Chips and towing
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, Ca
Chips and towing
All,
I have done the K&N FIPK and the exhuast mods and I think I am ready for the chip. I have a 2001 SuperCrew, 5.4L with towing package (with the slim radiator "mod"), 3.55 rear end.
The question(s):
How much will the chip help with towing a 7000# travel trailer (assume it will, some based on Mike's posts), but would like some real world expereinces.
How much would the 3.73 gears help ? Any idea on cost and where to get them installed in the San Diego, CA. ?
Any thoughts on which one to do first ?
Thanks,
Al
Link to Trailer - Truck pic
I have done the K&N FIPK and the exhuast mods and I think I am ready for the chip. I have a 2001 SuperCrew, 5.4L with towing package (with the slim radiator "mod"), 3.55 rear end.
The question(s):
How much will the chip help with towing a 7000# travel trailer (assume it will, some based on Mike's posts), but would like some real world expereinces.
How much would the 3.73 gears help ? Any idea on cost and where to get them installed in the San Diego, CA. ?
Any thoughts on which one to do first ?
Thanks,
Al
Link to Trailer - Truck pic
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Alessig,
I have a 99 with a 5.4l and a jet chip. I pull a 24' 8500 lb 5th wheel. The chip helps with the power and transmission shifts. I have also seen some improvement in gas mileage. The 3:73 gears will help but you scrafice fuel mileage. I would recommend getting a chip whatever brand fits your needs. Alot of people here like the superchip. I have not had any problems with my jet chip.
I have a 99 with a 5.4l and a jet chip. I pull a 24' 8500 lb 5th wheel. The chip helps with the power and transmission shifts. I have also seen some improvement in gas mileage. The 3:73 gears will help but you scrafice fuel mileage. I would recommend getting a chip whatever brand fits your needs. Alot of people here like the superchip. I have not had any problems with my jet chip.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Boise, Idaho
alessig -
I have the same ride. The chip will help tremendously. I don't tow as heavy a trailer as you (mine is only 26 foot @ 5,500#). I did the FIPK, CHIP (Superchip from Mike T.) and custom 3" Exhaust (Magnaflow).
Spend the $$$ regardless of which chip you get. You'll notice the difference towing or not.
I have the same ride. The chip will help tremendously. I don't tow as heavy a trailer as you (mine is only 26 foot @ 5,500#). I did the FIPK, CHIP (Superchip from Mike T.) and custom 3" Exhaust (Magnaflow).
Spend the $$$ regardless of which chip you get. You'll notice the difference towing or not.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
Hi alessig,
The Superchip will help more with towing than any other chip, as other chips like Jet, Hypertech, etc., only add power where there are no emissions standards that have to be met, which is at extremely heavy to wide-open throttle only, during open loop operation. There is 1 other chip that tunes for more power at other throttle positions, but it doesn't make as much power as the Superchip and is not emissions certified either, so you're best bet in a performance chip is the Superchip, whether it's for towing, drag racing, or what have you.
With specific regard to just how much the Superchip will help, 7000 lbs. is a lot of weight to be towing with any half-ton truck (we know, we have to tow 7000 lbs. with ours right now and never expected to need to when we bought that particular F-150!), and with the weight of your vehicle, you've got a total load of somewhere around 11,500 lbs. to maybe as much as 13,000 lbs. on that motor, depending on your F-150's configuration. The Superchip will give you about 10%-12% more power *everywhere*, at any rpm and most importantly, at any throttle position, so it will help with your towing. It's important to remember that a 10%-12% power gain cannot make a BIG difference when dealing with 5-6 tons of weight, so we do have to be realistic in our expectations. Thanks to the fact that you'll have more horsepower and more torque all the time at any throttle position, it's a very cost-effective modification, and one that is excellent for towing. In fact, there is a lot of good towing data here with the Superchip, some of it posted by a gentleman who uses the screen name "Conocoan," and if you like you can use the search feature to read some of his posts, as he gives before & after results both in terms of towing performance and in fuel mileage, where he saw improvements in both areas.
With regard to how much 3.73 gears will help, that depends in large part on just what your original gear ratio is. I have not looked at your signature to see if you list your original gear ratio, but if it's the normal 3.55 ratio we see in most of these V-8 automatics, that's not going to help enough to be worth doing. If you have 3.55's now, you should go to to 4.10's if you are going to change gear ratios at all. Changing from 3.55 to 3.73 is only a 5% change, where changing to 4.10's is a 15.5% change, in round numbers, and is worth the expense.
If you'd like to go over any of this in more detail, feel free to give us a call, we'll be happy to go over any aspect of this with you.
Good luck!
The Superchip will help more with towing than any other chip, as other chips like Jet, Hypertech, etc., only add power where there are no emissions standards that have to be met, which is at extremely heavy to wide-open throttle only, during open loop operation. There is 1 other chip that tunes for more power at other throttle positions, but it doesn't make as much power as the Superchip and is not emissions certified either, so you're best bet in a performance chip is the Superchip, whether it's for towing, drag racing, or what have you.
With specific regard to just how much the Superchip will help, 7000 lbs. is a lot of weight to be towing with any half-ton truck (we know, we have to tow 7000 lbs. with ours right now and never expected to need to when we bought that particular F-150!), and with the weight of your vehicle, you've got a total load of somewhere around 11,500 lbs. to maybe as much as 13,000 lbs. on that motor, depending on your F-150's configuration. The Superchip will give you about 10%-12% more power *everywhere*, at any rpm and most importantly, at any throttle position, so it will help with your towing. It's important to remember that a 10%-12% power gain cannot make a BIG difference when dealing with 5-6 tons of weight, so we do have to be realistic in our expectations. Thanks to the fact that you'll have more horsepower and more torque all the time at any throttle position, it's a very cost-effective modification, and one that is excellent for towing. In fact, there is a lot of good towing data here with the Superchip, some of it posted by a gentleman who uses the screen name "Conocoan," and if you like you can use the search feature to read some of his posts, as he gives before & after results both in terms of towing performance and in fuel mileage, where he saw improvements in both areas.
With regard to how much 3.73 gears will help, that depends in large part on just what your original gear ratio is. I have not looked at your signature to see if you list your original gear ratio, but if it's the normal 3.55 ratio we see in most of these V-8 automatics, that's not going to help enough to be worth doing. If you have 3.55's now, you should go to to 4.10's if you are going to change gear ratios at all. Changing from 3.55 to 3.73 is only a 5% change, where changing to 4.10's is a 15.5% change, in round numbers, and is worth the expense.
If you'd like to go over any of this in more detail, feel free to give us a call, we'll be happy to go over any aspect of this with you.
Good luck!
Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: San Diego Area
alessig
There are a few places around San Diego. MIT and PG Series out in El Cajon, Pro Gear and ORW in San Diego that can help you with the gears. Going from 3.55 to 3.76 will not help much for the cost. The chip will get you more. I went to 4.10's with the chip but I only have the 4.6. I flat tow a 4300 lb. Jeep. I have not lost much in the way of gas mileage,it was not great to start with. Pulling a heavy load like you are planning too will definitely cost you gas mileage. Fact of life. You will have to have the computer reprogramed so if you are going to change gears while it's getting done order the chip and let Mike (would be my choice) or whoever know what ratio. As to the cost of the gears the prices varried between the shops but were all fairly close.