Recommended Transmission Coolers for 2009 Nissan Armada SE 2WD Towing Travel Trailer

Question:

I have a 2009 Nissan Armada SE 2WD. This Armada was purchased with the towing system straight from the manufacturer and it can tow up to 9,100 lbs. A couple years ago i rented a tent trailer and fully loaded it didnt weigh more than 5,500 lbs so naturally the Armada barely noticed it was back there. I just bought a 2018 27foot Forest River travel trailer and fully loaded it will reach about 7,500 lbs. On the way home from picking up my brand new trailer i noticed that the transmission temp needle was creeping up towards the H during the stop and go areas of the city. In the freeway it did fine but on stop and go it was heating up. I know my Armada can tow this trailer but i need to keep my transmission fluid cooler. What transmission cooler would you recommend for my Armada??? Thank you..

asked by: Ruben

Expert Reply:

We can help you with a supplementary transmission cooler for your 2009 Nissan Armada SE 2WD to reduce its operating temperature when you tow your new Forest River travel trailer.

For a standard passive cooler that mounts in front of your AC condenser I suggest the Derale Class III model # D13503. This will provide significant additional cooling of your transmission fluid. For a higher-capacity passive option the Class IV model # D13613 is a good choice.

If you happen to often tow in the mountains, desert areas or if you must do some stop-and-go city driving for your usual travel you might consider a higher-capacity Class V fan-powered remote cooler such as their # D13960.

There are advantages to remote fan-powered coolers. You can install them pretty much anywhere since they do not rely on passive air flow to do their cooling. Also the fan operates whenever necessary based on the transmission temperature and cools regardless of your driving speed. In long low-speed hill climbs this is a huge advantage over passive coolers. You can refer to the linked articles on coolers for additional background to help your selection.

No matter which cooler you select I recommend having the transmission fluid changed at the time you do the cooler installation.