willalex09
Active Member
With the weather finally cooperating, I managed to tackle a couple of upgrades that significantly enhanced the driving experience of this truck.
While I probably won’t use the towing tune, the 93-octane performance tune is outstanding. Previously, I kept the truck in sport mode almost all the time to get decent throttle response. Now, even in normal mode, the throttle response and power exceed what the factory sport mode offered. Switching to sport mode now transforms the truck into an entirely different beast.
Although it’s not a GT500, launching in sport mode is enough to spin the tires—and it can easily leave my buddy's 2024 F-150 Shelby Raptor in the dust (which he is beyond thrilled about lol). Beyond the fun factor, the tune noticeably improved the transmission's behavior. Gear shifts are smoother and more precise, with no more gear skipping or constant up/down shifts. The "clunky" feel I used to experience is completely gone. It also disabled the auto start/stop feature, which, in itself, is worth the cost of it all lol.
Sway Bar Upgrade
I replaced the factory front and rear sway bars with the Hellwig 7696 (front) and 7688 (rear). The difference was immediate and dramatic. Gone is the "boat-like" body roll I used to feel when cornering, and the steering wheel no longer jerks during hard acceleration onto highways. This is especially impressive considering the stock struts and shocks are already under added compression from the leveling kit pucks. Whether your truck is lifted or running a stock setup, I can't recommend this upgrade enough.Livernois Performance Tune
The sway bars were a precursor to the additional ponies via a performance tune from Livernois. Using their LPP631172 tuner, I sent in my stock tune, shared my list of modifications, and received two custom tunes within two days: a 93-octane performance tune and an 87-octane towing tune.While I probably won’t use the towing tune, the 93-octane performance tune is outstanding. Previously, I kept the truck in sport mode almost all the time to get decent throttle response. Now, even in normal mode, the throttle response and power exceed what the factory sport mode offered. Switching to sport mode now transforms the truck into an entirely different beast.
Although it’s not a GT500, launching in sport mode is enough to spin the tires—and it can easily leave my buddy's 2024 F-150 Shelby Raptor in the dust (which he is beyond thrilled about lol). Beyond the fun factor, the tune noticeably improved the transmission's behavior. Gear shifts are smoother and more precise, with no more gear skipping or constant up/down shifts. The "clunky" feel I used to experience is completely gone. It also disabled the auto start/stop feature, which, in itself, is worth the cost of it all lol.