Looking for a Tuner that lets me set the Redline

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50pascals

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Location
Rochester, NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
6.4
Hi All, I've searched the forums and the Internet but can't find the answer to my question.

We have a 2021 Ram 2500 4x4 with the 6.4 Hemi. It replaced a 2006 Ram 2500 4x4 with the 5.7. We tow a trailer about 50% of the time, usually with a car or lawnmowers or building materials. We have an 18' open deck trailer, or occasionally tow enclosed trailers or campers we rent.

I am looking for a tuner that will allow me to lower the redline of the engine. That's it. And specifically, I want to enter a number, like 4,500 rpm, or 4,000 rpm.

We are otherwise perfectly happy with the performance, the mileage, etc. I just can't stand the screaming rpm's every time this thing decides to downshift, which is fairly often, even when towing a light trailer. We typically tow from 2,500 pounds to 7,000 pounds. Even with light trailers, the screaming 5,000 rpms on slight grades gets maddening very quickly. I'd prefer to just mash the gas and have the truck hold a taller gear, even if we lose a little speed.

We thought this truck with the 8 speed might be better than our old truck with the 4 speed. But it isn't. The extra gears seem to both be overdrives as far as the driving experience goes.

I bought a tuner for the 2006, but all it let me do was pick between modes like "towing", "performance" , "economy." But none of those affected the rpm's at all. Tuners I find today arent real clear as to what I can adjust.

And to be honest, as far as this issue goes, neither of these trucks were as good as our 1996 1500 4x4 with the 360 gasser. I pulled the kickdown cable all the way out and that truck almost never downshifted. It was great! Transmission lasted for 240k when we sold it.

And FYI - I've had trucks with the Cummins. But the issues with the newer trucks, the emissions issues, and frequent repairs, total cost of ownership, etc. kept us from buying a diesel. We have plenty of friends with farms around here to learn from.

Thanks.

P.S. - Our coping strategy with the 2006 is to tow at 80 mph. This will keep the engine at roughly 3,200 rpm and it won't downshift because it would go over redline. But We'd like to be able to tow at reasonable speeds and have the drivetrain work better for us.
 
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50pascals

Junior Member
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Location
Rochester, NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
6.4
Emissions issues aside, sounds like you actually want a diesel. The Hemi loves to rev to make power. Just the way it is.
Yes, I would have preferred a diesel. And had them in the past. But the lifecycle cost savings isn't there anymore. We already paid Covid tax just to get a newer truck. The diesel tax put the ROI even more negative.

So my tradeoff is slowing down on hills a little, or towing at 80mph.
 
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50pascals

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2022
Posts
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Location
Rochester, NY
Ram Year
2021
Engine
6.4
HP Tuner :rocking:

Youtube has all the info, as well as the HP tuner forum

Thanks Dilligaf. Based on your activity here, you seem kind of expert on this software.

It looks like an extensive package, but more of a time investment and learning curve than I am willing to make to learn the software just to change one number.

Is this the type of thing that someone locally (a shop or private person) will have this and I can just pay them to do it? The only "tuner" shops I am familiar with do diesel trucks, or Import cars (including my Audis). I am not aware of anyone doing "pedestrian" tuning of gas Dodge trucks like I'm looking to do.

Thanks
 
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