Use seperate lines on your air bags or when you corner the weight shift to the outside will compress the air to the inside bag and actually exacerbate your problem.

 

Yes if you overfill or it gets hot the fluid will dump out the vent. Thats what its supposed to do and why there is a vent. Check the trans fluid when it's at operating temp . You prob dumped enough fluid so it should be close now but if it was a heat problem it should show low or not at all on the stick. 10 qts should have been too much for just a filter change . Normally 7-8 if you drop the pan.

BTW as others have said get the air bags . Well worth the money. The Superlift is what I used and had the compressor and was able to adjust left to right .

 

Thanks a million for the advice and feedback on what the problem with my tranny might be. Due to the iratic way the leak occurs I am almost certain that the vent is the source of the problem, I am experiancing a combination of heat due to the RV and the overfill condition after a filter change.

Future mods based on this thread:

1.) Transmission temp guage.

2.) Air bags with compressor and independant circuits for each air bag. (prevents shifting of air pressure when shifting loads)

3.) 4.30 gears

4.) New exhaust

5.) Software for tuning engine under load

6.) Continue to research propane injection (add EGT guages)

7.) Wait until F450s are more affordable and attractive to justify the $57K - $60K price tag!

 

I have 4.1 gears in my 06 6.0 DRW 4X4 and I would trade you for your axles if they would work. Or just the ring gears. Just throwing that out. If not JawsGear in Sacramento CA seems like a reputable place to do the ring gear swap.

 

Just a note. Got my truck from the dealer for service the other day. Firebaugh Ca. Westside Ford has a F450 King Ranch on the lot. Loaded except moonroof and rear entertainment. PM me and I can set you up with the Service Manager (friend of mine) for a purchase. Another friend of mine just purchased the most beautiful King Ranch f450 with every possible option. Got it in San Diego Ca.

 

OneTon, I know every state is different. You might want to check your states laws and what not before you upgrade to a F450 unless its what you really want to do.
This is just me and my state. @ years ago Alabama tried to make everybody with pickup trucks with registeried trailers get DOT stickers on them. Their campaign consisted of sending everybody registered trailers w/ the DMV a letter stating by sertain time{I believe it was may of 06} to get the stickers. They also used media for the campaign. They got it pushed thrue the govenor cause the DOT stickers are free and it would be a cheap way of keeping up with over half of the vichiles on the road. Here in Alabama 3/4 of the vichiles are trucks. The cattlemen accosiation beat this mandate. Cause DOT is federal not state. If you put a dot sticker on you truck DOT goes by the GCVW rating on your truck so you have to tag it for that weight. Well here in Alabama that would have made most of us spend around $120 more for our tag. Alabama is pretty smart. Just a regular tag under 8500lbs is just $65 where a under 20,000lb tag is $185. If your not commericial then why is DOT going to be messing with you? THe weight rating on your truck is just a rating specified by Ford. Your state might not even allow that much weight. Your GCWR is inpossed by your state and it goes for every body not just by truck models. For example on a state road here in Alabama you can weigh up to 88,000lbs provided you are tagged to pull that much. But on the federal roads {interstates} you can only be the legal 80,000lbs. Now that goes for eveyone. Your weight should be decided by your tag. I dont see a statetrooper pulling you over and looking in your manual and saying your over weight by what Ford suggest. In Alabama for you to puller your camper it is a chose for you to make. The only reason I'm wasting this space is there is a few legal claims in this thread and they just might not apply to you.
As been said the F450 has the 6.0L and I do believe the auto has the TS 5 speed just like your F350. I "think" the only difference is in some supention upgrades there might be some to the brakes I'm not real sure. I've tried to find the differences with out much success or there really is'nt a big difference. Now I'm sure the small difference makes big results in the end. But still both brake systems are hydrolic the only major difference they could make would be size of rotors and calibers which would make larger pads. I think the 06 or 07 model 350s are rated either 24000 or 26000. So its not a craved in stone rule that your truck is unsafe. And it sounds like your on the way to making it rather safe.

 

Hey OneTon4Fun,

There are many trucks that run hotshot with the F-350 dually like yours and they run well over 30,000.

Take a look on the towing forums on this site. This issue has been kicked around for some time.

 

An additional option for braking could be the addition of sloted brake rotors that can increase stopping ablility while towing. This should help offest the F350/F450 variation. I can't help but wonder if the F450 has stronger axles especially in the rear. In my opinion, if I can get my F350 modified to easily pull my rig to my saticfaction I will stay with it. The points made about stickers and wieight limits in different states are a logistical mess. I am not going to be on the road 24/7 nor traveling across country. I live in North Carolina and plan to go RV'ing in Georgia,Tennessee, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Virginia. I will continue to use my F350 as long as I can and if I stay with the toy hauler I will move up to a F450 at some point. I may trade over to a normal 5W and get something a bit lighter.
North Carolina is most nickel-and-dime state I have ever lived in, gas taxes are the highest in the southeastern U.S. In keeping with their money hungary tax rate, I run a fully waighted tag for my F350 and must pay $194 smacks. The price is based on the me running maximum weight every time I get in the truck! I know of no one who runs the max weight all the time. So the state is making money on me when I am running empty. I rarely run at or beyond the limit.
I will make sure my stuff is safe, I have too much to loose. As far as DOT looking me over, I run the same risk as everyone to be pulled for a weight check. I am OneTon4Fun not for hire, I pull an Recreational Vehicle to do just that recreate. I plan to travel in the early hours of the AM every chance I get.

 

OneTon remember RV's are exempt from DOT commerical rules. If your not for hire and the trailer has RV tags DOT will not even look at you.
To be safe is up to you and what you need to do to be safe . That may be differnt for other people.