NEED HELP ~ Transmission cooling & filtration options

[tigger4x]

CURRENT SET UP : 1974 J-10 long bed 401/th400/QT with trans cooling through radiator and aux cooler

My transmission fried and I want to be sure to do all I can to make this swap as durable of an upgrade as I possibly can; think OVERKILL. I have already ordered a deep trans pan thru BJs Off Road (THX RYAN!) and am looking to improve cooling and filtration as well. I am not thrilled my with current set up with the engine and transmission transferring heat back and forth. I don't want to run an aux cooler that straps to my radiator either. I really don't have the ability to fabricate brackets and what not so I am hoping for an aux cooler that will be relatively easy to mount. I have seen some inline finned aluminum units, but I'm not really sure where to mount it or which unit(s) to run. Whether I run a standard aux cooler or a finned unit(s) separate from the radiator I'd also like to have additional filtration to the pan filter.

As much as I have two basic ideas of which way to go I really am not sure which may be the better route to take or if there is something better out there that I am missing. With all of that being said I'd really like to hear from you guys as to stuff you are actually running on your rigs and anything you may have done and learned not to do again. THANKS!

[jaber]

Hey Tigger, good to hear from you. Hows the J truck you got???

In my work truck, I put the 425 Caddy BB with the Caddy TH400. I am running a stock Jeep 4 core rad with the ports switched for the GM engine. I have my tranny lines going to a stock '85 GW trans cooler, then into my rad then back to the trans. In the 5 years I've run this combo, I have never had a problem with heat. I have pulled in excess of 7K with my bumper and it felt right at home with the load.

[letank]

Worried about heat, you are south... then bypass the radiator and connect your lines directly to the auxiliary trans cooler. As for brackets, I copied the OEM style bracket using simpson framing ties IIRC from Home depot... or whatever home center and use zip ties. When I installed the auxiliary on the 74 which did not come with the external cooler, and it goes to the auxiliary then return to the main coolant radiator. Still the stock trany....

The only time I felt the trany heating the floor was running thru sand and trying to keep the speed constant at 25mph, I could feel the wheels spinning.... and a few minutes latter.... it was getting warm... slowed down.... and the cab cooled down.

As for extra filtering.... you can put a drain plug on the deep pan so it is easy to replace the filter more often. In fact the last filter that I installed specified replacement at 10Kmiles...

Ideally a transmission oil temp gauge should be a good way to monitor your set up. I bought one 10 years ago... but never installed it... the sender is a magnet... so it can be secured on the trany pan.... may be time to clear the project bin.

Just an after thought, will the deep trany pan clear the cross member?