Ok so my front bumper is rusty and I've been looking at replacing it with a move front bumper or similar ranch bumper .. But then I ran across a video on YouTube by duramax tuner saying don't do it or you'll have overheating issues when towing . For anyone with a aftermatket bumper Whats y'all's take on that ?my truck is an 05 lly and towing up in the pa mountains with 7500 pounds behind me I've had no issues ever .
Ranch bumpers and overheating?
- Thread starter 70ssclone
- Start date
I run a frontier on my 01 LB7. Never had a problem with my trans or engine getting hot yet. Even towing 26k. Put it on after I hit a deer and trashing my whole cooling stack with a stock bumper no grill gaurd. Towed 16k today and it was 105* here and trans never got above 202* and engine never above 210* i really didn't see much change in temps with going to the frontier.
No problem just make sure your cooling stack in clean. I can't see your sig but since it's a lly, a lbz or aftermarket mouthpiece is something to look into along with a intake like s&b.
I have had the truck for 6 1/2 years now and actually the LBZ mouthpiece was my very first upgrade due to weird coolant temp fluctuation
Also have a frontier on mine. Regularly tow 8k+ and never have an issue. Trans got warm once, but that was on hilly back roads. Towed 15k a bunch last summer and never had an issue.
They can run hotter.
I had a home built bumper similar to a older style fab fours/arb and it ran hot. I cut a 5"x18" hole in it.
Put a fab fours elite winch bumper on my LMM and seen what it would do, trans ran 10-20 degrees hotter. Cut the same size hole in the front plate on it
I had a home built bumper similar to a older style fab fours/arb and it ran hot. I cut a 5"x18" hole in it.
Put a fab fours elite winch bumper on my LMM and seen what it would do, trans ran 10-20 degrees hotter. Cut the same size hole in the front plate on it
Both trucks were set up almost identical. 35's, 1000+ lbs in the bed at all times, heavy foot and towed 11-12k several times a year.
Trans in the LLY would run around 200-210 towing (still had a factory cooler) I had a hard time getting the motor hot.
Everything heats up a little on the LMM- 200-210 on the trans, and same with the motor.
My trucks were under more load than others with the tires and weight.
But unless you're driving in the mid west with no hills, I'd expect some extra heat without adding holes for the cooling stack to breathe.
What I would ask myself is how much is it worth to you not to over heat? Do you just not go with a HD bumper or do risk it and overheat a little once and a while when you hit the big hills towing. Which you could always put some $$ into it to make it not overheat. Really with only 7500 I don't see it being a big problem at worse you might have to take your foot out of it while towing.
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Gotcha , my truck sits on 295s and I mostly only tow a jeep or my chevelle on a car trailer . Most time the Trans is 80-100 over ambient but never over ( tow haul keeps it cooler I guess because the converter is locked ) my engine stays cool never saw it go above 200. My father has an 04 and only time I saw it get hot was towing 2 k5 Rock crawlers on a 40ft goose total towing weight of around 18k pounds. The gauge was damn near pegged on a pretty good grade north of Harrisburg but as soon as we hit peak it cooled right back down . I will say that before we both did the mouth piece mod that temps were all over the friggin place .
I never noticed any different with my full ranch hand or my tough country "bull bumper". We don't have mountains but it does get hot. Pulled the cooling stack on my regcab, power washed it and put on a new fan clutch couple years ago. Truck runs under 200 degs pulling 25k in a 95 deg day.
Original fan clutch?
Recommend replacing it with Hayden #2886 ~$100 via Amazon or summit
Trans temp should float ~100° above ambient give or take... seeing ~180° on a ~80° day would be normal for normal driving
Recommend replacing it with Hayden #2886 ~$100 via Amazon or summit
Trans temp should float ~100° above ambient give or take... seeing ~180° on a ~80° day would be normal for normal driving
My trans temp went up 10° with the grille on vs off on my LMM i avg 90° above vs 80° above
Yes. Love it in the summer hate it in the winter. Takes forever to unlock on first start up. Truck also runs consistently 5-10 deg cooler when it's cold out.