Towing Issues: after-market towing package, transmission oil coolers, transmission coolers

Question
Shayne:
 I have read your responses to others' inquiries and was impressed both with your knoweldge of towing and the humor with which you dispense it.
 I am in the market for a used, recent model Ford Ranger with a 4.0 liter engine for use as a tow vehicle.
 Given the long list of 'musts' that I have (body color, interior trim, cruise control, etc.), I realize that the chances may be slim that I can find a vehicle with all the right features, plus a factory-installed towing package.
 While I have had hitches installed on previous vehicles, I am less familiar with transmission oil coolers.
 Could you give me some idea of the cost of installing a complete towing package on a Ford Ranger or similar size vehicle? And can you tell me how prevalent such businesses are that perfrom this service?
 Thanks for the help.
Keith E


Answer
Keith,

The Ford Ranger does not have an all-inclusive tow package.  With or without, there is still no wiring for a brake control, also I believe it comes with four-prong wiring whether equipped with a hitch or not.  

Transmission coolers are fairly simple to install and any reputable mechanic should be more than capable.  I even carry kits with all required fittings and hoses, as well as straps that will mount the cooler directly to the front of the radiator or a/c condensor.  

As far as pricing, I can give you my pricing as an example:

Class III/IV Hitch rated to 4k# or 6k# with eq: CAN$201.55
Installation : CAN$42
Ball and mount: CAN$35
4Prong Tee-connector (if not fact. equip) : CAN$21.84
Tranny cooler kit (rated up to 18k# GVW) : CAN$85.52
The tranny coolers I sell are not the cheap tube and fin design, but rather the fluid in plate design that allows much better cooling (13,000 btu) and has a cold weather bypass built in so that it will not overcool the fluid and prevent the tranny from reaching proper operating temperature.  

So essentially, if I did the installation of everything, you would be looking at CAN$491.14 plus taxes, if you installed everything it would be CAN$344.66.  

Of course, I cannot guarantee that these prices will have any bearing on your local market pricing.  

It is hard to say how easily you will be able to find a towing product supplier in your area.  That said, I am in an city of about 600,000, and a region of more than 2 million (The Greater Vancouver Regional District) and there are a whole slew of companies that offer these services (RV shops mostly) and 3 or 4 of us who specialize in the towing field.  

Best of luck,
Shayne Peterson
MobileHitch
http://www.mobilehitch.ca/