Hello all,
I have a 08 Sport and these are the mods I am thinking about doing. I pull two bikes up to N.C. and TN. often so I would like a little more power. What do you think

1. mangaflow one it two out can somebody give me which SS model I need to get.
2. Underdrive and Overdrive pull. Should I worry about the water pump and idle pully.
3. Transmission cooler
4. Tuner
5. Last if I do all these should I get a CAI or just do the air box mod and K&N drop in filter.

Thank you for the help in advance.

 

2. All you'd need is the crank and alternator pulleys......all the other ones sold by Underdog are aluminum replacements of the same size. It lowers the rotating mass...theoretically, more power when you replace those, but will you feel it and will it really make a difference? unlikely.

3. Get a nice big one...I use a Flex-o-lite or whatever 18,000lb cooler on my little race truck. You've probably already have an external cooler, so adding a better, bigger one would cool it down that much better.

4. YES!!! Go to Rogue Performance's webpage, and get yourself a 87perf or econ tune, 92(or whatever your premium is there) torque and 92 performance tunes. I forsee myself always staying on the torque tune......I'm usually above 4,000 rpms, and the torque tune is geared more towards lower rpm driving(2k-3500k)

5. Can't answer for sure because what I suggest isn't avaliable on the market anymore. I'd cut the front of the box, then throw in an AEM Dryflow drop-in instead of the K&N.

 

What about brake and suspension mods? More power just lets you pull it up a hill faster. Brakes and suspension are what matter.

 

3. Just move your stock one up 4.5" and it will work sooooooo much better. Last week when I was pulling my 1700lb camper to michigan my tranny temps never broke 175* before I moved it, the tranny was never below 170* without towing anything. I'll get you some pics later.

4. You already have a cold air intake. If you have a scan gauge put it on *fIA. That will give you your intake air temp. Unless im just sitting my intake temp is never more then 5* above what the outside air temp is. And when you're sitting you dont really have any need for cold air.

As for brakes and suspension. Your stock set up should be fine. You really arnt pulling that much extra weight. IF you are in a really really hilly area, and you are pulling often, then maybe some brake upgrades. Or just do like me and give a 5 second following distance.

 

Increased following distance should be a given. What happens when some jackass switches lanes in front of you and then slams on the brakes because they're about to miss their turn?

I just dont see the point in only focusing on the least important aspect of towing.

 

Great suggestion about the brakes. I will put it on the list
t. What would you say about the EBC blackdash rotors slotted.

What would u do for suspension. Pulling a open trailer and two sport bikes

 

I would love to see what you are talking about on the stock transmission cooler

 

What engine do you have? I honestly think you will be fine pulling two sport bikes stock.

 

2 sport bikes and a trailer shouldn't be over 1500 lb easy. You can tow that stock all day long no problems.

 

It looks like a little radiator on the passenger side, right infront of the Radiator. Depending on the engine you may not have a Tranny cooler, but if you do....

I just took some steel stock and bent it and drilled holes. I bought some 5/8" Tranny cooler hose (it must be Tranny cooler hose!!!!) (NAPA has it, autozone, etc does not carry it). If you need some help PM me and ill get more pics. I could make them for you too if you want.

Stock location:


Relocated up behind the grille:


You need to move your horn too, but thats nothing harder then unbolting it and twisting it.

Hes not towing that much weight. When I was towing my camper to Michigan I did a brake check right in front of a cop. I went from 70 to 45 in a heartbeat with no problems. As long as your brakes are in good working order, you'll be fine.

If he was towing 2,500 lbs (around what the book says the max for a 4.0) I would suggest it, but hes not. When they determine the max towing capacity they figure the brakes into the formula. They arnt going to say you can tow it if you cant stop in a reasonable amount of time.

As for suspension, unless you have some ungodly tounge weight, you wont need to change anything.

You are towing from a hitch right? Not the bumper?

 

I saw what he said he's towing....and it's not that much weight at all....stock springs are just fine. I assume he has a frame mounted hitch already, therefor he must have C rated springs.

 

You should be absolutely fine pulling that. Not really sure why you are pulling them instead of hauling them though. Putting the bikes in the bed and getting rid of the trailer will do more for performance than all of the mods you were talking about. I haul around my brothers and my bike all the time, way better than towing for so many reasons.

