 installed.