Now that I realize that my expectations may have been artificially high, I think that the benefits I see from switching from 3.73's to 4.56's will probably be enough to satisfy me... for a while. :-)
Mike
Let us know how the trailer does on your next tow up the Eisenhower. I've pulled up that little hill myself but at the time was using an Expedition. Part way up, I asked the DW to hop out and give a push. She didn't think it was funny but green-lighted getting an Excursion as a result. The X pulls better up hills, but only a little bit better. At least I've never had to drop to 1st gear in the X.
Here's an interesting thing to try... I did this a couple of times in the Expedition just to get up some big hills. Next time you find yourself in 1st gear on an incline, pull over to the side of the road and stop. No, I'm not crazy, just stop. Then put the big SUV in 4WD LO and start back up the hill. I'm always blown away by the ability to accelerate up monster hills while pulling very heavy loads. You'll quickly find yourself at 45 miles per hour in OD at about 3,000 rpms with the ability to accelerate like an oil-burner. If that isn't a quick lesson in the power of gears, I don't know what is.
Just remember to put the transfer case back into highway-friendly mode when you reach the top.
You know, I had actually considered 4 low for just such things -- and have done it on some 'really' steep dirt roads (fire roads) in the mountains while towing, but that was at only about 15mph max. I've never done it on a highway because I wasnt sure I wouldnt explode my transfer case by wrapping those gears up to 45-50mph. I wouldnt be quite so concerned on a straight road, but the example I used of the approach to Eisenhower tunnel includes a number of sweeping turns........... just didnt know how the t-case would stand up to those speeds on a curvy road (given possibly slightly different front and rear axle speeds).
You know, I had actually considered 4 low for just such things -- and have done it on some 'really' steep dirt roads (fire roads) in the mountains while towing, but that was at only about 15mph max. I've never done it on a highway because I wasnt sure I wouldnt explode my transfer case by wrapping those gears up to 45-50mph. I wouldnt be quite so concerned on a straight road, but the example I used of the approach to Eisenhower tunnel includes a number of sweeping turns........... just didnt know how the t-case would stand up to those speeds on a curvy road (given possibly slightly different front and rear axle speeds).
Anybody else tried this?
Mike
I'm just going off gut feel as to whether or not the t-case is spinning up too fast. When driving in the desert, I regularly go to 50 or 55 mph while in 4LO. In Moab, you have technical sections that are connected by long two-track roads and I don't stop each time to disengage 4LO between obstacles. Sure you can hear the gears spinning but I think I remember reading in the owners manual somewhere that it's ok.
I also don't think the sweeping turns are enough to cause any damage. The real pressure comes when you are turning tightly on paved surfaces. That's something we all know we shouldn't do in 4LO.
You know, I had actually considered 4 low for just such things -- and have done it on some 'really' steep dirt roads (fire roads) in the mountains while towing, but that was at only about 15mph max. I've never done it on a highway because I wasnt sure I wouldnt explode my transfer case by wrapping those gears up to 45-50mph. I wouldnt be quite so concerned on a straight road, but the example I used of the approach to Eisenhower tunnel includes a number of sweeping turns........... just didnt know how the t-case would stand up to those speeds on a curvy road (given possibly slightly different front and rear axle speeds).
Anybody else tried this?
Mike
if you do this on pavement, make sure your hubs are unlocked, if it has hubs like my x you will also have to manuelly unplug the vacuum line to each hub as it will lock automaticly with vacuum. thats for the city people that dont know you have to lock in the hubs. as long as the hubs are unlocked put it in low and go just remember that your in low when you hit the top of the climb. ive never heard of anyone doing more than 45-50mph in low range before.
What does that Banks pack consist of. Maybe silly question but isn't there several different packages. Coming from a GM gasser I know that it had shorty headers, exhaust, CAI and programmer. Now I know it felt a little stronger, sounded alot better and I even improved mileage about 1mpg. However it was not a night and day difference.
