Programmer Tuner for 03 Z71

[REB]

Looking for some advice/input. I have a 2003 Silverado 5.3 Z71 with 3.73 gearing, 123,000 miles. She runs great but we recently purchased a 5000lb bumper pull rv and if we hit a slight incline I have to floor it to maintain 65 mph. Looking at a couple of different plug and play tuners to get a few more ponies and a few more foot pounds. Anyone with the same year, engine and gearing that's used one with success and if so which one? Thanks in advance.

[KARNUT]

21 minutes ago, REB said:

Looking for some advice/input. I have a 2003 Silverado 5.3 Z71 with 3.73 gearing, 123,000 miles. She runs great but we recently purchased a 5000lb bumper pull rv and if we hit a slight incline I have to floor it to maintain 65 mph. Looking at a couple of different plug and play tuners to get a few more ponies and a few more foot pounds. Anyone with the same year, engine and gearing that's used one with success and if so which one? Thanks in advance.

I’ve used a can tunes on almost all my trucks. I liked the adjustability of the transmission firmness, shift points. With the premium tune you do unlock a little horsepower. I don’t believe it’ll help that much in what you’re looking for. 

[CamGTP]

You won't gain enough power to really make it worth it.  There isn't just magic horsepower to be had.

 

Tuners just make it more responsive to what the truck could already do but it's not going to give you that 30-40 ft lbs of torque you need to pull that trailer better.

 

It's either add more power to the engine with internal mods or swap to 4.10 gears for better pulling. Either way you did it, it's going to cost a pretty penny.

[REB]

35 minutes ago, CamGTP said:

You won't gain enough power to really make it worth it.  There isn't just magic horsepower to be had.

 

Tuners just make it more responsive to what the truck could already do but it's not going to give you that 30-40 ft lbs of torque you need to pull that trailer better.

 

It's either add more power to the engine with internal mods or swap to 4.10 gears for better pulling. Either way you did it, it's going to cost a pretty penny.

Thank you

[REB]

Thank you much

[dna9656]

Be SURE you're not in Over Drive when pulling as is recommended in the Owner's Manual and if you have that trailering button in your dash and on the shifter be sure you're using it correctly. Remember towing is considered a extreme duty use so you'll be changing filters and oil differently (but then of course, anything but Sunday drives on sunny, warm days is considered extreme...

[Black02Silverado]

Not a hand held but Black Bear Performance that tuned my 2002 Silverado with the 5.3 an 4L60 made a nice difference.  Was it worth the cost.  To me it was, just in the way the truck operated and felt on regular driving and towing our 4Klbs trailer.  Just an option.  I also think that the tuning with the transmission also helped it last.  Over 200k on it before I sold it with no issues.