Tow Tune Questions

[cbvanb]

Hey all, brand new member here with a question I couldn't answer with "search".
I'm running an '07 F-150 screw, 5.4 Triton Fx4 completely stock. I just bought an Edge Evolution for the towing tune, due to having purchased a new travel trailer.
My questions are: Will a Gryphon 87 octane tow tune give me any advantages over and above the Edge canned 87 octane tow tune?
And, how much performance difference can I expect with a 91-93 octane towing tune over and above the 87 octane? These mountains out here are killing me!

[Jackpine]

I had a similar question after I bought my Edge, a couple years back. I talked to Bill, and he felt my towing performance would be improved by having a customized towing tune based on the weight trailer I had. My trailer is 3600#, and he said the tow tunes were set up more for the 5000# range.

I seemed to pick up about 0.5 mpg on a towing trip (into the Rockies) after loading that custom tow tune. In that 2400 mile trip, the savings almost paid for the tune.

Based on that experience, I had Bill write me a custom "daily driver" tune too, and I'm very happy with it.

I've NEVER tried using 91 or 93 octane gas, so I can't comment on that. Some people have reported greatly improved performance with that fuel though and tunes written specifically for it. You COULD have a tow tune written for the high priced stuff if you wanted.

The best thing to do is talk to Bill about your goals and needs. It's what I did.

Am I detecting a bit of sarcasm in your "location" - Tucson, Mexico?

- Jack

[cbvanb]

I appreciate the feedback. I'm towing at the max end of my tow rating, around 7800 pounds. We drove up to Payson a couple weeks ago before I bought the programmer and once I learned to manually downshift to second or first, as the grade demanded, the truck did fine, but I think I can do a lot better with the programmer.
My thought is to have the Edge upgraded, then order an 87 performance tune for everyday driving, and then at least an 87 octane tow tune. Once I talk to Bill I'll make a decision on whether I might want the 91 octane tow for certain situations. From reading the board Bill seems like a very busy guy so I thought I'd see what I could learn from other people's experiences before bugging him!
As for Tucson, yes, I was being a little sarcastic. This isn't a political discussion board so I'm keeping my opinions to myself. I guess the day I joined the board I was a little frustrated about a few things.

[Jackpine]

Originally Posted by cbvanb

I appreciate the feedback. I'm towing at the max end of my tow rating, around 7800 pounds. We drove up to Payson a couple weeks ago before I bought the programmer and once I learned to manually downshift to second or first, as the grade demanded, the truck did fine, but I think I can do a lot better with the programmer.
My thought is to have the Edge upgraded, then order an 87 performance tune for everyday driving, and then at least an 87 octane tow tune. Once I talk to Bill I'll make a decision on whether I might want the 91 octane tow for certain situations. From reading the board Bill seems like a very busy guy so I thought I'd see what I could learn from other people's experiences before bugging him!
As for Tucson, yes, I was being a little sarcastic. This isn't a political discussion board so I'm keeping my opinions to myself. I guess the day I joined the board I was a little frustrated about a few things.

I guessed that, and you're right - this board is pretty "open minded" about political things, mostly, they don't even come up. However, when they do, we tend to be civil about our disagreements. And, we don't have members here making a political stand with every post they make.

I've posted quite a bit about towing - you might look at our towing forum, and one of the things I figured out was to let the transmission tell me what to do. If I see a lot of "activity", I shift down. And, I shift down on long downgrades too.

One thing I'm an absolute believer in, after having two Goodyear Marathon tires fail at 5,000 miles and 2 years service due to cord separation, is, keep the speed at or below 65! So shifting out of overdrive on downgrades or even into 2nd keeps my speed where I want it without using the truck OR trailer brakes. I think it's really easy to overheat the trailer wheels.

Bill will adjust fueling to optimize your towing, but don't expect miracles. You ARE at the upper limit for your truck. It probably needs to be "babied" a bit on long uphill pulls (like out of Camp Verde on I-17).

Before I bought my F150, I had a Nissan Frontier, towing the same trailer. Pulling it up over 11,000 ft passes in Colorado in 1st gear was a bit nerve wracking.

You probably should be using an F250 with a diesel with your trailer. I suspect your axle loads may be a bit on the high side. I'd take your truck and trailer down to the TTT Truck Stop if I were you and get them weighed on the CAT scale. You can find the load on each axle that way. The numbers may surprise you (in an unpleasant way).

- Jack

[cbvanb]

Axle load is a concern, and I have a landscaping supply down the road with a scale which I'll use to determine how to set up my load distribution hitch. This particular trailer was my brides dream and I couldn't say no. Of course she didn't have to consider all the issues involved with the tow vehicle, so I'm playing catch up here. I've already planted the seed of a truck upgrade, and maybe next year I'll get my dream!

[Jackpine]

Handy to have a scale of your own. I'd check the weights asap. From my own experience, it's VERY easy to overload an axle.

- Jack