I'm looking for ideas about hauling my snomobiles to the races this winter. I've currently got a '95 Legacy wagon with an auto tranny and about 140,000 miles on it. I figure a trailer with two sleds on it will weight about 1000# (We're talking vintage sleds, not that heavy.). I'm wondering as to whether my high-mileage auto tranny will take the 150 to 200 mile one-way runs over several weekends this winter or not. The other option I'm considering is looking for a used Outback wagon with a standard tranny, and either sell or swap my Legacy. Personally, I'd feel more comfortable with a standard tranny. I like being able to pick my own gears when towing a trailer. Obviously, the AWD is a definite plus towing a trailer in the winter time. So I'm looking for opinions from people that have towed trailers with a similiar weight with their Subes. Will my current Legacy do the job, or should a go shopping for an Outback? Thanks in advance for your advice.

I'd do it!

 

Probably I'd do a fluid change to synthetic, and add an external cooler though. Actually I'd recommend those two things to any auto trans, anywhere.

Your currently legacy could handle it just fine. For good measure though, I'd get an external transmission fluid cooler and I'd change to synthetic fluid.

 

Just take it easy when you're going up hills.

I would think the Legacy would handle that just fine. I'd add the cooler and use synthetic ATF as mentioned on any vehicle, towing or not, but I think you might be able to get away without it if you're towing only in the winter.

 

I do have a medium size cooler on '96 Legacy, and in the winter, say 30 deg. F. day, the ATF fluid exiting the AT doesn't even get above 100 deg. F. (In the summer say 90 deg. F. day it will reach 180 deg. F though).

fluid change and a cooler. Modern trannies arent like older ones, they arent affected by sudden work after a life of leasure. But with trailer towing do change your fluid every year.

 

nipper

I have the same thing a 1995 Legacy that I have a canoe trailer for. What I need to know is how do I wire it up for trailer lights. Any one know how to do that. I only have to this Wedesday night to get it done.

I wouldn't waste my money on a cooler just yet. Instead I'd get a gauge as you're stating you wanna use it in winter to haul snowmobiles. If with a gauge you're running above 160 or so on the highway and spiking in the low 200s on hills and in traffic then a cooler would be wise. Otherwise you'll run the risk of not having warm enough fluid which is just as bad as having too hot of fluid.

what he said..., 1000 pounds of towing in the winter and through hills calls for knowing what you're dealing with before making any decisions. keep your fluid changed, ATF temps right like he says and you should be golden if it doesn't have any existing issues.

That's something I've been meaning to ask about - overcooling an automatic trans. I was going to put a cooler on mine just for grins and a good feeling but if it's going to overcool the fluid in the winter then I won't.

 

That is, if overcooling is really a bad thing. Opinions?

That's something I've been meaning to ask about - overcooling an automatic trans. I was going to put a cooler on mine just for grins and a good feeling but if it's going to overcool the fluid in the winter then I won't.

 

That is, if overcooling is really a bad thing. Opinions?

 

if you put it in parallel it wont overcool, it will keep it stable, as the radiator will be pumping heat into the fluid.

 

If the tranny fluid never warms up, you will get late shifting, and maybe not get lockup. But then again i dont know where the threshold is on the temp sensor in the tranny. In 70 degree constant temp, my car shifts normally, so if the threshold is that low, it may not be possible to overcol the trany unless you live in alaska.

 

nipper

 

nipper

if overcooling is really a bad thing.

noone is going to have quantitative analysis on what can happen or the percentage of failures to be had if you "overcool" versus do not overcool. but what we do know is the engines and transmissions are designed to run at a certain temperature, with a certain amount of coolant, a certain amount of oil and to diverge from that for no reason is risky.

 

yes...you can run with one quart less oil in your car. yes you can run with a half gallon of coolant less than normal in your car without issue, yes you can drive with 3 out of 5 lug nuts on a wheel....for a long time. but who wants to know what happens if you do it over the long term?

 

ATF acts as a hydraulic fluid, coolant and lubricant, it's doing triple duty and auto trans are sensitive, i like being on the safe side of the transmission. that's why he's saying figure out your temps and go from there.

AT fluid temp guage. who makes them ? and how much?

 

noone is going to have quantitative analysis on what can happen or the percentage of failures to be had if you "overcool" versus do not overcool. but what we do know is the engines and transmissions are designed to run at a certain temperature, with a certain amount of coolant, a certain amount of oil and to diverge from that for no reason is risky.

 

yes...you can run with one quart less oil in your car. yes you can run with a half gallon of coolant less than normal in your car without issue, yes you can drive with 3 out of 5 lug nuts on a wheel....for a long time. but who wants to know what happens if you do it over the long term?

 

ATF acts as a hydraulic fluid, coolant and lubricant, it's doing triple duty and auto trans are sensitive, i like being on the safe side of the transmission. that's why he's saying figure out your temps and go from there.

AT fluid temp guage. who makes them ? and how much?

benebob just posted info on this about a day or two ago. search for that thread, it has a link. i don't know off the top of my head.

AT fluid temp guage. who makes them ? and how much?

 

Gauges are plentiful. Word of caution, on gauges that are critical, dont go cheap. You can go cheap on an alt or voltage gauge. You can go chep on a mechanial oil pressure gauge, you cant go cheap on temp guages or electrical oil pressure gauge.

 

Sunpro Sun VDO Autometer to name a few...

 

nipper

if you put it in parallel it wont overcool, it will keep it stable, as the radiator will be pumping heat into the fluid.

 

If the tranny fluid never warms up, you will get late shifting, and maybe not get lockup. But then again i dont know where the threshold is on the temp sensor in the tranny. In 70 degree constant temp, my car shifts normally, so if the threshold is that low, it may not be possible to overcol the trany unless you live in alaska.

 

nipper

 

nipper

 

I can overcool my SVX and no I don't live in alaska. In fact I'm south compared to you. Going through the radiator helps to warm it quicker but I can still drive for 20-30 minutes without lockup in the winter.

I can overcool my SVX and no I don't live in alaska. In fact I'm south compared to you. Going through the radiator helps to warm it quicker but I can still drive for 20-30 minutes without lockup in the winter.

 

in the winter i can go 15 minutes without lockup depending upon how cold it is.

SVX has other trany issues to cause issues. i know that there is a thermostate for engine oil coolers (popular air cooled vw option) for external oil coolers.

 

nipper