For years the flash, handheld, and inline-based tuning solutions from Edge Products and Superchips have enabled drivers to unlock massive amounts of horsepower and torque in otherwise stock vehicles. Thanks to exacting calibration development, these devices have allowed folks to recapture performance that the factory left on the table and access settings that are otherwise hidden from the end user. But while big gains in peak output can make the driving experience more entertaining and lower ETs, they’re not necessarily the end goal for those who are looking to enhance the towing capability of their rig.

“Although some of it depends on the product and the process that we’re using to tune the vehicle, in most situations the type of calibration we build for towing is going to be developed differently than one that’s designed for all-out performance,” explains Jacob White, Holley Performance brand manager for Edge Products and Superchips.

“There are fundamental differences in the end goals, especially when it comes to the power curve we want to create. In a traditional performance application, you’re looking for horsepower at wide-open throttle in the upper RPM ranges. That’s where the power gains are most effective for that type of application. But in a towing application, you’re rarely – if ever – at wide-open throttle, and everything is happening at lower RPMs. So that’s where we focus on creating a torque curve down low that can really bolster towing capability.”

The Right Tool For The Job

White tells us that tailoring a calibration for towing involves optimizations for a number of different aspects of the vehicle’s powertrain.

“For the person who’s towing a heavy trailer we’re going to adjust the fueling, and if it’s a diesel application with a variable-geometry turbocharger, we can adjust some of the commands going to that VVT turbo so it is in its peak efficiency in the RPM ranges that are typically seen while towing. That tends to equate to more mid-range torque, which makes it easier to accelerate from a stop and keep that weight moving on long grades.”

These calibrations also take gearbox behavior into account in applications where the tuner can adjust the transmission control module, or TCM.

“TCM tuning can yield as much of a benefit as the engine tuning does,” White points out. “In those situations, we can completely change how the vehicle handles weight while towing just by adjusting transmission shift patterns. In a towing calibration, we may lock up the converter at a lower mile-per-hour than the factory calibration, and the shift points may be a little bit later in the RPM range to keep the engine up in the powerband for a longer amount of time before it upshifts and the RPMs fall off. If the transmission shifts too soon in a diesel application, you end up in a lower RPM range where the turbocharger isn’t working at its maximum efficiency. That’s going to create more heat and the turbocharger is going to have lazier response. So transmission tuning can be very beneficial in towing applications.”

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Cooling demands are also taken into account. In many cases, these calibrations will also adjust engine fan behavior to ensure that the powertrain is properly supported.

“A lot of modern engine fans have a variable clutch on them,” he notes. “In a hypothetical situation, the factory ECM might be programmed to run the fan at 50% output when you’re between the temperatures of 180 degrees and 200 degrees. When it gets to 210 degrees it goes to 80% output, and at 230, it goes to 100%. In a lot of applications we have the ability to control that behavior as well, which means we can set the fan to run at 100% output at a lower temperature threshold to ensure efficient thermal management.

Transmission temperatures are another aspect that we consider, too. If there isn’t enough line pressure in the transmission it can cause some slippage in the clutches, which generates heat. But by tuning the transmission we can increase that line pressure or the lock converter, which will help eliminate excess heat generation within the gearbox. These strategies can really make a difference when you’re towing on a long grade.”

Getting Hooked Up

Both Edge and Superchips offer tuning solutions that are specifically tailored to enhance a vehicle’s towing prowess, but as White explains, the offerings of the two outfits take slightly different routes to get there.

Shop Edge Tuners here.

“Edge is one of the pioneers in diesel tuning industry. The company was established in 1999, right around the time that the aftermarket diesel industry really started to take off, and diesel applications have been the company’s main focus ever since.”

Edge offers flash tuning as well as inline module-based solutions, an approach that allows the company to support a wide range of vehicles on the road today. The company also offers a touchscreen powertrain monitor that has proven hugely popular with diesel drivers who want to keep tabs on their vehicle’s various systems. Boasting a customizable full color five-inch display as well as performance timers and data logging capabilities, it’s easy to understand why this device has been so successful for the company.

