Tireguy1000
Junior Member
I have an 01 2500 Diesel. I only use it for towing. I tow about 11K (trailer & load weight) downhill from Big Bear into Lucerne Valley every week as I haul off scrap tires. If you are not familiar with this grade it is very tight and steep in areas. As much as 16% grade. I put it in 1st gear and engage the aftermarket BD Diesel Performance 2033137 Brake. It does a great job idling down the mountain for about 30 minutes.
Here's the shortest version of my issue LoL. I did this for 5 years until the stock trans started slipping and over heating ( It lasted 230K Miles). Towards the end of the stock trans' life I'd get the "TRANS TEMP" light on the way down. Never on the way up with a 4500LB empty trailer. Only on the way down with the loaded 11K trailer. I went ahead and spent the money on a rebuilt trans from a reputable shop. I told them I wanted a billet converter and ANY upgradable parts so I won't be back for a decade or so.
On the very first trip down the mountain with the loaded scrap trailer with the rebuilt trans the "TRANS TEMP" light came on! This was 2 days ago.
My question is this, How is gearing down heating up the transmission?
Here's the shortest version of my issue LoL. I did this for 5 years until the stock trans started slipping and over heating ( It lasted 230K Miles). Towards the end of the stock trans' life I'd get the "TRANS TEMP" light on the way down. Never on the way up with a 4500LB empty trailer. Only on the way down with the loaded 11K trailer. I went ahead and spent the money on a rebuilt trans from a reputable shop. I told them I wanted a billet converter and ANY upgradable parts so I won't be back for a decade or so.
On the very first trip down the mountain with the loaded scrap trailer with the rebuilt trans the "TRANS TEMP" light came on! This was 2 days ago.
My question is this, How is gearing down heating up the transmission?