 

You are fine pulling that weight. If the brakes work as they should stopping is no problem anyway.
I would upgrade the trans cooler anyway. I had a bigger cooler put in my sport trac and the transmission temps dropped 20 degrees on average just in daily driving. For more power get a tuner, you will especially benefit from a good tune, being an automatic.

 

[QUOTE=Fx4wannabe01;1434727]2. All you'd need is the crank and alternator pulleys......all the other ones sold by Underdog are aluminum replacements of the same size. It lowers the rotating mass...theoretically, more power when you replace those, but will you feel it and will it really make a difference? unlikely.

these are not designed to lower the amount of rotating mass. the underdrive pulley is like lowering gearing in your rear end. it is a smaller pulley that turns your accessories at a slower rate making them easier to turn, creating less force on the motor which translates into a marginal increase in power because the motor is not working as hard to turn the pulleys. yes these are usaully lighter pieces but that is not the main idea. and the alternator pulley is larger to overdrive (turn faster) the alternator so you are still at stock output. these pulley systems usually increase power very slightly. more noticible with other light weight items like lighter flywheels. im not saying your wrong...only that there is more to know about the way it all works. power steering and a/c operation may be affected... how much on a ranger i am not sure

 

and from my personal experience on multiple cars aluminum pulleys tend to squeel on cold morings

 

not a problem I have came across with my ranger... it has actually been quieter than stock in the cold/ wet... it would whine like a ***** after a good rain or snow fall

 

How did you see what I was towing? Are you on two wheels too?

 

You're not getting what I'm saying.

Power is the least important aspect of towing. My dad tows trailers well with in the limits of the truck stock all the time. What did he upgrade? Trailer brake controller, air bag spring assistors, and upgraded sway bar. The truck came with bigger brakes for towing from the factory. Not a stitch of power has been added. He could have gotten a tuner and exhaust and intake for the price of what he paid for the other upgrades but the other upgrades srve you better. Just because you can stop doesn't mean stopping quick isn't better. Just because the springs can handle it doesn't mean adding stability will do any harm. All more power does is get you in more trouble most of the time and should be the last thing you uprade if you're upgrading strictly for towing (and not just for more fun when there's nothing behind you).

 

You are a moron. Really he doesn't need to do crap. You realize that you only need a brake controller if you have a trailer with brakes? All I mentioned that he does is move that tranny cooler to keep the tranny cool to prolong the life of the tranny.

Why would he have to do anything to his suspension? He has a tounge weight of less then 150lbs. My camper has a tounge weight of just over 200 lbs. Guess what? No stability issues. His stock brakes are perfectly fine. Even if he has to stomp on them, hes not going to have that much of a difference between stock.

Why waste money on springs and brakes if they are going to make very little difference in the way the vehicle performs?

Its a case by case thing. The OP isnt towing that much. Like I said if he was towing 2000lbs, I might suggest better brakes and springs, but hes not.

 

I think the pot is calling the refrigerator black.

I didn't suggest a trailer brake controler, I was giving an example of money well spent.

I never said he NEEDED anything, I was merely saying that if you're going to spend money spend it in the right place.

I've towed more than he is talking about towing with my truck and I have no modifications. I've towed less than he is towing and can tell you that there is room for improvement with both stability and braking.

Let me see if I can get through to you. Say he were wanting to use his truck for off roading. Getting performance parts before brake and suspension upgrades is like spending money on a winch before he even puts offroad tires on the truck.

So, as plain as I can write it out: He says he wants to spend money to make his towing experience better and wants improvement in the power department. I am suggesting spending that money on improving safety first. Now cool your atitude before my e-hardass has to come out. lol

 

I see what Cb is saying and I agree. If your going to spend money on making towing better/safer I would spend it in braking and load handling first, then spend it on making the truck go faster. Stopping is more important to me than going faster.

 

I like the idea of just moving the stock tranny cooler into a better cooling position. Here is a picture of what I would be hauling, plus gear, and 2 people.

 

You'll be fine. I pull a 1200 pound lawnmower + the trailer, probably 30 miles a week. I have no problems at all, towing, or stopping. You can tell its back there, but it will handle it fine.

 

I tow one of these 6x12's about once a week, 20-50 miles, through the hills, with my 2.3 and all I've upgraded are the pads and and added load assist rear shocks.

 

you want more stability, use a tandem axle trailer, it wont bounce all over the road as much.