i know these things are made really for towing with lots of torque. so im wondering if anyone gasses it off the start do u spin the tires? i sure as hell dont..

 

I couldn't either until I got the tuner from 5 Star and loaded up the 91 perf/tow tune.

Curtis

 

Ok just making sure I wasn't the only one. How much did the tuner cost and how hard is it to install? How'd it affect your MPG??

 

The tuner was not hard to install. Following good directions, I had to pull the engine computer and get a code off a sticker and send it to Mike at 5 Star. I then reinstalled the engine computer - not difficult at all. Also you have to fill out a sheet detailing what changes you have made to the truck and how it is currently equipped. He then sent me the tuner and you just plug it in to the OBD2 port and load up the tune you want. You get 3 tunes with the tuner based upon what you want and the fuel available to you. I chose 87 economy, 87 performance/tow and 91 performance/tow. MPG wise, my mileage went UP when towing by about 1.5-2mpg under the 91 perf/tow tune. Basically it went from 7-8mpg under tow to something around 9.5mpg, depending upon winds of course. Power, throttle response and tow experience is much better as well. I do not know why Ford did not release these trucks tuned like Mike sets up his 87 tunes. Mike is a class act. Ill let him address the price question with you as that is business between you two guys.

Towing our small bumper pull camper (7k lbs), the difference in performance and mileage makes me feel like the truck is a BEAST under that 91 perf/tow tune. Unloaded and running either stock or 87 economy (I honestly can't tell a whole lot of difference) I can get up to 15.5mpg at 70mph but winds affect the aerodynamic brick badly. I have seen 16.5mpg and I have seen 12. I also installed a few other mods which have all combined to help mpg as well. Truck now has an Airraid air box and filter, magnaflow muffler and one of the deep 4x4 air dams in place of the very shallow 4x2 air dam my truck came with.

Good luck, give Mike a call. You won't regret it.

-CC

 

thanks alot for the info!!!

 

I can get mine to break loose sometimes. I mean not facing downhill or anything, but it will spin em. Ihave the 4.10 LS setup.

 

If i dump the clutch i can

 

I can break 'em loose since I installed my Hedman Hedders. Never could before.

 

No problem if the pavement is wet.

 

If the pavement is wet, traction is a joke as I'm still running the Conti's. It's borderline impossible to get quality traction when it's on wet asphalt.

 

Yes, it will definitely break 'em loose. 4.30 gears help of course.

 

Now those are results!! (+1 on that write up btw )

 

I've had varying degrees of "success" spinning the tires from a stop. Here's a timeline:

Stock, with General Grabber AT 235/85R16's (skinny), very easy to spin both. Depends on ambient temp, temp of the tires, and the condition of the pavement. But I could usually get them spinning if I really tried. Especially if I was coasting to a stop and just slammed the gas. Driveline wrap-up maybe...

265/75R16s, Cooper ATs, also somewhat easy. About half the time, I could get them to spin. Otherwise, they would "bark" but not go more than one revolution before they got warm enough to stick.

Around this time, I went to eBay headers, which didn't change low-end, but certainly helped the high end.

A little bit later, I got a Volant CAI, and that REALLY helped the low-end and the ability to spin the tires. I think the abrupt almost-90-degree angle after the air box really hurt off the line, plus the small-diameter MAF opening dumping into a huge hose right before that 90-degree made low-air-speed, quick-throttle-opening changes almost impossible to accurately meter.

Soon after that, I went to Nitto Highway (Dura) grapplers at 285/75R16's. I could "bark" the tires, but again, about 1 revolution into it, and they would get warm and grab.

5-star from Mike, well, it helped everything in terms of drivability, sheer power, and shifting, dropping my 0-60 from 10 seconds to 9.02 flat.

But it didn't help the spinning tires off the line thing Maybe a little bit, but it's hard to tell.

Now that I have to do my ball joints, I'm beginning to think of going from 3.73's to 4.30's, now THAT is going to make a difference

 

I also have 4.30s and even with limited slip I can chirp them. But it doesn't take long for them to grab and go. This is stock before I added the tuner. While the tuner woke up the drivability I don't think it did much for dead stop take off. I don't get on it that much to break the tires loose

 

do the 4.30's improve MPG?