I'm not interested in zipping down a track or beating the ricer down to the next traffic light, what I am interested in is improving low end torque.

I towed my 6x10 (1300lb) with a bunch of stuff in it (total weight a little of over 2K lbs) Well I got tired of of screaming down the interstate with the tow/haul mode engaged and getting negative miles to the gallon.

I turned it off and while it was better, I am still somewhat dissapointed that the truck had seemed to be so wound up pulling that weight.

So instead of working on Friday I cruised the 'net for information and here is what I found:

Headers - Maybe, but are usually moving the band up the rpm range
Exhaust - No duals, keep pipe at OEM size
Muffler - Yes, find flow-thru design (i.e. magnaflow)

Another option was a tuner of some sort, but I found several comments that the tow mode on some was nothing more than engaging the tow/haul mode.

Anyway, lets the games begin...

 

want low end torque, gears, gears, gears. find out what you are running now. sounds like the 3.55, gonna be pricey, i went with the 4.10 ran me 1600. it might be cheaper know. had it down when the truck first came out. best mode out there for towing. stay away from headers. as for the exhaust, a single cat back with a larger y=pipe will benefit the truck also. try playing with the tire pressure. a little more may be helpfull. the only thing the tow mode does, is hold the gear longer from not shifting.

 

Thanks superdak....didn't think about gears...yeah I probably have the 3.55. Everything is pricey...but I'd spent my money where it is going to benefit me, and headers ain't cheap.

I didn't think headers would be useful in this application so thanks for the backup...the y-pipe went along with the exhaust question...from what I read, I figured a single would certainly be a better choice...

Now lets talk talk diameter...OEM is 2.5, no? From what I have read, getting a larger diameter would move the band up the rpm range...if that is the case, then keeping it stock or making it smaller would benefit?

 

I would keep the factory piping and just replace the muffler and the y-pipe (this reminds me I still need to change my y-pipe, lol). The Cherry Bomb Vortex muffler is also a flow-through design, I have it on mine and I love it, sounds great.

 

yeah, those are on the 'research' list as well... I was actually looking at the round 4-6" magnaflows (14" body).



Pardon the ignorance, but would one of the chain places (meineke, et al) be able to fab up a y-pipe? I think they carry the vortex as well....

 

Not sure on that, I know magnaflow sells decent y pipes.

 

Well, when i worked on my mustang stuff, you really didn't need 3" until you were over 250hp, and it was supposed to be good until about 400hp.
If factory is 2.5" the only gains you can get is a SMOOTHER 2.5. Also... headers will change the dynamics of the engine, but overall, if you keep the rest of your exhaust at 2.5" you should be fine with your powerband, and still get your extra power.

Try a tuner, some have settings for towing, however, i'm not aware of any devices for our trucks yet.

If you don't have the HO motor, look at a cam swap. The extra HP will make it a lot easier. I think you need a programmer or a computer swap as well for that.

If nothing else, put on a CAI. A CAI makes it so your engine can breath easier, it doesn't step up the rpms to make power in the way exhaust does, so you should be safe with a K&N setup or something similar.

Blu3

 

I just got this installed:

http://www.louscustomexhaust.com/ss409.html

and it lowered my rpms in all gears. I towed a 6x12 enclosed trailer which probably weighs close to what your trailer loaded weighed and if not the few thousand pounds in tools definite pushed it over what you were hauling and had little problem going from Indiana to Boston. It was slow going up hills to keep the rpms down but even in tow haul mode I was do 65 up hill under 2k rpms for a good chunk of the trip. I changed the pipe up to 2.5" I think from the ypipe back with dual outs. Not very loud, can hear it around 2k rpms and that's about it.

 

how would exhaust lower RPM's in all gears???

LB

 

back pressure, it just builds up and kinda bogs down the motor not letting it exhale like it is suppose to.