Towing Tune Question
 

I have a question about towing with the 87 or 93 octane tunes. Is there a limit on what you can tow with these tunes...or can you not tow with them at all? Basically I'm wondering if I should buy a custom tow tune to tow my 2000lb boat or is that not enough weight to make a difference?

Jerod

i don't think that weight will be a problem for a perf tune if you have one. i have a 87 tow tune, but haven't even tried it out yet. 2 feet of snow here and i ain't got anything to tow:weeping: hopefully bill will clear that up for you.

Honestly I probably never would have even thought about it but my buddy put a hypertech programmer on his 7.3L a couple years ago and I remember in the manual it specifically says DO NOT TOW ANYTHING IN PERF MODE. I figured it might be ok because the gas tunes are milder than the diesel tunes(100hp).

I suspect you could tow a 2000#, low profile boat with just about any old tune.

According to Bill, the canned tow tune was really not designed for me either. I pull a 3600#, low-profile, HI-Lo travel trailer and Bill wrote a custom tune specifically for that job. I don't really know what the "cutoff" would be in terms of towing weight between a tow tune and a performance tune, but I imagine it would be fairly close to what you tow.

I'm trying to figure out where the damage would come from using a performance tune for towing. Possibly, the transmission would be constantly shifting or the torque converter would be constantly going in and out of lock? I don't really think you damage an engine by "lugging" it now and then.

Bill, of course is the expert here - not me.

- Jack

Jack, you're doing fine. :woot:

Where we run into a problem with heavy towing (2500+) on a performance tune has more to do with cylinder temps being slightly higher because of the slight modifications to the fuel curve. I wouldn't necessarily say it does any "damage" to pull in a performance program, it's just not the ideal situation.

High performance applications are leaned out slightly to achieve good top-end power. Tow tunes run a little richer for improved low-RPM torque and lower cylinder temps under sustained heavy loads.

Of course, there are shift changes and timing changes but that has a lot less to do with it than you'd think.

Anyway, as you've already guessed, 2000 to 2500 lbs is about the limit for a performance program before I'd switch to towing.

Hope that clears it up a little. :2thumbs:

Very nice response, Bill. Makes perfect sense and tells me why we have towing tunes to begin with.

Thanks for giving us the "expert's" opinion! :bow:

- Jack

Almost seems like I know what I'm talkin' about, eh? ;)

Well that clears everything up...thanks Bill. It's good to know the limits. I'll be ordering custom tunes soon enough...87 towing will be a must.

Jerod

When I ordered my Gryphon I got a tow tune since I tow a 4000# trailer that really bucks the wind. Initially the tune wasn't "pulling it's weight" :rofl: (I kill me), and Bill reworked the tune and now I have better response, more power, and increased gas mileage. Unbelieveable customer service!:2thumbs: You will be very happy with a customized tow tune from PHP. Bill most definately knows what he is doing!

I can tell you that I do not have a tow tune because I might tow something twice a year so its not worth it.I used my 87 performance tune and towed my buddys 96 f150 4x4 up to the sand dunes on a car trailer with no problems.I was safe with it though and set the gryphon so I could see what gear it was in and whether the torque convertor was locked.I also did not floor board it ever either but was still able to tow 70-75mph going down the highway about 200 miles.I think the weight was around 7,500 pounds I towed.I then unhoocked the trailer,beat the hell out of my truck all day on the sand dunes,then hooked back up to the trailer and towed his truck back home.Thats a Ford for ya.:2thumbs:

Does this pertain to loads in the bed of the truck? I infrequently load the truck 1500-1800# for short trips (25-50 mi) Is this safe in the 87 Performance tune or should I switch to Tow.

Using 2000# as a "breakpoint", as Bill suggests, you could leave the tune alone. The 1500-1800# in the bed is going to be harder on your suspension than it is on the engine or transmission, so I'd try to keep the speed down with that much weight aboard. In fact, I think that much weight is a bit over the GVW or axle rating for your truck. When towing, you only add the tongue weight (usually 300-500#) to the GVW and axle loads.

- Jack

1800 pounds in the bed is pretty steep for an F150. I wouldn't really be worried about how well the engine would handle it, but more how the axles would handle it. That rough! :eek:

In case, the weight limit is how much you're pulling. Whether in the bed or behind it is of little consequence. You should be fine in the 87 program.

:hny: