when in the woods do you keep O/D on or off? ive been using it with it off cause thats what lots have told me and seeing that i blew a trans months ago when i was first getting into this becaust i over heated it and blew the overdrive gear up, i assume this is correct info haha... anyway my real question is, is there anything i need to be watching out for, do the trannys take in water when u go throguh water etc etc and how do you prevent that? is it possible to eliminate that tiny trans cooler underneath and relocate it to the front of the ac condensor and upgrade it to bigger? this is all for 2wd obviously to hense my user name. pointers please

dave

 

anyone ??????????????

 

it's usually better with it off, you'll have more torque, but also to be safe, transmisions are usually sealed pretty good. you dont want the fluid getting out, so fluids dont det in too easily either. I'm sure you could jerry rig a new system if your mechanically inclined. i'd put it in the bed if your really a serious off roader, but i'm sure your not, else you'ld have a maunal 4wd.

What is your engine size, and what model is it, ext cab, long bed, stx?

 

2.5 liter, regular cab, short bed, 2wd

 

any other imput on this anyone?

 

Well imo I'd keep the OD off, when off roading.

The tranny is a closed system, so unless you have an opening/crack in the pan, gasket, tranny case, or a loose dip stick, you shouldn't be getting "stuff" in there.

Now the differential is another matter. If you immerse it completely, you can get "stuff" in it through it's "vent"!!!!!

So if you think that's happened, you better have everything back there cleaned up inside, including the axels & bearings, or the crud will eat em up soon!!!!!!

On the tranny cooler, keep it's fins clean, so you get as much air flow over it as possible.

If you do this often & for long periods & you think you need more cooling, because of low speeds & working the tranny pretty hard, like spinning your wheels, rocking back & forth, or creeping along at low speeds in hot weather, you might consider a larger low restriction, temperature controlled, flat plate cooler, along with a full synthetic tranny fluid.

A upsized, low restriction, flat plate cooler, because it's more efficient & offers less fluid flow resistance, than a tube & fin cooler & temp controlled, so you don't over cool the trany fluid in cold weather & a good full synthetic fluid, as they'll usually take more heat without breaking down & varnishing, guming & sludging things up.

Then you'll want to have a filter & full tranny fluid change out done, on at least the "severe service" schedule, sooner if you offroad frequently.

Good luck on tranny life, wih your vetures your going to need all the luck you can muster, so hedge your bet with some good equiptment & fluids, they'll likely pay for themselves in the long run.

Just some ideas to ponder!!!!

 

ok one more question. you said the rear diff has vents, how about the tranny? i know some cars have vents on top of the bell housing but i guess the bellhousing is sealed separately from the actuall transmission? so theres no way for fluid to get in or out unless the pan is leaking? i just dont want to mess anything up im just getting into this stuff and liek to not hurt anything haha so sorry for the dubm questions. and your idea of underwater is??? cause i mean i dont go thorugh any lakes or anything but there probley is times when i go through mudd/water where my backend and trucks is completely destroyed in water so if there is vents ontop of the trans to let water in it probley is splashing in from underneath of the car... sorry if this is all stupid, and as for the rear i guess i should probley clean that out then

 

By "immersed" I meant "covered"!!!!

If the mud or water was deep enough to cover the differential housing, it's possible some got in through it's vent.

I don't know which replacement tranny you had installed, but I don't think any had vents, if they do I'm sure someone will correct me on this.

I suppose you could seal up the differential vent when you go off roading. Or slow down some, when fording a creek or plowing through a mud hole, or ponding water.

Or just stay out of the woods with your two wheeler, if it doesn't have the off road package!!!!!

If your going to do off roading any way & going by yourself, a removable winch wouldn't be a bad idea either, sooner or later you'll likely need one.

I've seen them rigged with a front frame mounted towing hitch & reciever, so it can be easily & quickly removed, that way you don't have to lug the wench weight around all the time.

More thoughts to ponder!!!

 

i usually go with a group of friends never by myself like you said im only 2wd, so your making fun of me for off roading a 2wd=(

 

well, they are good, the whinch, even 4wd can get stuck, 2wd is just ballsy when going off roading with in of those. it's best to head out with a friend who had a good car even, not neccicarily a truck, i got mine stuck once(shocked aint ya), but a friend in a Sable pulled me out(more shocking). If i had had the winch i wouldn't have needed the tow.

 

thats pretty funny, yeah id never go out by myself, id be camping out over night

 

what does the 4x4 rangers have differant besides gaurds underneath and a front axle and transfer case? i know somene on her etold me theres quite a few 2wd off road guys here is this true?

 

I'm i bet alot of people go offroading in 2wds. i wouldn't unless it was a secondary vehical. i bet i do have better gaurds than you, only because, you would expect a 4wd owner to go offroading, not so much as with a 2wd owner. besides, it's more expencive to fix a 4wd drive system. so you protect it better. but i never owned a 2wd truck so i'm not sure

 

yeah thats def true, well im gonna chane my fluids this weekend since i havnt done it in a while anyway and seal everything up nice and good since ive been doing alot of trail riding lately. i'll clean up everything and use some kind of sealer with a new gasket and same for the back