Ge99ne

I don't think mine has a cooler & I have the towing package. At least there's no obvious extra hunk of aluminum radiator, like on my older vehicles. You should be fine with a pop up. I tow a camper that's pretty close to the max, & has more than the reccomended frontal area. It still does fine. Towed through the mountains (east coast granted) fine on the way to camp jeep. Also ran 70 to 75 for 4 hours coming back from PA with no discernable issues. The only gripe I have is the auto tranny with it's big jumps in gear ratios. I manually shift it lower myself to avoid the 5k shift rev.

Laughingstok

Owners manual for 2008 Wrangler X without tow package reads up to 2500 pounds if I'm not mistaken.

Blue

The odd thing is that some people with the auto and tow package got a tranny cooler and some people didn't. It sounds like some people got screwed. The don't call them them the Stealership for nothing. I'd raise hell with the dealer if I were you.

Blue

Since you are in SoCal and the temps can get high around there, I would get a cooler and if you do, go with a stacked plate design. I lived in Yucaipa for 4 years.

Blue

That's a possibility. We need to get one of the guys that got the cooler to chime in on there window sticker.

woody_k

Blue, thanks.

I live in Redlands, neighboring Yucaipa, and it does get hot. I was hoping to avoid the extra expense but that does make sense.

Gene, Thanks for the info. I too would probably manually shift the auto trans when needed. BTW Do you O/D and did you turn it off?

Ge99ne

The only time I tow with overdrive on is on declines. I figure there's so little load on the drivetrain, why throw the exra revs in there if I'm not pulling a load.

I don't remember the manual requiring it be off for towing. I think it mentioned turning it off for excessive hunting. You will probably be able to use it with the much smaller profile of a pop up. I tow hybrid camper that's near the limit & an elclosed trailer 6x10 that's maybe half the weight of the camper. At highway speed they start to feel pretty similar. Around town before wind resistance really kicks in good, there's a huge difference.

I think I'm running about 3k at 70. Unless the tranny downshifts. Then it's pretty close to the redline when it drops down a gear.

azyjjk

I have a 08 on order with the tow package. When I selected that option I asked the dealer if it had a bigger radiator or a transmission cooler (auto). He said there was no difference, only the hitch.

woody_k

I believe the radiator thing is true with most if not all tow packages on all vehicles. My 1998 Dodge came with a tranny cooler on the tow package but the radiator was the same size on all 3 models of Ram trucks (except the Cummins).

I haven't started looking yet but I wonder if there is an aftermarket tranny cooler for the JK...or if the tranny has "ports" to install the oil lines.

racer83l

I have an '08 with tow package..

it doesnt say tranny cooler on the sticker but I changed my headlight bulbs

so I removed the grill, my JK does have a transmission cooler located infront of the radiator.

dont know if the non tow pack JK's are any different, as I have never compared