GOT 'EM!!!!

BigSur · #1 Sat, August 21st, 2010, 07:33 AM

I have another question for you guys. I searched for the answer before bugging you with it but had no immediate success.

Would it be okay to tow on an 87 perf tune if all I am towing is about 1700lbs? I don't see why not personally, especially considering most of the land I'm traveling is flat except for the last hour of driving (mountains).

Overall, I like the way my 87 perf tune runs better than my canned 87 tow tune. If you remember the shifting issues I was posting about before, I never made any manual changes to the tow tune programming. These issues are gone with the performance tune.

I'm just wondering if I can tow with my perf tune considering the very low amount of weight I am towing. It's a small pop-up camper. Gross weight is around 1600 lbs before loaded.

Thanks in advance for your help.

***Longshot270*** · #2 Sat, August 21st, 2010, 08:35 AM

The performance tunes are rated for up to 2,000 so you should be good. But if you notice things like the engine and trans getting hot or the truck is searching for gears more often it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to switch to the tow. But you probably wont have any trouble on flat land if you drive nice.

***Jackpine*** · #3 Sat, August 21st, 2010, 11:42 AM

Agree with Longshot - you really should not have any trouble at all. I doubt if even the mountain driving is going to be much of a factor in your case. Anytime you drive on mountain roads and the engine has to rev higher due to using lower gears, the transmission is going to heat up. I climb Mt. Graham (about an hour of driving and an 8,000 ft elevation gain) in 2nd gear all the way. Because of the speeds on that twisty, narrow road, I doubt if I'd be in a higher gear even if I wasn't towing, and the TFT would still probably get above 200.

- Jack

BigSur · #4 Sun, August 22nd, 2010, 09:48 AM

Thanks guys. I didn't know about the 2000 lb limitation, good to know.

***Jackpine*** · #5 Sun, August 22nd, 2010, 02:54 PM

I think it's really 2500, but, "somewhere" in that neighborhood. I suspect it kinda depends on where you're doing the towing too. If you were ALWAYS climbing mountain roads, I'd put the limit lower than if you were mostly on the "flat".

But whatever you do - I would strongly recommend you DO NOT try to change the tune somewhere out in the boonies. People that do that seem to have trouble with tunes that don't load properly and they're suddenly stranded.

If I'm towing, I load the tow tune before I leave the house and don't take it off until I return, even if some of the driving is not towing. The only place I ever change my tune is in my garage.

- Jack

BigSur · #6 Mon, August 23rd, 2010, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

I think it's really 2500, but, "somewhere" in that neighborhood. I suspect it kinda depends on where you're doing the towing too. If you were ALWAYS climbing mountain roads, I'd put the limit lower than if you were mostly on the "flat".

But whatever you do - I would strongly recommend you DO NOT try to change the tune somewhere out in the boonies. People that do that seem to have trouble with tunes that don't load properly and they're suddenly stranded.

If I'm towing, I load the tow tune before I leave the house and don't take it off until I return, even if some of the driving is not towing. The only place I ever change my tune is in my garage.

- Jack

I would say out of 180 miles...140 of them are completely flat. There will be some climbing at the end, and depending on where we go....there is the potential for some serious climbing....slow and windy up in the Blue Ridge.

Great advice on switching tunes though. If I feel the need to switch while we're there, I'll go to my Dad's house and do it just in case something goes wrong. My parents retired out in the mountains where me, my family, and friends go camping alot, so I've got some flexibility.