2012 Performance Upgrades, Worth It?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 3,261
Likes: 605
From: Fallston, MD
If you wanted to wait till Black Friday, MPT has nice black Friday deals for tunes and SCT devices. I'd recommend MPT over 5* based on reviews and posts here on the forums.
Most of the adjustable coilovers have the options of stock height to up to 2.5" or 3". Totally adjustable with a spanner wrench. The Boss Coilovers have had a reputation of making street driving much much more enjoyable (even moreso over some other brands) while still benefiting your offroad ability.
Most of the adjustable coilovers have the options of stock height to up to 2.5" or 3". Totally adjustable with a spanner wrench. The Boss Coilovers have had a reputation of making street driving much much more enjoyable (even moreso over some other brands) while still benefiting your offroad ability.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,300
Likes: 198
Thanks, great details. And appreciate the validation that the gearing upgrade won't provide a lot of ROI given what I have already. I also like that since it's a relatively expensive upgrade.
Regarding the Tuner...I went onto the 5-star website and saw a bunch of stuff. Appreciate seeing that you went with three tunes and what they were. I wasn't really clear on what I'd want to select so that helps. Are there any special handshakes or codewords I can use to buy at a discount? Not wanting to skimp on a quality device or quality tune, but would love to spend as reasonably little as possible...
Also, I run Michelin ATX 245/75R17s and obviously have the stock "lift". I mention this because whatever suspension work I do needs to NOT increase the overall height of the vehicle. I have about 2" of clearance when I pull into my garage and definitely want to keep it parked in the garage. If I update coilovers/shocks, can it be done while keeping the stock height? Honestly I'd like to consider upgrading wheels/tires at some point, but don't really care TOOO much about the looks, sorta like the idea of a stock-looking truck being a badass by comparison.
Regarding the Tuner...I went onto the 5-star website and saw a bunch of stuff. Appreciate seeing that you went with three tunes and what they were. I wasn't really clear on what I'd want to select so that helps. Are there any special handshakes or codewords I can use to buy at a discount? Not wanting to skimp on a quality device or quality tune, but would love to spend as reasonably little as possible...
Also, I run Michelin ATX 245/75R17s and obviously have the stock "lift". I mention this because whatever suspension work I do needs to NOT increase the overall height of the vehicle. I have about 2" of clearance when I pull into my garage and definitely want to keep it parked in the garage. If I update coilovers/shocks, can it be done while keeping the stock height? Honestly I'd like to consider upgrading wheels/tires at some point, but don't really care TOOO much about the looks, sorta like the idea of a stock-looking truck being a badass by comparison.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 43
Likes: 1
Thanks for the Black Friday tip. Definitely will wait for that (unless there's a way to get that deal sooner...)
Ballpark, installed, how much should I plan for regarding the Boss Coilovers?
Ballpark, installed, how much should I plan for regarding the Boss Coilovers?
If you wanted to wait till Black Friday, MPT has nice black Friday deals for tunes and SCT devices. I'd recommend MPT over 5* based on reviews and posts here on the forums.
Most of the adjustable coilovers have the options of stock height to up to 2.5" or 3". Totally adjustable with a spanner wrench. The Boss Coilovers have had a reputation of making street driving much much more enjoyable (even moreso over some other brands) while still benefiting your offroad ability.
Most of the adjustable coilovers have the options of stock height to up to 2.5" or 3". Totally adjustable with a spanner wrench. The Boss Coilovers have had a reputation of making street driving much much more enjoyable (even moreso over some other brands) while still benefiting your offroad ability.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 43
Likes: 1
Back in the day I had chipped my 525, but I haven't done the tune/reprogram thing before. I know they are effectively the same, except the chip has a single "tune" on it...
Anyway, what's the risk of doing this? If I run 93 race all the time, just as a for-instance, how likely am I to put too much stress on the engine or other components? I'm much happier doing this on a 5.0 versus a turbo from a reliability perspective, but am curious of the downside risks...
Anyway, what's the risk of doing this? If I run 93 race all the time, just as a for-instance, how likely am I to put too much stress on the engine or other components? I'm much happier doing this on a 5.0 versus a turbo from a reliability perspective, but am curious of the downside risks...
