Tuning

[RamKing70]

I have 35s on my truck. 8 speed and 3.92 gears. I love them. Highway I get around 16mpg. My setup is 101lbs per corner. Mickey Thompson atz p3 inn305/70r18 with 18x9 -12 wheels. Highway rpms are not bad at all.

I don’t think he swapped to an earlier diff. Just a used one with 3.55 gears already.

Right... the diff I got had the 3.55s stock in it. More I'm looking at it, I should have went with 3.92s. But doing my research, I was advised to go 3.55s to stay near stock RPMs. I didn't realize the shifting concerns I would have. They really aren't bad, just looking for better now. But I don't really want to go through changing the gears again. But if I can't tweak the shift points, I just may.

 

[RamKing70]

This is when I had a 3" lift with 35s (they were **** tires). I have removed the lift, back to stock height and changed to Micky MTZ 35s. Soon as I can get garage space, I'll get my 4" put in. I removed this lift and bought a BDS 4" and fox resi shocks and coilovers. I won't have any spacers or pucks in my lift.

 

[Pull Ya]

Moe's Performance and Hemifever, both preferred vendors on this site, have a package deal on the Diablo tuner, PCM, and a custom tune by Hemifever. Hemifever also has a transmission tune that is available. I also have a 16 Ram 1500 and have a Hemifever custom tune and would highly recommend both Moe's and Hemifever.
Jay

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

I don't think I would be staying with a box tune. I've not heard too many good things about them. I do know that what ever way I go, I will be doing a PCM swap so I have no limits. Not that I would change everything, but I want that option lol. I have not yet talked to any shops in my area about tuning. I'm just now getting started with my info gathering. I do all of my own mechanical work. I would probably take on this task as well, however, I don't want to break my truck hahha. Where in NY are you? I'm just outside Buffalo. Thanks for the help

Edit,

Of my OP, what are your thoughts on the tuners I mentioned? Would you recommend any others with PCM swap?

You don't need a dyno tune so dont limit your self to local shops only. Email tuning is the standard now a days. Do some research and find a tuner you are comfortable with whether they are local or across the world. Especially since you will have a basic setup to start with. If budget allows this may be a good time to think about some bolt ons before you get the custom tune too. A nice set of long tube headers with a tune will give that truck some extra power! Yeah, definitely leave tuning to the professionals. I do my own work too but I don't touch the tuning. The modern computers in these vehicles and tuning software is great because there is so much you can adjust BUT that is also what can get you in trouble if you are untrained lol

I am in the lower hudson valley.

 

[MADDOG]

I've tuned 3 HEMI powered MOPAR vehicles, two of which received custom tunes.

All three were tuned using DiabloSport products. The canned tunes make a small difference in driveability but what really woke them up was the custom tunes.

I highly recommend them!

 

[RamKing70]

I've tuned 3 HEMI powered MOPAR vehicles, two of which received custom tunes.

All three were tuned using DiabloSport products. The canned tunes make a small difference in driveability but what really woke them up was the custom tunes.

I highly recommend them!

With this setup, did you have an locked PCM? How much can you really change 'OTF' with or without having a custom tune?

 

[MADDOG]

There were no locked PCMs involved.

Explain the acronym "OTF"

 

[crazykid1994]

There were no locked PCMs involved.

Explain the acronym "OTF"

I think he means on the fly

 

[RamKing70]

There were no locked PCMs involved.

Explain the acronym "OTF"

on the fly. So everything we're talking about involves an unlocked PCM?

 

[Wild one]

on the fly. So everything we're talking about involves an unlocked PCM?

To tune your truck you need the unlocked PCM,there are no On the Fly tunes available for the gasser Rams,that's only in the Diesal world. You can't change much with a Diablo canned tune,you need their several thousand dollar CMR program to actually do any real tuning via Diablo.Your best bet is contact one of the e-mail tuners,Ryan Hogan of Flying Ryan Performance is good, so is Shawn Powell of Hemifever Tuning,Jay Greene isn't really taking on much these days and is usually shutdown from Thursdays to Tuesdays lately,so the other 2 are probably your best bet for a Ram e-mail tune

 

[RamKing70]

To tune your truck you need the unlocked PCM,there are no On the Fly tunes available for the gasser Rams,that's only in the Diesal world. You can't change much with a Diablo canned tune,you need their several thousand dollar CMR program to actually do any real tuning via Diablo.Your best bet is contact one of the e-mail tuners,Ryan Hogan of Flying Ryan Performance is good, so is Shawn Powell of Hemifever Tuning,Jay Greene isn't really taking on much these days and is usually shutdown from Thursdays to Tuesdays lately,so the other 2 are probably your best bet for a Ram e-mail tune

I guess my biggest question is, once I have my PCM unlocked and have a custom tune, how can I change my tranny shifting and ECO modes? Is that only done in the custom tune? I would like to be able to make those changes as I see fit and of course performance lol.

 

[Wild one]

I guess my biggest question is, once I have my PCM unlocked and have a custom tune, how can I change my tranny shifting and ECO modes? Is that only done in the custom tune? I would like to be able to make those changes as I see fit and of course performance lol.