“The Insight CTS3 is Edge’s flagship product,” says White. “Although it’s strictly a data monitor, it has proven to be indispensable for folks who want to see what’s going on with their diesel powertrain. This provides data that the factory software in the dash will not. You can see different fluid temperatures, exhaust gas temperatures, and in the newer trucks we have the ability to see DPF regen status and soot accumulation. The monitor also gives you the ability to do things like trigger manual regens and clear codes.”

For those who want to add enhanced capability to the mix, the Evolution CTS3 integrates all of the Insight CTS3’s display, on-dash monitoring capabilities, and other features into a device that can apply pre-loaded tunes to the vehicle as well. The all-in-one, 50-state CARB-compliant device communicates with the vehicle via the OBD-II port, an attribute which makes for an effortless installation.

“The Evolution CTS3 is offered for both diesel and gasoline platforms and comes with calibrations that are specifically optimized to enhance towing, performance, or fuel economy,” White says. “It’s available for Ford, GM, and Ram vehicles, and one thing that’s really cool about the Evolution is that one device can cover a massive range of vehicles. For example, 85400-101 covers every Ford Power Stroke diesel-equipped F-250 and F-350 built between 1994 and 2019, while 85400-200 is compatible with every GM 6.6-liter Duramax diesel-equipped vehicle produced between 2001 and 2016.”

Edge also offers inline tuning modules by way of the EZ, Juice With Attitude and EZX product lines, the latter of which will be of particular interest to owners of 2013-and-newer Ram trucks.

“EZX is a product line that we developed specifically for daily driver and towing applications,” White says. “And that means it’s geared toward the driver who needs that low-end torque rather than top-end power, but you’ll still see peak gains of 60 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque in 2019 to 2024 Ram 2500/3500 Cummins applications.”

The EZX also includes features like a turbo timer that allows the vehicle to idle and cool down for a set amount of time after it’s been shut off to improve the longevity of the engine and turbocharger. The device can also remember your exhaust brake and Tow/Haul settings, which are normally reset after each key cycle with the factory calibration.

Superchips, meanwhile, has focused primarily on the half-ton and off-road markets in recent years, but the company also offers products that can bolster diesel towing performance. “Price point is one of the big differentiators here, too,” White says. “Generally speaking, the folks who gravitate toward Edge Products tend to be those who’re looking for the most comprehensive solutions out there, while those interested in Superchips’ products often want a device that’s packed with features yet very cost-effective.”

Given that, it comes as no surprise that Superchips’ F5 Flashpaq hand-held tuner is the company’s biggest seller. Offered for a wide range of GM, Ford, and Mopar gas and diesel vehicles, the Flashpaq tuner delivers power gains, optimized towing performance, improved fuel economy, and other enhancements. All you have to do is plug the device into the vehicle’s OBD-II port and follow the on-screen instructions.

“This is great for someone who wants to ‘set it and forget it,’” says White. “You plug it into the OBD-II port, flash the ECM, and then you unplug the device and store it. There are pre-loaded calibrations that are tailored for things like towing and performance, and in gas applications, you can also select a calibration based on the octane of fuel you’re using.”

Superchips also offers the Pulsar XT inline tuning module, which brings power gains and control over an array of otherwise-inaccessible vehicle features to late model Ford Broncos and F-150s, along with late-model Jeeps, 2019 to 2024 Ram 1500s, and other vehicles.

“These tunes can add up to 65 horsepower in EcoBoost-equipped Ford vehicles,” White says. “You can also do things like adjust throttle response, calibrate the speedometer for a non-factory tire size, and disable the auto start/stop feature. And the added torque really comes in handy when you’re towing; it’s definitely noticeable from behind the wheel.”

White adds that all of the aforementioned products were developed and tested on totally stock vehicles. In some situations, intake and exhaust upgrades may further enhance the performance and towing benefits of these tunes, but that’s not always the case. “These devices are designed to be used in a factory-style application – the person who daily drives the vehicle and takes their family to the mountains on the weekend. The idea is to keep things simple but give folks more control. One of the most common things we hear from EZX customers is, ‘This fixed everything that I disliked about driving my new truck.’ And that’s exactly what we set out to do.”