Hey guys,

I'm about to head out tomorrow evening for camping and curious on your thoughts if I should go ahead and return the truck back to stock (Roush Tune) or keep the VMP 93 Perf tune that I had one a long time ago since I am going to be hauling a trailer.

It weighs in around 4500# after all loaded. About a 100mi trip.

I took it out a couple of weeks ago and truck ran fine while pulling it with the VMP tune (basically the same route), but then I started thinking maybe I shouldn't be doing that.

I've seen some posts on here saying that some of the other tuners say that under 2500# you should be fine with a performance tune.

I am looking at getting a Tow tune, but things came up and I didn't get a chance to get one yet.

So what are your thoughts....

Should I stick with the VMP 93 Perf tune or go back to the Roush tune for this trip.

Thanks

 

Hey there Shanks, I wouldn't use a perf tune to tow with personally. What I would do is call Justin and ask him. 4500 lbs is a decent pull especially with the weight of the people and gear that may be in the truck itself.

Good luck and have fun campin'!

 

That's kind of what I was thinking. I know it didn't have any trouble's pulling the trailer on the last trip, but doesn't mean everything would be the same on this trip.

Cylinder, Water, and Trans temps all looked pretty normal on the last trip.

 

Been a long time coming.. But I guess Camping season is just firing back up.

Ordered a Tow and Perf tune from 5 Star Tuning, but after talking with Mike, he doesn't feel comfortable doing the tune without having the truck on a Dyno.

So he issued me a refund.

Talked with Sales staff at VMP, and they told me there is no need to re-tune (for Ford Racing Plugs & True Duals) and I should be fine pulling the trailer with the Performance Tune.

Said just keep the OD off and don't be trying to win any races. Mostly flat ground here so as long as I am not driving through the Mountains I should be okay.

I would have figured I needed a re-tune for the plugs and exhaust but I guess not. And kind of surprised about being able to use the Perf tune.

 

After years of getting tunes from VMP and Troyer on various vehicles including my 08 Roushcharged F150 that contained multiple tunes for winter, perf, tow, etc that when it came time to get a JDM tune I inquired about the winter, perf, tow tunes and they made a good point in asking why I would need them. My response was, cause I've always had them ha.

But JDM had a good point. You don't have to change your tune on factory perf cars. The GT500 doesn't come with a 3 different tunes from the factory and neither did the Lightning or Raptor, not to mention ZR1's and others so why did I need it. Sure those cars might have a sport or race mode but the tune in your truck should be able to support all types of driving. I think a lot of times these different tunes just adjust shift points and unless you are on a dyno I doubt a tuner can dial in a perf, street, winter, or tow tune that makes a mega difference. Your perf tune might run richer than the street tune and the shift points might be different but does it really make a big difference in power? Probably not as much as us "commoners" like to think.

At the end of the day I have one tune from JDM instead of 3 different ones that I try and figure out when to use them based on weather patters ha. After all isn't that what the MAF is there for? I live here in CO and I don't have a high elevation tune. Just something to think about.

 

I also live in colorado and didn't get an elevation tune and it was fine. Got it from vmp btw. Only thing I noticed was 87 performance tune with 85 octane felt really sluggish compared to 87. I asked justin at vmp and he said I could use either so I just stuck with 87 since it felt better.