Best tuner for mods and wheels

[Tewing84]

I’m looking to buy a tuner for my 2017 Ram 1500 Laramie. Right now it’s stock but I’m eventually going to add some bolt ons, American racing headers, and some different rims and tires. I know it will for sure need a tune after the headers, and then another tune with different size wheels to calibrate the mileage. So what would be my best option? Also, I’ve never had or used a tuner, are they pretty simple to tune after I add different mods?

 

[Pull Ya]

You will need to unlock your existing PCM if you going to add a tuner. Diablo is a popular brand tuner and they can also unlock your PCM or sell you one that has been unlocked. IMHO if you buy a tuner it is important to also get a "custom" tune. Once you have a custom tune, your tuner will make adjustments in your tune as you add mods. Usually there is no charge for that. Moe's Performance works closely with Hemifever tuning and Matt has a package you can buy that includes the PCM, tuner and a custom tune. He is a preferred vendor on this site. Headers and a custom tune will give you a significant increase in performance, short of a turbo charger or supercharger or funny gas.
Jay

 

[Tewing84]

You will need to unlock your existing PCM if you going to add a tuner. Diablo is a popular brand tuner and they can also unlock your PCM or sell you one that has been unlocked. IMHO if you buy a tuner it is important to also get a "custom" tune. Once you have a custom tune, your tuner will make adjustments in your tune as you add mods. Usually there is no charge for that. Moe's Performance works closely with Hemifever tuning and Matt has a package you can buy that includes the PCM, tuner and a custom tune. He is a preferred vendor on this site. Headers and a custom tune will give you a significant increase in performance, short of a turbo charger or supercharger or funny gas.
Jay

How do you unlock the PCM? So I can buy a tuner and take it to a shop for them to set up a custom tune on the tuner? Thank you

 

[MADDOG]

Another vote for the Diablosport products. I've used them for years and find them easy to use.

As ^^^ Jay ^^^ mentioned you will have to get an unlocked PCM for your truck as your stock one is encrypted.

These tuners are very flexible and easy to update as you add mods, such as larger tires. There are other user configurable settings you can tweak as well.

They can also hold multiple tunes and getting a custom tune as part of a tuner/PCM package will really wake up the truck.

Good luck with the mods.

 

[MADDOG]

You "unlock" a PCM by swapping it out with a new one that has the encryption removed.

As far as taking it to a shop, you won't have to do that. You can but getting a tune on a dyno is a LOT more expensive that doing it by email.

Talk with Matt about his package. You can get a custom tune by email as part of the tuner/PCM package. I used Hemifever for my custom tune on the 2014 6.4L 2500 CC and that tune was a real eye opener.