I have a 2000 F350 SD long box, 4drs and 4WD with a V10 / auto. I just bought a 38 foot boat. The truck really does a nice job towing this 13,000lb load, but I am concerned about the transmission. The truck has 90,000 miles now, but never hauled anything prior to my owning it at 80,000 miles.
Trans fluid is clean and does not smell burnt, but a couple weeks ago I had to stop for a red light on a hill with the boat in tow. When I tried to get moving again, the tranny shuddederd a bit before getting moving.
Does any one know how much abuse the tranny will take ?
What about the cost of a re-build ? I know the GM trans is "stupid" expensive to re-build.
I really like this truck, and would like to keep it, but I'm a bit concerned hauling my latest toy around.

 

Make sure you have enough cooling and change the trans fluid (including the fluid in the torque converter) every 30k miles and you should be fine.

 

that shudder may have been the positrac un locking and locking back up if you happened to have rolled backwards a bit,my 06 shudders all the time when I back into my driveway.

 

I am thinking it might be the tourqe converter shuddering. That is my guess.