With the 8 speed your tranny tune will have be a custom tranny tune by an e-mail tuner.You can't change a hell'va lot with a Diablo handheld,they do have a canned tranny tune,but by no stretch is it what i'd call a great tranny tune,as it's a generic tranny tune. For what you want,you'd be better off going with an HP tune,and if that's the case contact Ryan Hogan,as he's probably the best HP email tuner for your truck.

 

[RamKing70]

With the 8 speed your tranny tune will have be a custom tranny tune by an e-mail tuner.You can't change a hell'va lot with a Diablo handheld,they do have a canned tranny tune,but by no stretch is it what i'd call a great tranny tune,as it's a generic tranny tune. For what you want,you'd be better off going with an HP tune,and if that's the case contact Ryan Hogan,as he's probably the best HP email tuner for your truck.

Ryan does the tunes for Diablo? You don't know of any tuner that will do what I'm wanting OTF? What about these credits that I'm hearing about? How does this all work? I know I'm sounding like a noob, but I've been a career mechanic on everything from our cars to dozers and military vehicles. It's the computer tuning that I'm new to. I do want to thank everyone here for all of the info. We are a family here lol.

 

[crazykid1994]

Ryan does the tunes for Diablo? You don't know of any tuner that will do what I'm wanting OTF? What about these credits that I'm hearing about? How does this all work? I know I'm sounding like a noob, but I've been a career mechanic on everything from our cars to dozers and military vehicles. It's the computer tuning that I'm new to. I do want to thank everyone here for all of the info. We are a family here lol.

There is no “on the fly” with the trucks. The whole computer has to be flashed.

 

[Wild one]

Ryan does the tunes for Diablo? You don't know of any tuner that will do what I'm wanting OTF? What about these credits that I'm hearing about? How does this all work? I know I'm sounding like a noob, but I've been a career mechanic on everything from our cars to dozers and military vehicles. It's the computer tuning that I'm new to. I do want to thank everyone here for all of the info. We are a family here lol.

Your best bet is to contact either Ryan Hogan of Flying Ryan Performance or HemiFever,and go from there.As CrazyKid stated above,you have to reflash the computor on a gas powered Ram to change the tune,so there are no On the Fly tune capabilities available.You have to park the truck,shut it off, turn the ignition to Run,then reload the differant tune if you want to change the tune.It can take a fair bit of time to do,it's not a quick 2 or 3 second procedure,it usually takes several minutes even upwards of an hour if things give you static.

 

[MADDOG]

Yes, we are talking unlocked PCM's in all cases here. I didn't need them as the vehicles I tuned didn't have encrypted and locked PCMs. Those were first introduced on the 2015 trucks and cars.

There are no OTF changes for gas engine tuning.

Diablo's canned tunes don't do much for trans tuning but if you want the trans to shift at a certain RPM under wide open throttle that can be done. Most tunes will also raise the line pressure which helps make the shifts occur faster with no slippage which is a good thing as slippage causes heat. Some folks want additional trans tuning and one way to take care of many transmission function complaints is to get it out of full automatic and run the trans in manual mode or Tow Haul around town.

 

[ripping r]

Yes, we are talking unlocked PCM's in all cases here. I didn't need them as the vehicles I tuned didn't have encrypted and locked PCMs. Those were first introduced on the 2015 trucks and cars.

There are no OTF changes for gas engine tuning.

Diablo's canned tunes don't do much for trans tuning but if you want the trans to shift at a certain RPM under wide open throttle that can be done. Most tunes will also raise the line pressure which helps make the shifts occur faster with no slippage which is a good thing as slippage causes heat. Some folks want additional trans tuning and one way to take care of many transmission function complaints is to get it out of full automatic and run the trans in manual mode or Tow Haul around town.

Talking about tow/ haul. Can a tuner make it where tow/haul is on buy default?

 

[Wild one]

Talking about tow/ haul. Can a tuner make it where tow/haul is on buy default?

Not sure about whether tow/haul can be set as your default tune,but it might be with HP tuning. My tow/haul button is what sets my nitrous tune in motion,it also raises my shift points from my DD tune of 6100 rpm across all shifts, to 6200 on the 1/2 shift ,6400 on the 2/3 shift and 6600 for the rest of the shifts

 

[RamKing70]

You guys are all awesome. I'm understanding all of this. Now with me doing a ****tun of highway driving with 35 tires and 3.55 gears, what can be done about the ECO and shifting? I'm constantly in and out of 8th, way more than when it was stock. I'm assuming whoever I go to for the tuning would be able to suggest something that would help that?

 

[crazykid1994]

You guys are all awesome. I'm understanding all of this. Now with me doing a ****tun of highway driving with 35 tires and 3.55 gears, what can be done about the ECO and shifting? I'm constantly in and out of 8th, way more than when it was stock. I'm assuming whoever I go to for the tuning would be able to suggest something that would help that?

Re gear to 3.92 or even 4.10
Edit: I have a 2017 8 speed. Looked for a truck with 3.92 gears from factory to make sure I had what I needed for what I wanted to do. I’m on 35s. Truck holds 8th gear no issues. I deleted mds but I still get the dash saying eco mode if I’m under 60 mph. I need to get a custom tune but have been waiting to get long tubes and do it all at once