I towed a boat this weekend - 2008 Reinell 207 LS. 3,380 empty weight + 1,102lb trailer + 240lbs of gas +100lbs of gear in boat = 4,822. In the car I had me = 200, my wife = 120, my two toddlers = 50 and 40 and tubes, ice chest, etc. so probably 550lbs
I installed a B&M tranny cooler and an autometer digital tranny temp gauge.
I towed the boat to canyon lake in AZ, about 40 miles one-way from my house. About 20 miles on a freeway and 20 miles on a 1 lane road. It is a steep climb up to the lake on a winding road. The outside air temp was 75 going to the lake and 95 coming home.
My tranny temps got up to 215 on the freeway. On the flats i would put it in 5th and climbing overpasses it would drop into 4th. I drove 65mph. Climbing the road up to the lake and back, i was in 2nd or 3rd and my tranny temps got up to 230. The cooler worked great, because as soon as I would back off the throttle, the temps would drop percipitously - down to 200 in 20-30 seconds, but climbing a hill, they would climb back up just as fast. So the idiot light isn't set for 230 as it didn't come on.
Overall I was satisfied. I wouldn't tow the boat up to lake powell from phoenix (a 7,000ft climb and 400 miles), but I felt fine towing it from my house to the lakes around town. I do wish I had a V8 for that extra "margin" of safety.
I installed a B&M tranny cooler and an autometer digital tranny temp gauge.
I towed the boat to canyon lake in AZ, about 40 miles one-way from my house. About 20 miles on a freeway and 20 miles on a 1 lane road. It is a steep climb up to the lake on a winding road. The outside air temp was 75 going to the lake and 95 coming home.
My tranny temps got up to 215 on the freeway. On the flats i would put it in 5th and climbing overpasses it would drop into 4th. I drove 65mph. Climbing the road up to the lake and back, i was in 2nd or 3rd and my tranny temps got up to 230. The cooler worked great, because as soon as I would back off the throttle, the temps would drop percipitously - down to 200 in 20-30 seconds, but climbing a hill, they would climb back up just as fast. So the idiot light isn't set for 230 as it didn't come on.
Overall I was satisfied. I wouldn't tow the boat up to lake powell from phoenix (a 7,000ft climb and 400 miles), but I felt fine towing it from my house to the lakes around town. I do wish I had a V8 for that extra "margin" of safety.