So I guess my question is, if your bundle was just exhaust, CAI and programmer then maybe the benefits aren't that great. But if you paid for the big bundle and got headers and the whole enchilada and maybe ended witht the same or less horsepower/torque I'd be complaining to anyone who'd listen. Isn't there a ripoff.com or something.
I know Banks prides itself on being "safe" but no gains isn't safe, it's a ripoff. Might as well just call it replacement parts.
As far as the Whipple concerned. I have a buddy with a chevrolet 1500hd, 6.0 gas and a whipple. That thing is awesome. His mileage sux but it has power and torque for days. He rips a 26ft toyhauler, maybe 8500 loaded with no problems. Been reliable too. Unloaded the thing is just fast.
I'm an idiot. Just read your initial post with description of mods.
Oh yeah, you spent bank on Banks. I'd be way mad. I don't think that having an expectation of having a stronger better running truck is to high. That's what you paid for. If anyone from Banks said that's the way it's supposed to be, I'd ask if yo can post your results on there website, ya know like the satisfied customers do. Except you can say, yeah I spent this amount and the truck tows worst gets no mileage increase and doesn't do anything better that Banks claims.
Your way nicer than I
Just cause of that, I'll never buy anything from that company.
Someone who doesn't stand by there product in a market that's flooded is a fool.
I have an 01 31 ft winnebago Minnie motorhome with the V10. I also bought the Banks Pawerpack but I must say it made a huge difference! I pull a 21 ft boat behind it and it is no problem to cruise in OD at 70-75 mph. I understand that it has different gearing but it has the same V10 with the 4R100 Trans. I am wondering if the otto mind is messed up or something? You would think they could at least swap out the electronics fairly easily just to see? The mileage went from 9MPG to 10 MPG.
I also have a 00 Limited PSD ex with the EDGE EVO II and the Magnaflow Turbo back exhaust. Thank You all for the huge amount of good advice on this forum!
I have an 01 31 ft winnebago Minnie motorhome with the V10. I also bought the Banks Pawerpack but I must say it made a huge difference! I pull a 21 ft boat behind it and it is no problem to cruise in OD at 70-75 mph. I understand that it has different gearing but it has the same V10 with the 4R100 Trans. I am wondering if the otto mind is messed up or something? You would think they could at least swap out the electronics fairly easily just to see? The mileage went from 9MPG to 10 MPG.
I also have a 00 Limited PSD ex with the EDGE EVO II and the Magnaflow Turbo back exhaust. Thank You all for the huge amount of good advice on this forum!
The OttoMind actually slowed it down a half-second 0-60, so I took it off and went to an SCT tuner. Made some improvement, but nothing more than the Hyperteck tuner I used before the Banks install.
Just got the Ex back from having the 4.56's installed... and what a difference!!! I'm impressed. This is the performance increase that I was expecting (but didnt get) when I had the Banks system installed. Big difference while towing, as expected. I can now hold a steady speed in overdrive in places (hills) that I used to have to hammer it and force a shift to 2nd gear to maintain speed.
Thanks to everyone who has commented on the benefits of the gear swap.
Took it out and tested it on a steep pass nearby to see how it compared to the before-runs... and prior to the gear swap, it'd kick down into 2nd at 65mph to barely hold that speed, but now with the new gears the only way I can get it into 2nd to hold that speed is to manually shift it (runs at ~4600rpm). Even at 60mph, it wont kick down to 2nd, floored, without manually shifting... and I'm wondering if y'all think that sounds right? If so, is there something that can be done (with my SCT tuner, for example) to allow for the downshift to occur with just the gas pedal as opposed to having to manually shift?
Glad this mod worked out as I advertised it would!...I guess I'm no Banks! LOL
As far as the shifts...I have noticed that on downshifts the RPM's obviously "initially" go up to around 3000-3500...BUT quickly reduce or UPSHIFT!!!...there are times when I'm gaining TOO much speed on inclines now and feather the throttle and with the deeper gearing she wants to quickly shift...when I just want to hold THAT RPM...
