This is my first time posting, so I hope I'm in the right section.
I need advise on aftermarket parts for my 4.6 liter 2003 Super Crew.
With the smaller V-8, it never really had a good take off, but made decent power at higher RPMs.

Ever since I slapped on some 22inch rims with 325-40-22 tires, it really was a pig at the take off and took a while for the RPMs to get up there, which lead me to believe that the taller rims/tires has reduced the gear ratio on the differential.
I recently installed an EDGE power programmer and a K&N 77 series filter system which has really woken up the little V-8, but now want to add more stuff.
My next plan is to either install a posi unit with 4.10 gears, or drop in a differential from an 03 Harley Davidson.

Will 4.10 gears be too much gear on the highway? What gears come stock in an 03 HarleyDavidson??

After that, I would like to install a Magnaflow cat back exhaust,Bassani headers, and remove the stock fan for an electric one.
What kind of horsepower gains could I expect from such a setup, and do I stand a chance of spanking a Hemi once all the mods are in ?

Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
4point6

 

to the forum 4point6

You’re going to get the biggest hp & torque gain from a Troyer Performance custom tuned Xcalibrator , no exceptions, it’s the *best*

Here’s a Gear Ratio Guide for Larger Tires that will help you figure out what you need

 

JPDADEO Thanks for the info. WOW, that xcalibrator looks like da bomb; I'm gonna have to ditch the Edge for one of those.
As for the rest of the mods, what do you think? Do you recommend any other brands other than the ones I mentioned?
What horsepower gains could I expect; and what are those PI heads I keep hearing so much about??

Any further info will be greatly appreciated.

4point6

2003 SUPER CREW (silver)

22x10 Kruz chrome rims/ Kumho 325-40-22 tires
Line X sprayed on liner
Westin chrome nerf bars
Ramsey receiver hitch
carbon fiber rear tail lights
metal window film
Edge(soon to be xcalibrator) power programmer
K&N 77 series chrome intake
AUDIO:
Eclipse cd player
(2) 12" JL W-6 subs (under seat)
(4) Boston Acoustic SL-8 components
JL 500w mono sub amp
Eclipse 400w 4 channel amp
7" flip down screen/ DVD player
Crimeguard alarm system
Passport 8500 X50 radar detector

FUTURE PLANS:
posi unit/ 4.10 gears or Harley rear end
Magnaflow cat back exhaust
Bassani headers
electric fan
Procharger supercharger
aftermarket performance heads

 

Yep, the Xcalibrator is da bomb

The main thing I recommend is buy your Xcalibrator from Troyer Performance so Mike does the custom tuning for you. He knows his stuff when it comes to Fords and especially F150’s because he’s been specializing in tuning them for 14 years and knows how to make them fly. When you talk to Mike, he will address all your questions about which mods are best suited for your particular needs.

Search around this forum too, there’s lots of good info already posted!

click on my sig below to see my mods

 

Thanks again for taking the time to write back. That's a nice truck you got there; will look even more bitching rolling on some twenty fo's.
Like a broken record, what in the world are PI heads?? sounds like something I would want to bolt on to my Screw.

Will give Mike a call to see what other go-fast goodies I could bolt on; to help in my quest to smoke a Hemi.

4piontsex

 

 

Hi 4point6,

Welcome to F-150 Online!

First - spend time making use of the SEARCH feature (the icon is in the upper right area of your screen here) - that's the first and best thing to do any time anyone has a question on anything, as it's search filters will allow you to pull up posts on any topic so you can get info immediately - use it's search filters and you will be able to instantly access info on anything you want to know - the info on virtually anything you could want to know is already here in great detail.

Next - You already have the PI (Performance Improved) heads - the 4.6 in the F-150 got those starting in the 2001 model year. They really didn't do much for the 4.6, taking it from 220 Hp to 231 HP when Ford released them for the 4.6 in the F-150 in the 2001 model year - though they did help a bit with part-throttle torque, and every little bit certainly helps! We can provide expert porting services & camshafts for those cylinder heads, for example, that will allow them to flow serious #'s. However, there are a number of other modifications that should be done before race-ported heads & cams are considered in terms of the order of bang for the buck.

Yes, you most certainly do need lower (higher numerically) gears, but you already know that, I'm sure - those huge wheels and tires have drastically reduced torque multiplication, thus increasing load on the entire powertrain and significantly reducing performance. They have also increased weight (all of it unsprung), rolling resistance, etc., so yes, go AT LEAST 4.10, and make sure that it's limited slip if you didn't get that from the factory. Also, you need to upgrade your brakes as well - at least the front brakes, as they do 70% of the work. The stock factory brakes are not even remotely sufficient to deal with the vastly increased mass of those wheels & ties, and that is something that almost nobody thinks about or gets proper advice from their vendor on when slapping on 20's, 22's, 24's, etc., but absolutely needs to be done - a vehicle like that is inherently unsafe without a brake system upgrade with wheels like that. Just FYI so you'll know.

Sounds like you've got a beautiful truck there with your many appearance upgrades, stereo mods, etc - very nice! Now it's time to get the performance up to par, as with the smaller 4.6 motor and all that weight & wheels & tires, it'll definitely need help - but that's easy to do, it's only money!

I would focus on doing modifications in the actual order of best bang-for-the-buck, concentrating on those specific manufacturer's parts that actually do the best job in each area of modification - we test those types of parts, as we've specialized in F-150 performance for many years. So you might want to give us a call at our number listed below to go over a game plan of modifications to do to the vehicle, go over everything that's on it right now, what will actually be the most cost-effective way to get it's performance up to where you want it, etc. We can also help with a cost-effective brake upgrade as well, if you like.

I hope that brief info helps, do spend time using the SEARCH feature here for further info & best of luck with your truck!

 

Mike thanks so much for taking the time to reply, and yes that's what I keep telling anyone who's interested in getting bigger wheels; they also need to add the cost of better brakes and lower gears to the cost of the wheels/tires before they go out and buy them. So 4.10's it is.

I will definately give you a call to see what should be my next move as far as go-fast goodies for my Screw.

Thanks,
4point6

 

You're more than welcome, and it's so nice to see someone who *knows* the importance of the brakes & gears when up-sizing wheels & tires significantly - that is the exception rather than the rule, by far.

I really fault the vendors who do not inform their customers - they don't because of course, that would mean they wouldn't sell nearly as many wheels if they also told the customer they need to pony up for gears & brakes as well. The smart approach is to carry those additional products, and present the facts as people need to know them. But then doing that properly really also requires significant knowledge of each individual vehicle platform & it's factory capabilities & needs - for example, throwing a set of 18's, or the lightest 20" wheels and doing "plus-sized" tires can be gotten away with in some cases - like in the new body style F-150, which has better brakes than the pre-2004 F-150 and also has a pretty heavy 18" wheel & tire package available as an option right from the factory).

It really all gets back to *knowledge* & integrity of the vendor - and of course in all fairness, there are also far too many vehicle owners who even when they are told, refuse to deal with the serious safety implications when throwing on an additional 150-200 lb of unsprung wheel & tire weight - so many people think another 20-50 lb at each wheel means nothing in a 5000-6000 lb truck - wrong answer!! That is a HUGE percentage of increase in rolling MASS - that's what gets you, what affects the braking system so dramatically - in addition to significantly taller tires reducing torque multiplication and killing performance, fuel economy, etc.

Anyway, don't mean to go on about it - it's just so nice to see a vehicle owner like you already being well aware of all this, and even being willing to help your fellow truck owners with that kind of advice - good for you!