| non GMC - improving F150 / Expedition towing performance [message #223222] |
Fri, 20 September 2013 10:30  |
hertfordnc
Messages: 1164
Registered: September 2009
Location: East NC
Karma: 0
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I really tried to get answers in other forums but i could not sort through the contradictions so i come back here for clarity. Hope no one minds.
Towing a 55oo lb trailer with a 2001 Expedition. It works pretty well and I am not upgrading the truck anytime soon so i looked into what could be done to improve performance.
Over on the F150 forums a whole bunch of smart guys swear they get great results from intakes, exhausts, perfomance cats, and ECM tuners. Some are trying to impress girls and light up the tires and some are trying for better MPG.
But over on the towing forum the consnsus seems to be that nothing could really be done without shortening the life of the engine. "there's no free lunch", "it's not a hot rod", "electric fans are stupid"
Of course my thinking is that the manufacturer compromised everywhere they could and everything can benefit from a little re-engineering. But I'm not an engineer.
So, can we improve the performance and efficiency of this truck, over stock, with bolt on external components and perhaps using a tuner to optimize performance under load even at the cost of overall performance? The truck's primary mission is camper towing and the occasional spare car.
tires and gearing are not really on the table.
Dave & Ellen Silva
Hertford, NC
76 Birchaven, 1-ton and other stuff
Currently planning the Great american Road Trip Summer 2021
It's gonna take a lot of Adderall to get this thing right.
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| Re: non GMC - improving F150 / Expedition towing performance [message #223226 is a reply to message #223222] |
Fri, 20 September 2013 11:44  |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
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Dave,
We have an 04 with trailer towing package -- 9000lb rating as I recall. If you have the package it includes an added transmission cooler and such.
I would just be sure to keep up with regular maintenance, oil, tran fluid, brakes, air filter -- and perhaps change the plugs a little more often and consider the "induction cleaning". Correctly done some say it remove a lot of varnish and build up in the fuel system.
A regular check of the vacuum lines would be good too. The pvc lines especially seem to rot or crack -- both at the valve and behind the throttle body.
Dennis
| hertfordnc wrote on Fri, 20 September 2013 10:30 |
I really tried to get answers in other forums but i could not sort through the contradictions so i come back here for clarity. Hope no one minds.
Towing a 55oo lb trailer with a 2001 Expedition. It works pretty well and I am not upgrading the truck anytime soon so i looked into what could be done to improve performance.
Over on the F150 forums a whole bunch of smart guys swear they get great results from intakes, exhausts, perfomance cats, and ECM tuners. Some are trying to impress girls and light up the tires and some are trying for better MPG.
But over on the towing forum the consnsus seems to be that nothing could really be done without shortening the life of the engine. "there's no free lunch", "it's not a hot rod", "electric fans are stupid"
Of course my thinking is that the manufacturer compromised everywhere they could and everything can benefit from a little re-engineering. But I'm not an engineer.
So, can we improve the performance and efficiency of this truck, over stock, with bolt on external components and perhaps using a tuner to optimize performance under load even at the cost of overall performance? The truck's primary mission is camper towing and the occasional spare car.
tires and gearing are not really on the table.
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Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
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| Re: non GMC - improving F150 / Expedition towing performance [message #223228 is a reply to message #223226] |
Fri, 20 September 2013 11:50 |
hertfordnc
Messages: 1164
Registered: September 2009
Location: East NC
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Thanks. The truck tows fine. it has the tow package and I am at about 90% of GCWR.
But i have no plan to replace it so I wanted to know if it could be made to perform better, or if the performance could be better targeted to towing.
Here we have people who routinely reengineer things so i thought i might get clearer direction.
Dave & Ellen Silva
Hertford, NC
76 Birchaven, 1-ton and other stuff
Currently planning the Great american Road Trip Summer 2021
It's gonna take a lot of Adderall to get this thing right.
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