The 4R100 is an "adaptive" learning trans...BUT it takes a few hundred miles of towing to "learn" the towing shift pattern...I've often toyed with disconnecting the battery the night before I tow to "wipe" the program and then start off towing...but I think the "adaptive" part is a continual learning...
As far as how to hold the gear without manually shifting...I haven't figured that out yet...even after near 800 miles towing last week...although I have a 2000 mile trip coming up in a few weeks...I tend to "play" and "think" as I tow...so perhaps I will come back with something...funny how guys with taller gears complain the RPM's get too high and you and I are complaining that with the deeper gears shift TOO FAST! LOL
Glad you got what you were looking for...I STAND by my recommendations that for towing performance the SINGLE BEST MOD is a deep set of gears behind the V10!!!...
joe.
__________________ 2005 Ex V10 4.30's
Hensley Arrow / Rear Hellwig / Prodigy Brake Controller / RAS / Bilsteins / K&N drop in / SCT-X3 Tuner with 5-Star Tunes / Aeroforce Tech OBDII Digital Gauge / Hawk LTS Pads 2007 JayFlight 31BHDS (2 slides 3 women just right! ) 3rd Annual Excursion Diversion / Ford Rally 2010 here: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/88...ml#post7941270
Last edited by X_Hemi_Guy; 06-29-2007 at 07:09 AM.
Thanks again for your thoughts. I guess manually shifting isnt a huge deal -- its just that there are some hills I'll be pulling that arent gonna be doable at 60-65mph in 3rd gear, even with the 4.56's -- and it was just handy when I had the 3.73's to just tap the gas peddal momentarily to kick it down into 2nd.
I go back to a previous comment about the fact that I probably just have unreasonable expectations about the ability to hold speed up a hill towing an 8k trailer. :-) I'm strange -- I tend to opt for wrapping it up in 2nd gear to hold it at 65mph rather than just stay in 3rd and let it slow to 61mph. Hehe! But then everybody keeps saying that the modulars like the revs, so I guess I dont worry quite as much about the high rpm as I used to.
Resurrecting an old thread, but I just wanted to let the world know that Banks is still advocating big gains for their kits for my 05 Ex V10. For the whole enchilada, with the tuner, I was supposed to get +50 hp and 60+ lb/ft of torque. All for the amazing low price of $2300!
Then the guy got a little cranky when I told him I wanted a shipping quote before I placed my order. He said it'd be "around $150-200". I told him "great! Now tell me what it actually is." He got pretty snotty--"is $200 going to be that big of a deal?" WTH????
Guess they make really good money there, if the phone sales reps don't sweat $200.
I'm thinking--NOT.
__________________ 05 Ex Limited, V10: Powerslots/Hawks, RAS, RS9000XLs
tows 08 Mirage Xtreme Sport 26' sled/car hauler
Other Fords: 67 Mustang vert restomod, 95 Mustang GT vert Other gas-powered adrenaline source: 07 Arctic Cat M8
Resurrecting an old thread, but I just wanted to let the world know that Banks is still advocating big gains for their kits for my 05 Ex V10. For the whole enchilada, with the tuner, I was supposed to get +50 hp and 60+ lb/ft of torque. All for the amazing low price of $2300!
Then the guy got a little cranky when I told him I wanted a shipping quote before I placed my order. He said it'd be "around $150-200". I told him "great! Now tell me what it actually is." He got pretty snotty--"is $200 going to be that big of a deal?" WTH????
Guess they make really good money there, if the phone sales reps don't sweat $200.
I'm thinking--NOT.
Ebay headers and y-pipe and a custom tune from 5-star will do much better for much less. (Or so I've read.)
__________________
Scott
2000 Excursion XLT 4x4 V10 4.30, Powerslot slotted rotors w/ Hawk SuperDuty pads up front, Hawk SuperDuty pads on the rear stock rotors, Roadmaster Active Suspension, Optima Red Top Battery, backup camera, Tom Tom XL100 GPS
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