FrazzledHunter
SILVER Star
Cool. I'll get some experience with this and wait until after the trip before I think about an aux aux transmission cooler LOL!
Towing with a 200-series Toyota Land Cruiser (9 Viewers)
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yes you are on the right track.I'm about to tow at high altitude this June so I'm asking about this and probably missing something so apologies in advance.
How does altitude affect the transmission temps? Altitude affects combustion, right?
I get that at high altitudes the engine works harder, so the engine coolant gets hotter etc...
I've experienced that first hand!
So:
Are those the issues with altitude and trans tamps?
- At higher altitudes the engine is hotter and the trans cooler in the radiator doesn't cool the trans as well.
- The air is less dense at high altitudes and the cooler in front of the radiator doesn't work as well.
Less air density=less power
less power=more pedal to do the same work
more pedal=more rpm and fuel
more rpm=more friction in engine, cooling system, torque converter, etc (work)
more work=more heat
this coupled with radiators are getting less dense air through them to remove heat.............also, boiling points of fluids are lower at high altitudes, which also is a factor.
one thing that you can do is while towing uphill or nearing and serious uphill, turn your ac off and turn your system to heat front and rear this will give you max cooling by removing most heat. yes it sucks but in a pinch in works well.
i think the coolor on the LC is very good, and an addition is not nessessary, unless you are using the LC for more than what you should.
They are beasts, but not indestructible.
FrazzledHunter
SILVER Star
This has been some great practical advice. I just hope I can put it into practice and not lose MY cool! 
FrazzledHunter
SILVER Star
Roger on the A/C - makes sense as A/C coils are in front of the radiator.
Ya know I forgot all about the heater trick. I remember my dad doing that when the family's 1968 Mercury Monterey (I know LOL) started to overheat on a trip. I've forgotten where we were going (probably Ocean City NJ) and why the car started to overheat but I never forgot turning on the heater in the middle of summer LOL. The car was none the worse afterward IIRC.
No frazzling while towing!This has been some great practical advice. I just hope I can put it into practice and not lose MY cool!
Dunbar
SILVER Star
If you can time your trip to pull the pass just before or after sunrise the ambient temp will be lowest of the day. There also might be less traffic so you can also drive slower without torquing off others pulling the pass.
FrazzledHunter
SILVER Star
You unwittingly hit the nail on the head. I have OBD displays up showing the various temps, gear, lockup etc... I have a tendency to look at those gauges causing my wife to holler " keep your <....> eyes on the road!".No frazzling while towing!
FrazzledHunter
SILVER Star
To which pass are you referring? The Teton Pass? If so we don't plan to tow over that. We DO plan to drive from Jackson to see it, however.
The route we're taking from Salt Lake City to Jackson is via I-15-RT 30-RT-34 to Freedom WY. That route has a couple of high spots but my understanding is that it's a bit easier than over the Teton pass. Plus I've always wanted to visit Freedom Arms.
I just got home from a 7000 mile trip from Michigan to the west coast and many points in-between. I was towing my 3500 lb camper with my '17 200 and had things well dialed in. I thought I'd do a quick summary of what I added to the 200/camper rig to make towing a good experience.
Firestone airbags in the rear springs help support the load; tongue weight of 430 lbs plus the camping/traveling detritus in the LC cargo area and 2 people with a dog.
Andersen WDH, primarily for its excellent sway control. It performed admirably, even in vicious cross-winds on I-15 in Idaho. The minimum amount of weight distribution I'm sure helped too, but I really like this hitch.
My Haloview wireless rear view camera is essential to safe towing, IMHO. Their latest model gives a clear, high resolution image from the camera mounted high on the camper rear. Bonus that it's useful for backing into sites and has an intercom for spouse directions. With the camera and the excellent side mirrors on the LC, I never lacked for a good view around.
Tireminder wireless solar powered TPMS. Knowing the trailer tires are ok is a huge stress-reliever towing. I also appreciate the easy to use TPMS built into the LC for its tires.
The Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller worked super. The adjustments it has allows for good brake set up so the LC brakes stop the LC and the camper brakes stop the camper. My wife and I both use engine braking in the mountains, so overall this was an easy trip for the LC brakes.
And one epic fail.......I purchased a Garmin 795 RV navigator and updated it right before the trip. It proved untrustworthy many times. We got directed into grocery store parking lots, mobile home parks, through heavy downtown traffic, and told us to turn exactly the wrong direction multiple times getting to campgrounds. A couple times it even got itself lost. All of which made towing with it yucky. My search for a good navigation system for towing/camping continues.......
