Anybody else run type F transmission fluid

That may be true for some, but not all. Type F, at least the stuff I sold, has viscosity index improvers. Basic hydraulic oils don't. Using a hydraulic oil that is thin enough to work in a cold transmission in the dead of winter will likely thin out too much to work well fully warmed up in summer. Some more advanced hydraulic oils have VI improvers, but the common cheap stuff doesn't.
Yep, Different Friction Coefficients/ Modifiers