Automatic transmission question

[fowljesse]

This is off topic, because I am buying a truck to pull my travel trailer, and the one I'm looking at had run low on tranny fluid. The guy I'm buying it from said it was shifting funny, so he took it to a mechanic that found it was low. He added fluid, and it hasn't had an issue since then. It is a Ford F250 that seems to be in great shape. Should I trust it to pull my trailer up a 6,000ft pass?

[Ryan]

Ford transmissions over Chev

Either way, it should make it wherever you want it to go. Just keep in mind that the fluid went somewhere... leaky leaky.

[fowljesse]

Thanks Ryan. I'll be climbing passes up to 6,300 feet, in up to 90 degrees heat.

[crazycanadian]

This is off topic, because I am buying a truck to pull my travel trailer, and the one I'm looking at had run low on tranny fluid. The guy I'm buying it from said it was shifting funny, so he took it to a mechanic that found it was low. He added fluid, and it hasn't had an issue since then. It is a Ford F250 that seems to be in great shape. Should I trust it to pull my trailer up a 6,000ft pass?

What year F250? what motor? Is it a light duty F250 or not? Its really going to depend on what transmission is in the trunk... Generally transmissions don't last long after they have been run low and topped up... Usually there is a reason why they went low... Some ford transmissions are known for blowing out the front pump seal and puking fluid out... Sometimes they will seal them selves back up, sometimes they wont...

Right now the best transmission/motor combo on the market is the Chev Durimax diesel and Allison transmission...

[stepchyld]

I'd vote for a diesel as well. Though fuel is higher (which is BS- and a tangent I'm not gonna jump on), the mileage would closely balance it.
A trusted truck man buddy of mine recommended to me a Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel. Good handling, and great manners when hauling a load. He ended up driving one, hauling a loaded trailer, and as a Ford man, he had to tip his hat to the Dodge.
I never bought one or drove one, so I can't relay any personal experience on it.
On a note, I had a 92 F150 with auto. It leaked some fluid. After I changed fluid and filter, it still didn't shift right with consistency, hit-and-miss. I later traded it, and a few years later found out from a guy who had traded to get it, the tranny did eventually fail.
I'd suggest if you want an auto, find a different one, one that doesn't have a recent tranny issue, especially since you'll be towing a travel trailer.