Recommended Transmission Cooler and Weight Distribution for Towing Pop-Up With 2003 Ford Windstar

Question:

Hi, I just bought a pop up camper with a dry weight of about 1550#s. The van does not have a tow package. Im am hearing from every forum I need a Trans cooler. My questionis which one will work best for the 03 windstar. the van is rated for 2000# without the tow package, but I would like to play safe. Also, is a weight distrubution hitch needed? The van sits pretty low when loaded up. Do you think air bags would do the trick for that?

asked by: William F

Expert Reply:

Adding a transmission cooler is an excellent way to protect and prolong the life of your transmission for little cost. A transmission cooler is not a vehicle specific item. Since a transmission cannot be over cooled, we recommend choosing the largest and most efficient cooler that will fit in the available space. Since the ideal spot to mount a cooler is directly behind the grille in front of the radiator and AC condenser, you will need to measure that area to determine how much room you have available.

The Derale Plate-Fin transmission cooler, part # D13504 would be a very efficient but reasonably priced option. The cooler measures 11 inches wide by 12 inches tall, and is 7/8 of an inch thick. For the 3.0 or 3.8 liter engine, Derale recommends the # D13014 Radiator Adapter Fittings.

I have linked you to some FAQ articles about transmission coolers that you might find helpful.

If the loaded and ready to tow weight of your camper is greater than 1/2 the 3720 lb curb weight of your Windstar or if the rear of the van squats or compresses more than a few inches when the trailer is loaded, a weight distribution system is recommended. An air bag suspension is more appropriate for supporting weight carried in the cargo area of your van. For combating the squat caused when a trailer is hitched, a weight distribution hitch is a much better option. The first step in choosing a system is to determine the fully loaded and ready to tow tongue weight of your trailer, plus the weight of anything stowed in the cargo area behind the rear axle of the Windstar. I will link you to an FAQ article that shows how to find your trailer tongue weight. Once this figure is determined, you choose the right system for your needs.

Ideally, you will want the loaded tongue weight of your trailer to fall somewhere toward the middle of the effective range of the system you choose. Lets say that the loaded tongue weight plus the weight of the gear behind the rear axle in the cargo area comes to around 250 lbs (which probably is not too far off the mark). The Reese Steadi-Flex system, # RP66558, is an excellent choice for trailers with tongue weights up to 450 lbs. The system is economically priced, and will help your pop-up resist trailer sway caused by crosswinds and passing traffic, as well as distributing the trailer tongue weight evenly between the front and rear axle of your vehicle. The weight distributing shank is included, but the 2 inch trailer ball, part # 63845 is sold separately.

I have also linked you to our Weight Distribution FAQ article.