3rd gen towing feedback from users

I have a tuned truck, mod trans, and tow 10K.

It tows pretty well but I would like a little a little more power for sustained towing power for steep grades. Example: If I could tow level 5 all day that would be fine but that's too hot and can get smokey at lower rpm.

Towing compounds is the feedback I got in the past but is there a single turbo that is good towing, spool, and sustained 400-450 hp at the wheels. If you get what if saying, not dyno, I'm talking sustained power pulling 6% grades for 6+ miles, and/or keeping the truck from dropping out of OD on the grades.

Part of the motivation of this post is not to dump a bunch of money in compounds and keep it simple, but maybe not possible on the 3rd gen. Seems the 4th gen guys put on a 463/464 and tow like I'm describing but that's with a larger displacement motor.

I can say this, from personal experience with my 06 when I had the 5.9 in it, stock bottom end, stock cam, etc. A set of compounds, stock over 475 turned that truck into a whole new animal, towing grades at interstate speeds was never an issue, even grossing 30kish. It cost me less than 1k to go from the single I had on to a stock over 475 compound set, yes, I fabbed my piping myself though.

I towed with an 05 3rd gen for years with a Smarty turned all the way yup, 90hp nozzles, and a stock over 475 setup. It was bulletproof and ran for years like that but with the nozzles you had to keep an eye on your exhaust temps.

Then I bought a 2013 and tuned it, and it tows 100x better than my 3rd gen ever thought of, and the truck handles the weight better. So keep that in mind if you plan on seriously towing, it might be worth the jump to a 4th gen.

Compounds are the answer. Much less expensive than a replacement truck.

bigstacks95 said:

Then I bought a 2013 and tuned it, and it tows 100x better than my 3rd gen ever thought of, and the truck handles the weight better.

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x2 on this. Less power in my 4th Gen over my 12V, but it spools much faster (displacement/VGT), the chassis handles weight like you wouldn't believe, and I love how insulated and quiet the cab is.

For example, I can have my 5th wheel loaded up (~10k), and my Polaris General Crew on a trailer behind that (~5k). Other than mileage going down, I don't even notice towing it. Just hit the cruise control at 80mph, and it's rare for it to drop down to 5th gear on an incline.

Assuming a 4th gen is out of the question, I'm also a big fan of tossing 475's over a stock charger. Good luck finding a cheaper way around it!

Sounds like it's compounds or 4th gen. I've been sitting on parts for a couple years not putting the time aside to install and hesitation to use a SXE 369 I have. Sitting on shelf I have 100 hp injectors, 10mm Cp3, ARP studs, and a sxe369. I wonder about compounding the 369 for towing or is it too small. Typically, it's always a 400 frame charger used.

Compounds.

I ran a 351/467 set on my 04 with stock injectors and a hot tune (2500us) and could not get it over 1300* even if you held it on the floor. This was pulling my 48' enclosed with living quarters and 6500lb race truck (22k lbs loaded trailer) and all on 37" tires with 3.73 gears.

I have since upgraded to a 4th gen with Aisin trans it tows from 0-60 a whole lot better, and handles the weight a lot better but all things are not equal because I kept a small tire on the 4th gen. I do prefer the power my 04 had on the highway though, but I am in the process of building a set of compounds for the new truck so I will have the best of both worlds.

I would do the 351/369 compounds if you will be happy with ~550hp. besides the power and lack of EGT issues, my favorite thing about compounds if how quiet the truck is.