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 3,261
Likes: 605
From: Fallston, MD
For the Boss Coilovers? Again I would wait until black Friday to order, I think last year they were $699 on Black Friday? I could be wrong. Uh then you can install yourself or have a shop do it for around $200, add another $100 for alignment.
Ford Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 637
Likes: 120
From: Illinois
Running a 93 race tune as a daily tune you'll be fine as long as you aren't hard on it all the time. I was running that MPT tune for awhile, but couldn't afford to keep running 93 octane anymore. Honestly I wouldn't bother with a cai and save that money for something else. It won't make much of a difference plus the oem filter does a better job at filtering than the aftermarket ones. A tune will make the truck into a whole new animal. Throttle response and shift points are improved greatly.
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 31,745
Likes: 12,567
From: Nowhereville, Barton City Michigan
Good advice here.
The CAI won't do a thing for you, nor will adding a nice sounding exhaust. They'll look and sound good but that's all.
Also agree with not beating on it at every opportunity, crap, a stock engine won't survive that either.
My daily tune is 91 performance tow from 5*. I'm thinking of getting the 93 performance from MPT though. No hesitation to run that daily either.
One thing though, if you drive like an old guy, I do, the KAM will learn that within a few hundred miles. You'll lose throttle response, but a KAM reset is so easy it's a nonissue as well.
Nothing wrong with getting on it occasionally, I just save it for those "special" times.
On the CAI thing, if you do it, consider getting a dry system opposed to an oiled one. You can run a chance of gumming up your MAF sensor from excess oil off the filter. A lot of guys run the K&N oiled, I rrun an Airaid dry, with sock,[not in photo] due to my experience with the 7.3 superdudes.
The CAI won't do a thing for you, nor will adding a nice sounding exhaust. They'll look and sound good but that's all.
Also agree with not beating on it at every opportunity, crap, a stock engine won't survive that either.
My daily tune is 91 performance tow from 5*. I'm thinking of getting the 93 performance from MPT though. No hesitation to run that daily either.
One thing though, if you drive like an old guy, I do, the KAM will learn that within a few hundred miles. You'll lose throttle response, but a KAM reset is so easy it's a nonissue as well.
Nothing wrong with getting on it occasionally, I just save it for those "special" times.
On the CAI thing, if you do it, consider getting a dry system opposed to an oiled one. You can run a chance of gumming up your MAF sensor from excess oil off the filter. A lot of guys run the K&N oiled, I rrun an Airaid dry, with sock,[not in photo] due to my experience with the 7.3 superdudes.
Last edited by johnday in BFE; Oct 8, 2016 at 06:54 AM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 43
Likes: 1
Great stuff everyone, and it makes sense.
Skipping on the CAI is easy enough and I have no interest in a modified exhaust unless a legit power improvement was to be had.
When I look at tuners, I see quite a few. And at least two by SCT. Two questions on that: 1) any specific model preferences? 2) I wouldn't think that I would need to leave it plugged in all the time, but see that there are mounts for them. To confirm, I can reprogram and unplug, right?
Skipping on the CAI is easy enough and I have no interest in a modified exhaust unless a legit power improvement was to be had.
When I look at tuners, I see quite a few. And at least two by SCT. Two questions on that: 1) any specific model preferences? 2) I wouldn't think that I would need to leave it plugged in all the time, but see that there are mounts for them. To confirm, I can reprogram and unplug, right?
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 31,745
Likes: 12,567
From: Nowhereville, Barton City Michigan
Great stuff everyone, and it makes sense.
Skipping on the CAI is easy enough and I have no interest in a modified exhaust unless a legit power improvement was to be had.
When I look at tuners, I see quite a few. And at least two by SCT. Two questions on that: 1) any specific model preferences? 2) I wouldn't think that I would need to leave it plugged in all the time, but see that there are mounts for them. To confirm, I can reprogram and unplug, right?
Skipping on the CAI is easy enough and I have no interest in a modified exhaust unless a legit power improvement was to be had.
When I look at tuners, I see quite a few. And at least two by SCT. Two questions on that: 1) any specific model preferences? 2) I wouldn't think that I would need to leave it plugged in all the time, but see that there are mounts for them. To confirm, I can reprogram and unplug, right?
The livewire does provide some features my doesn't. but for the price difference, and my preferences, I wanted what I got.