Cookbook or recipes for 06 towing upgrades

[MAshley]

WOW I have to say I started looking at doing some modifications about a week ago and I think im more lost then before I started looking.



I have a stock 06 Manual dully that’s main purpose it to tow a 5th wheel. I have towed plenty over the past 100K miles and in stock form it goes up and down the hills and mountains just fine…. . but I would enjoy more TQ and power. . how much exactly . . well not sure. .



Few Q first.

At what HP level does it get insane $$$ wise?

At what level does reliability drop to a point of not going further for reliabe DD?



So I have been reading on multiple sites, and it seems like there are a 100+ ways to build a truck with just about as many options of vendors, has anyone created a simple guide? Such as if you want 50 extra get a programmer, if you want 100 + do programmer and say 50+ sticks, or programmer +100 sticks and X trubo for towing, y turbo for racing. ?



At what point does adding things more or less sustain the power lever VS add to it… Example Cam may add 50+ amount, programmer adds another 50, but do you really get a 100+ addition?



Can things be done in the wrong order? Say adding twin turbo’s with the rest basically being stock? Obviously the fuel won’t be there to get huge benefits from doing the turbo first but as you add say 100+ sticks the improvemts follow.



Thoughts on my build, recon I will just get to whatever HP and TQ level I end up at. . LOL as long as I can kick my friends Ford truck rear I will be happy.



Twin turbo for towing…… looking at a 62/65/13ss with a s475rc but not sure if it’s a good option.

Cam

ARP studs

Springs

EF-live

6. 7 dampener

Upgraded clutch



Thanks.

David

 

[Mark31]

David, long years ago I played motorcycles. I had a 72 Honda 750 that had been tweeked, but was still ready for whatever, including a coast to coast. Some bikes around here were "overbuilt" so much that all that was necessary to "clean their clocks" was to put 'em off for a while, then call 'em out at the end of a long ride on a hot day. A lot of them "fainted". My feeble little bit of advice? Take your own: "It goes up and down the hills and mountains just fine. " If you get a good clutch and an exhaust brake and, if you just gotta have it, a Jr, there is a good chance other newer "more powerful' trucks will faint. Pay attention to the manual transmission folks on here about not over loading, servicing, and keeping it cool because what you are dreaming about will be good for business at Standard Transmission. Who said, "He who laughs last, laughs best!"? Go wash and wax your ride so it will still look good in ten years, after some of this new stuff has fainted. Mark

 

[Slow Six]

Been there, done that. Cost me a lot of money, first for the "enhancements" and than repairs as a result of the extra power. Yes the power was nice but I ended up going back to stock. The transmission and rear diff are the weak spots in the drive train. You may not kick the Ford's rear but will the Ford be kicking you after a half million miles?

 

[Prairie Dog]

I'm sure others will disagree with me but it has always seemed like the farther you get away from stock, the less dependable it is. That's not to say that it's not safe to do anything, just keep the mods in perspective.
I'm happy with the performance the Smarty Jr gives me. I know it would be easy to get more but it's enough for me. The only other mods I'll make are for dependability or drive ability.

 

[Wertles]

+1 on the Smarty Jr. Inexpensive mod, great improvement in performance (I keep mine on the 70 HP towing setting all the time), and no need for other upgrades to utilize it. I added an upgraded transmission rebuild, max brake controller, 19. 5 inch tires/rims and airbags to the rear suspension. I now tow 16-18k much more comfortably than my old 10k trailer.

 

[AH64ID]

I think 400 rwhp is the fine line between towing power, reliability, and cost.

Click the link in my sig to see the overboard way to build your truck for 400 rwhp. The simple way is a Clutch and Smarty Jr on SW2. It only get's you about 350-375 rwhp, but is better on EGT's towing thru the mountains.

Sticks are not needed, IMHO, but if doing injector work one may as well add some 50's, but I wouldn't go larger on a towing truck, especially with the tuning options out there.

A cliffs notes on my build is. .

Garrett BB Stage 2 Turbo
Colt Cam
Smarty JR
Southbend Clutch

I can run near WOT up a 6% grade up thru about 7K feet an not break 1300° in OD at 2K rpms towing my TT and a bed full of toys.

 

[Shadrach]

"Speed costs money Son - How fast do you want to go? " Don't get caught up in the "I wanna beat my buddy up the hill" trap. The G56 is only "good" for about 650-700 ft/lbs of tq. When it is time to do a clutch then upgrade. I chose a South Bend. I bought my 03 as a dead truck. If you look at the "toys" I added they are not for impressing anyone, just to make it better and more suitable for towing. Shad

 

[ENafziger]

Thoughts on my build, recon I will just get to whatever HP and TQ level I end up at. . LOL as long as I can kick my friends Ford truck rear I will be happy.

Twin turbo for towing…… looking at a 62/65/13ss with a s475rc but not sure if it's a good option.
Cam
ARP studs
Springs
EF-live
6. 7 dampener
Upgraded clutch

You've got the basics.

You could probably go slightly bigger on the primary. I run a 62/65/12 and S476.

I'd skip the cam if I were you. The gains seen for the investment are practically not there... especially if your goal is reliability. Ask me more if you don't agree.

Have you already upgraded the lift pump? If not, at least get a simple Walbro setup.

With the above that you mentioned, you're going to be awful close to 670 hp if you have a good EFI tune. You're limiting factor will obviously be the stock CP. 3 and injectors. However, for a reliable tow rig, I wouldn't touch either of those.

My recommendation would be do what you have listed above, less the cam. Go for a mild 500 hp tune on the EFI live... at least until the adjustable in cab switch is released.

You better do something to that G56. At least get a Tork Shield and Gorilla Juice from Mike. If you feel you still have extra money in your pocket from not doing the cam, send him the trans and let him put a different heat treat on 3rd, 4th, and 6th.

Get an exhaust brake.

Enjoy.

--Eric

 

[ENafziger]

Well, what've you decided? Have you started ordering parts?

 

[MegaJeff]

I think the adjustability of the Smarty is a great add on as well as adding a better fuel filter setup. If you want the truck to last, better fuel filtering is huge. Get your exhaust opened up and a free breathing intake and you should be good.

 

[CKelley1]

want the best and get it to pay for its self do the following this removes the in-cylinder egr, gains you 6 mpg 300* lower egt and 90 hp change the cam to a pdr or colt stage 2, 50 hp ddp nozzles and a smarty jr set on economy tm4 tq4. dynatrac free spin hubs did not help as much as i thought but the new 2wd low reverse and two lower forward gears is very nice get a bd exhaust brake. if you get the 62-65 13ss you can move the jr setting to tow

 

[AH64ID]

CKelly, why the Stage 2? The Stage 1 is the same grind as the PDR.