Hypertech Shift Firmness Question?

gnet158 · November 20, 2008

Anyone running the Hypertech/Blackbear turn/Edge/Diablo (for any year GM) have any long term issues with enabling shift firmness? I just enabled it and I can really feel it in 1-2 gears, sorts of jerks when cursing but not so much under acceleration. I don’t feel any jerks in gears 3-4. I just want to make sure I’m not going to screw up or have any issues with gears 1-2 later on down the road at 100k.

I used a Hypertech on my last truck but never go around to enabling shift firmness.

jimlem · November 22, 2008

gnet158,

I've had the Hypertech Hyperpac tuner on my 02 1500 HD (6.0L 480LE(?) A/T) for a couple of years now. I've played with all the settings but usually end up going back to near stock on most the A/T stuff. Every once in a while, a battery disconect etc. will cause the tuner to set itself. Sorry, I should clarify this is just a personal experience and I don't know that they all do such things on all vehicles.

Anyway, one day I'm driving along around town and it hits me, "Geez the A/T's going out." Every upshift was like being rearended. I checked the settings on the Hyperpac and sure enough the shift firmness was set to the highest setting (#4 I think). I reprogrammed it to setting #2 (2 clicks above stock) and everything was fine and normal again. I usually set it to shift from 1 to 2 at 100 RPM above stock, from 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 both at 200 RPM above stock. This works best for me with my daily driving. I can only imagine that highest shift firmness being usable for someone drag racing or trying for a 1/4 mile best speed. After, 2 years, I've had no issues or problems related to running the increased shift firmness in the mid settings. I stay away from setting #3 & #4 as they are just plain uncomfortable in my driving.

This is not expert opinion but common sense tells me that what I was feeling could not have been good for the truck. It's funny, I bought the Hyperpac because it let me set things other than just higher performance with the throttle WFO. After playing with it for a while, I found almost everything I set could have been achieved by just pressing the "TOW/HAUL" button. I did also need to reprogram for bigger tires and the Hyperpac made that effortless.