MODIFICATIONS FOR HAULING LOADS IN HOT
WEATHER
Many of us haul trailers during the summer months. If you do, make sure your
vehicle has been modified for hauling. Vehicles that have trailer packages built
into them usually have a beefed-up suspension, larger radiator, and auxiliary
transmission oil cooler.
The need for a beefed-up suspension is obvious. A trailer taxes the vehicle’s
suspension because of the extra weight from the tongue, not to mention the
weight that is dragging on the rear of the vehicle stressing the springs and
suspension parts. Excessive towing by a vehicle that is not built for it causes
premature suspension failure and excessive tire wear.
Hauling excessive weight also requires a larger radiator. Why? Because the
engine produces more heat as it works harder. The coolant heats up faster and to
higher temperatures. If the radiator is not big enough, the coolant passes through
it too quickly, and the coolant doesn’t have enough time to release its heat.
Consequently, heat builds up in the coolant and the engine overheats.
To avoid transmission damage when hauling a load, you may need an
auxiliary transmission oil cooler. When hauling a trailer load, the transmission
produces more heat because it’s working harder. Like the engine, the
transmission must be constantly cooled. This is accomplished by circulating the
transmission oil through an oil cooler located in one of the radiator tanks. If the
cooler is too small, then the oil isn’t cooled fast enough, and the transmission
overheats and cooks the internal rubber transmission seals to a brittle crisp.
Another effect of overheating is the actual burning of the transmission oil.
When it’s burnt, the oil loses its lubricating and cooling properties as well as its
ability to create hydraulic pressure within the unit. At that point, you might as
well pour water into the transmission because the oil isn’t doing anything
anyway.
Having adequate brakes is essential to any vehicle, and even more so for one
that is hauling a load on a trailer. When brakes get overheated because of intense
use, they crystallize, which causes “brake fade.” The friction material gets so
hard from overheating that it doesn’t stop the vehicle. No matter how hard you
press the brake pedal, the vehicle keeps moving. Picture that happening while
cruising down one of the mountainous highways in West Virginia. Makes you
want to check out your brakes, doesn’t it?
“Toy” Trailers: If you’ve put many miles on the roadways in the summer,