Towing with Superchip? Help!!
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 56
Likes: 1
Towing with Superchip? Help!!
<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">I have a 2000 7.3 excursion and am going to be towing a 24' enclosed trailer across the country packed full of my furniture and boxes. I have installed a superchip tuner, 4" exhaust, and an AFE stage 2 intake. I was suppose to have gauges on this week to moniter the Pyro,boost, and trans but the mechanic flaked on me and I am stuck without gauges and need to leave tomorrow. I guess I am at a loss as to how run the chip? I know not to leave it on performance towing but wonder if stock is better than tow safe in this case without gauges. I have never towed anything and dont want to burn anyhting up. I about a 165k miles on it. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help and sorry for the long post.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 392
Likes: 1
From: Heber UT
I don't know much about superchips. Someone should chime in soon. Maybe a 20hp tow setting if it's available, might be ok. I would probably just go stock without having gauges. Be carefull. I would change all fluids specially tranny fluid before you go.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,608
Likes: 13
From: Belair md
i have 230k on mine, running the superchip 1705 on highperformance which in your truck would be 80 horse towsafe, no gagues in mine, never blown up yet, just dont let it lug up hills, downgear it, dont drive like an idiot and you'll be fine
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,498
Likes: 3
From: Windsor, Colorado
I have run mine on tow safe for over 100k miles on my f350 w/o gauges and have pulled many heavy loads all over the western US and never had and issue. I put gauges in my X and switched the superchip to it and in tow safe the egts are fine and the tranny does fine. in tow performance the egts will creep up if you lug the hills too much. I have stock exhaust on both outfits for now.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,146
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From: Bradenton FL
With 4 in exhaust i wouldnt worry about running it on perf-tow, or tow-safe, just be concerned more with your tranny. If your pulling a grade pull it out of OD, and if its a mix terrain dont let the truck switch in and out of OD like crazy, just pick a speed and gear and stick with it. My job trailer is not quite that long but i would just run @ 65 and youll be fine, and get better mileage anyway
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 56
Likes: 1
Thanks guys for all the help. I think I am going to leave it in the tow safe mode and just be careful with it. It sounds like I should be alright.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 775
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From: Williamston, MI
I have the 1705 in mine now too. I have the guages. EGTs run a bit more pulling a load but the trans moves very little above running empty on mine. Common sense seems to be the key here.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 9
I believe the 1705 setting's are 70-HP-tow safe/ 90-HP tow performance/ 110-HP Performance. I too use the 1705 on my 02 Excursion. I've towed maybe 4 times with the truck about 10,000 lbs +/- and each time I drop the program to the Tow safe mode. I don't have any gauges on the Ex either but have always kept it nice and easy and dropped gears accordingly. No problems. Take Care, Country
Hook it, I'll pull it.
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 15,037
Likes: 4
From: Grand Lake, La.
I have run the superchip in my truck for 4 years. I changed to something else with 114,000 miles on it. I never had gauges with my superchip and never had a problem. I would never run the chip I run now without gauges, exhaust, vb, intake. The superchip did me well untill I wanted real power. Cost me a lot more money to run this setup, but IMO the power in unbelievable.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,993
Likes: 2
From: Bend, OR
Feel free to send me a PM with a E-mail address and I will send anyone pic's of a nice pen holder I have on my desk... Cost about 3k but your all welcome to have one... Just tow (in this case I had...) with a superchip set on tow performance, 4" exhaust, AFE stage 1, and gauges (mind you a post turbo pyro, my fault...)...
FYI, the cup holder is a melted #7 piston out of my early 99 PSD when I towed with it to Montana... Yup, feel free to do it without gauges... But a "new" psd is about 11k and a rebuilt is going to set you back about 5k... so its your call...
FYI, the cup holder is a melted #7 piston out of my early 99 PSD when I towed with it to Montana... Yup, feel free to do it without gauges... But a "new" psd is about 11k and a rebuilt is going to set you back about 5k... so its your call...
Last edited by CSIPSD; Sep 18, 2007 at 06:47 PM.
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 56
Likes: 1
So I guess I am back to my same question of....am I better off in this case just returning it back to the stock settings? Performance is not the issue this time for me. I dont care about my gas milage or the increase in power...I just dont want to burn anyhtng up. Is the stock setting safer the the tow safe setting for pulling a big trailer? I am really confused now??
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,993
Likes: 2
From: Bend, OR
If you dont have gauges, think about this... Can you afford to rebuild the motor... About 5k to 10k ( I know I am doing it right now...)
If the awnser is no, the return it to stock, the 7.3 will pull the load JUST fine stock...
If the awnser is no, the return it to stock, the 7.3 will pull the load JUST fine stock...
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 544
Likes: 0
From: SLC, UT
Stock tows fine as is. I wouldn't be afraid to use the tow safe mode myself. Your 4" exhaust will make egt's fine. tow safe shouldn't be an issue in my opinion. At the same time though you are not gaining huge amounts of power with the tow safe. What ever floats your boat I guess, or pulls your trailer HA HA HA LOL!