Transmission Cooler Installation

[kendrickson]

I need to put a transmission cooler in my truck. I am planning on using a Hayden 679 or something comparable. My question is: Should I go through the effort of hard piping the new lines, or can I cut the rubber section on the original return line and then just use hose clamps? I am concerned about the connections leaking down the road if I cut the rubber and use the hose clamps. I'm sorry if this has been covered in another thread...I did not see it.

[txab]

Does your truck have a factory cooler on it now? Rubber hose connections are used all the time on these applications. I've never had a problem with leaks

[kendrickson]

Does your truck have a factory cooler on it now? Rubber hose connections are used all the time on these applications. I've never had a problem with leaks

 

No, it didn't have the towing package, so I have to add the components myself. The easiest would be to cut the rubber section on the return line and run hoses to the trans cooler...I just hate to "ruin" the the return line, especially if I am going to be prone to have leaks doing it that way. However, if leaks are rare, it is probably the best way for me to do it at the moment. It's also cheaper than a new transmission to replace one that's burned up.

[txab]

If your concerned about the hose connections, you can get fittings that would allow you to just tie on to your existing fittings at the threaded hose end and at the radiator fitting.

 

Take a look at this.

 

It shows adapter hardware on page 69, I think.

[Starrman]

tranny fluid isn't under high pressure so the rubber/hose clamped lines will be fine. If concerned about leaks, use 2 hose clamps with the gear opposite from each other.

 

I replaced my stock cooler with a bigger Hayden and used short pieces of the included "tranny cooler line" rubber hose with hose clamps to go from the stock hard lines to the cooler input/output nipples. No leaks.

[WaterGuy]

This is what I recently installed.

cooler

 

I cut the hard lines and used the included compression fittings to hose. I bypassed the radiator completely. The kit does include fittings to connect to the radiator.

 

I heard from my trans guy to avoid the "cut tubing and slip-on the hose w/clamp" method. He had some horror stories to tell.

 

Best price I could find was at Summit. $256.00 delivered.

[Starrman]

plain smooth cut tubing with no "bulge" or bubble flare type ridge on it will be more likely to leak.

 

I didn't cut my tubing...when I removed the stock fittings it had a "bulge" on it about 1/2" from the end. That "bulge" helps keep the line on and not leak

 

My Hayden stacked plate 11x9.5" cooler cost about $60 from O'Reilly's

 

Depending on where you live you may want a thermostat controlled bypass to the cooler or run it through the radiator first. If you live in a climate that gets cold in the winter than an external cooler will keep the fluid too cold and will be bad for the tranny. Running through the radiator will actually get it up to operating temp quicker in cold weather.

 

I live in St. Louis and when the weather was 90+ and very humid my tranny temp would be about 150-160 on the Hwy and 170-175 around town. In cooler 70's degree weather it runs about 120-130 on hwy and 150's around town

[solarjustin]

The other year i added the factory cooler to my truck with the factory hard lines. Go for cutting in with rubber tubing. The hard lines were not easy to get in at all!

[jrod332]

where would a factory cooler be located in a 05 crew cab

[txab]

In front of the radiator