What does the factory tow package consist of?

[kingbee]

I'm looking for an AWD Astro or Safari, and some that I've been looking at have a tow package. Can anyone tell me what that includes? I'm especially interested in the final drive ratios. I'd like to find a van with 3.73s and I'm wondering whether they were standard with the tow package. Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Dave

[Kidhauler]

Yup the tow pack is 3:73 gears a trans cooler, and trailer (wiring minus the plug) in the jack storage spot in the rear of the van. Also there is a blue wire that runs up to the front of the van and comes out under the carpet right by your Ebrake this is for wiring in a trailer brake controler. you use that line to put the power to the brakes. It also has a fused 30amp power wire to the rear of the van for charging your trailer battery while driving.

Unless you are going to tow something heavy like a travel trailer or a car trailer on a fairly regular basis you should think hard about the 3:73 gears. I have had them in 3 out of the 4 vans I owned and they are hard on gas. I had one van with 3:23 gears in it and it got 6-7 mpg better on the highway. My 99 with 3:73 and a posi gets the whopping 18-19mpg on the highway which is disgusting for a vehicle this size it should get atleast 24-26mpg on the highway.

[kingbee]

Thanks for the info. The reason I'm considering 3.73s is that I plan to do a 2" lift and install 235s, so the lower f.d. will be partly compensated for by the larger diameter tires. It's probably not super critical either way as I have no plans to go to any bigger that 29" tires, and I don't need to tow more that about 2000 lbs. But I'm wondering whether 235s on 3.42 will put it at a bad rpm range at 60 mph- you know, where the trans wants to go in & out of OD at the slightest change in throttle. If anyone has the combination of 3.42 gears and 235 tires, I'd like to hear how it works out for you. (Maybe I should post this question over in AWD/4X4)

Cheers,
Dave

[LiftedAWDAstro]

If you can find a van with 3.73's you will be much happier. If you lived in a flat area and didn't have to deal with any hills then 3.42's would be ok. In the SPB, I had 3.42's originally and when I went to 30 x 9.5's, I was running in 3rd all the time to keep the trans from shifting. I would only use OD on the highway and not when towing. When towing a 2-place clamshell snowmobile trailer, I could only get 9-10 mpg. I then switched to 4.11's and my mileage went up to what it was with 3.42's and was even better on the highway. Thing is, we have no flat land here!

[Philly758]

Yup the tow pack is 3:73 gears a trans cooler, and trailer (wiring minus the plug) in the jack storage spot in the rear of the van. Also there is a blue wire that runs up to the front of the van and comes out under the carpet right by your Ebrake this is for wiring in a trailer brake controler. you use that line to put the power to the brakes. It also has a fused 30amp power wire to the rear of the van for charging your trailer battery while driving.

Unless you are going to tow something heavy like a travel trailer or a car trailer on a fairly regular basis you should think hard about the 3:73 gears. I have had them in 3 out of the 4 vans I owned and they are hard on gas. I had one van with 3:23 gears in it and it got 6-7 mpg better on the highway. My 99 with 3:73 and a posi gets the whopping 18-19mpg on the highway which is disgusting for a vehicle this size it should get atleast 24-26mpg on the highway.

So... If I have the tow/haul package on my 2000 GMC Safari Safari AWD, then I already have a trans cooler installed? Just double checking because I know that everyone stresses the need for a trans cooler, and I am driving a light trailer across the country next week so I was planning on installing one. So, can anyone confirm that I do in fact have a transmission cooler installed? Thanks.

[Cobra]

I'm 99% sure you will have the in rad cooler like the rest of us (if i'm wrong someone show me the light) everyone suggests adding a large aux transmission cooler since the in-rad one just doesn't cutting it for towing

[astrozam]

I'm 99% sure you will have the in rad cooler like the rest of us (if i'm wrong someone show me the light) everyone suggests adding a large aux transmission cooler since the in-rad one just doesn't cutting it for towing

Exactly And if you do have an aux tranny cooler installed ,it should look similiar to this ( pic stolen from Roy,lol )

[Philly758]

Expecting a "yes" answer, but I'll ask anyway... So chances are my in rad trans cooler won't cut it towing a 6'x10' enclosed haulmark, with a handful of mountain bikes/camping gear/etc from Connecticut to Colorado, 30 hours straight? It is a mostly flat drive, but my concerns are with the continuous driving and the current temperatures.

Currently planning to buy the following, which I can have by tomorrow night. They are cutting me a deal on it since they only have an open box that has seen better days in stock, but they have have assured me everything is in there.
http://www.importperformancetrans.com/i ... ail&p=1903

I leave Friday night, July 9th, so this is kind of last minute. I hope all of the how-tos are as easy as they sound...

[astrozam]

That aux tranny cooler will be fine, the install is not difficult, just familiarize yourself with the basic procedure and you should have no problems. Let us know how it goes

[astronewbie]

The aux trans cooler is a very easy install LiftedAWDAstro Posted a great how to in the transmission section with excellent pics that are very descriptive.

[Philly758]

I've located and read all of the how to's and have found several different pictures of the aux trans cooler in place. If it wasn't for all of the information on this forum, I wouldn't be trying to do this myself.

To be honest, my biggest concern is getting the grill off without breaking it.

I'll post some photos when I'm all done.