I feel like I need a little more torque to tow my 6500 pound trailer. As a tow vehicle, I think my megacab w/ hemi has adequate power, but it's just not being delivered properly. Often, when I'm climbing a hill, the transmission will kick down two gears and the engine will race well above 5000 rpms. Since I'm not trying to race up the hills, but rather just let the truck go the pace it wants to, it's very irritating when it does this sudden downshift. I wish I could control the gear like a lot of the GM trucks w/ automatic transmissions. Since I can't, I've tried different combinations of towing and performance tunes along with the trucks tow/haul and OD off switch. The best combination I've discovered for towing seems to be the performance tune with the OD off.

I've been debating what to try next and I was hoping to get some suggestions from you. As I said I already have a tuner, and I also have a cai. I'd like to get a cat-back dual-exhaust next, but I'm wondering if I would be better off to regear. From what I've read on here, a 4:11 ratio would give me the power where I want it. Can anyone tell me how much it might cost to regear. (Since I have 4wd, I'd have to regear rear and front right?)

On the other hand, I love the sound of a good aftermarket exhaust. If I went with a cat-back dual exhaust, could I expect enough hp and torque increase that the transmission would not want to be so damn shifty?

I'm not too concerned with gas mileage since I bought this truck to be primarily a tow vehicle. I'd much rather preserve my engine than fret over a couple of mpgs. I would like to keep my next mod under $1000 if I can.

Thanks for any input.

 

Get yourself a Diablo Predator handheld programmer. You will have total control over partial throttle upshifts and be able to extend when your truck shifts. the only thing that hasn't come out yet is the partial throttle downshifts which would make the diablo have complete control over trans functions.
i only say diablo because i thing SC has had some customer complains about hard downshifts for no reason. I have Diablo and tow all the time. I never have that issue.

almost forgot..... are you running with O/D off or Tow haul mode when towing? Because you should be. This will eliminate a huge spike in downshifts when going up a hill as well as tow/haul drops down a gear when brakes are applied which aids in stopping.

 

Gears will certainly help. Yep, ya gotta do both ends. You might need 4.56s. If you have 20" wheels, you already have 3.92s, so 4.10 won't be much different.

 

Tow haul locks out 5th and od off locks out 4th and 5th. You shouldn't be downshifting to often with od off.

 

Go with 4.56 gears, nothing else will do nearly as much for towing

 

DO NOT TOW IN PERFORMANCE MODE WITH AN SC TUNER!!!

The timing is advanced way too much for that weight. You may not hear it but you will be causing a degree of predetonation, which is not good for the engine over time. Use the tow tune!

As far as towing with a Hemi, it's not a very efficient low end torque engine, so aside from major changes like a cam, your best bet IMO is to regear to 4.56 gears to get the rpms up and keep them in, the Hemi's sweet spot.

Cost of regearing your 4x4 will range from a low of about $1200 (about $600 parts and some very good shops I know of charge as little as $300 an axle labor) to a high of about $2000 depending on where you go...

 

Thanks for your input...guess I'm gonna shop for gears with my next tax refund. HammerZ, I never heard that you shouldn't tow with the performance tune. They should probably warn you about that. Maybe it was the 93 octane verses the 89 that made the improvement. I'll probably try that with the tow tune next time out. Thanks again all.

 

You are kidding, right? The big bold letters in the manual under Perfomance Tune, or how about the warnings on the website?

Here it is straight from the horses mouth, Ron@Superchips, on their forum stating that 1500 lbs. load combined whether passengers, in the bed or towing combined is the MAX with the XS, 87 and Performance Tunes.


http://www.flashpaq.com/forum/viewto...ghlight=towing

And you do know that 91 octane or higher fuel is required for the Tow tune as well, right?

 

in the package that SC sends there is a bright orange slip that says in BIG ol letters....that you shouldn't tow with the performance tune!!!!!

as far as megacabs and gears i have 4:10 and love them. pulls a trailer with 2 big bore atv's just fine , cant even feel the trailer.
i had 4:56's in my ol truck and they were great to , but in a heavy half i like the 4:10

 

Hey sorry to say it, but I didn't get the big warning slip in the package. Nor did I come accross that anywhere on their site. I do get the warning not to tow for the mileage XS tune, but the only warning I get for the performance tune is to use 91 or higher octane. As far as the user guide that came with my Cortex goes, under "Performance - Cars, Trucks, and SUV's", it states "Tuner will display Tow Limits, if applicable. Do not exceed." And believe it or not, the tuner does not display any tow limits when I set the tune. So yeah, maybe they could be a little more clear. Or do they expect you to search every obscure internet forum on their product. i.e. http://www.flashpaq.com/forum/viewto...ghlight=towing?
Again thanks for the info...I do appreciate it.