For many 2017-2019 Ford Super Duty owners, seeing the transmission temperature gauge climb was a common and worrying sight. As Louie from Diesel Repair Narcoossee pointed out, “I don’t know if you guys have noticed that the temperatures on the transmission run well over 200 degrees even without a trailer.” Because of this, installing a new transmission cooler kit was a popular upgrade, and Louie recently walked through the entire process of fitting a Driven Diesel kit to a 2017 Ford F-350, showing every necessary step.

Making Room: The Point of No Return

After pulling the grille, the first real commitment to the job was cutting out the large plastic support bar to make space for the new cooler. Louie demonstrated using the cable saw included in the kit, and he gave a critical warning about why you shouldn’t rush this step with a power tool. “The reason you do that is because you don’t want to use a grinding tool or anything because the condenser is so close,” he warned.

Mounting The New Transmission Cooler Kit

With the plastic support removed, Louie prepped the new cooler by attaching the provided U-clips and mounting brackets. To get the positioning just right, he temporarily hung the entire assembly in place with zip ties. This trick allowed for easy adjustment before anything was permanently mounted. He showed the target placement for the unit, noting, “All right, so, they want it about a quarter of an inch between the upper bar and the lower bar.”

Tapping into the System

Perhaps the toughest part of installing this transmission cooler kit was plumbing it into the factory lines. After lifting the truck and clamping off the rubber hoses, Louie used a small tubing cutter to slice into the factory hard lines on the passenger side. The tight space made it a slow and difficult process that required a steady hand. It was a tedious but necessary step that Louie admitted took time, offering some relatable advice for anyone who tackled the job at home: “You’re going to have a lot of patience with these things.”

The Final Touches of a Clean Install

A good installation was all about the finishing details. After connecting the lines, Louie started the super duty truck to perform a thorough leak check before he reinstalled the grille. The final step was modifying the upper trim panel to clear the relocated horns. He explained why this was necessary before cutting the plastic with a Sawzall: “That upper panel, the trim panel, since we relocated the horns, it will not go in there anymore.” It was these final steps that separated a messy job from a clean, professional-looking installation.