And finally I would remiss if I didn't mention how great the 5.7L engine and 8 speed transmission are for towing. I never lacked for power, engine braking, or gear selection in a wide variety of situations. From Interstate, to playing around Moab, to getting into some sketchy campsites, to ridiculously steep backroads, that combo just works.
Firestone airbags in the rear springs help support the load; tongue weight of 430 lbs plus the camping/traveling detritus in the LC cargo area and 2 people with a dog.
Andersen WDH, primarily for its excellent sway control. It performed admirably, even in vicious cross-winds on I-15 in Idaho. The minimum amount of weight distribution I'm sure helped too, but I really like this hitch.
My Haloview wireless rear view camera is essential to safe towing, IMHO. Their latest model gives a clear, high resolution image from the camera mounted high on the camper rear. Bonus that it's useful for backing into sites and has an intercom for spouse directions. With the camera and the excellent side mirrors on the LC, I never lacked for a good view around.
Tireminder wireless solar powered TPMS. Knowing the trailer tires are ok is a huge stress-reliever towing. I also appreciate the easy to use TPMS built into the LC for its tires.
The Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller worked super. The adjustments it has allows for good brake set up so the LC brakes stop the LC and the camper brakes stop the camper. My wife and I both use engine braking in the mountains, so overall this was an easy trip for the LC brakes.
And one epic fail.......I purchased a Garmin 795 RV navigator and updated it right before the trip. It proved untrustworthy many times. We got directed into grocery store parking lots, mobile home parks, through heavy downtown traffic, and told us to turn exactly the wrong direction multiple times getting to campgrounds. A couple times it even got itself lost. All of which made towing with it yucky. My search for a good navigation system for towing/camping continues.......
And finally I would remiss if I didn't mention how great the 5.7L engine and 8 speed transmission are for towing. I never lacked for power, engine braking, or gear selection in a wide variety of situations. From Interstate, to playing around Moab, to getting into some sketchy campsites, to ridiculously steep backroads, that combo just works.
We're going to need pics!
2HundyJTex
SILVER Star
Good post. Thanks.
Which model?
- Thread starter
- #2,535
Your fat ass (rear axle) even exceeds mine. And here I thought 1200 over was pushing it
I’m suddenly feeling much better about my heavy rear end, you’ve got 800lbs on me. It’s Impressive what these trucks can do.
Surprised to see so much weight on the rear axle of the LX570 (front 3220 and rear 5820lbs). I would have expected your WDH together with around 1200 lbs tongue weight to have values more in the order of 3220 and around 4500lbs. Must be those gold bars you are carrying with you in the boot... Or the WDH being useless...
- Thread starter
- #2,538
I'm not shocked. I was at 3440 front and 4140 rear when I weighed last fall. I had some camping gear in the back but no more than 100# extra. My last trailer weight was 3320 front, 5520 rear, and 5560 trailer. That weight included 3 additional passengers (350#+) and a rotopax of fuel on the roof, plus the 100# for the WD hitch and bars. I can't recall what else I had... maybe some extra drinks in the cooler, but nothing crazy. The trailer had at least half a tank of water in the tank IIRC... We were on our way to BanffSurprised to see so much weight on the rear axle of the LX570 (front 3220 and rear 5820lbs). I would have expected your WDH together with around 1200 lbs tongue weight to have values more in the order of 3220 and around 4500lbs. Must be those gold bars you are carrying with you in the boot... Or the WDH being useless...
The best weigh ins are done back-to-back, but I rarely want to spend the time unhitching to get the truck weight at that moment. @TeCKis300 probably has done one. I probably should as I think my trailer tongue is getting heavier
Take a trip up to Glacier Nat Park and we can use my hitch to get your tongue weight
- Thread starter
- #2,540
I was up here there in 2021. Such a beautiful area.Take a trip up to Glacier Nat Park and we can use my hitch to get your tongue weight
Another member in here loaned me his Shurline tongue scale back in 2018 when I bought my trailer. At the time the empty TW was 780# with propane and battery on the tongue. I’ve since moved the battery inside under the fridge, but the trailer also has a lot of gear in it, and in the above example I also have probably 200# of water in the fresh tank in front of the axle. That was my heaviest weight and I bet my tongue was 1200#. Normally it’s probably 950… a more typical weigh in has my rear axle and trailer axle combined are 650# lighter
Practically i could unhitch on a scale, and also weight each individual trailer axle. It just takes time and when I’m doing 30 hours across the country I don’t want to spend the extra 20 minutes.
TBH sometimes I question how accurate the CAT scales really are anyway… I know they’re supposedly certified but I’ve had a very similar setup for years and as in this case Infind it hard to believe 20-25 gallons of water added 200# to my tongue and 450# to my trailer axle over my prior weight.
