Would You Tune and Boost Your Brand New Diesel HD Truck? (Ask TFLtruck)

2017 2018 gmc chevy v8 duramax diesel tuner intake exhaust
2017 GM 6.6L Duramax L5P [Photo credit: aFe POWER]
We recently got a question about tuning and performance gains on the latest diesel hd trucks. 2017 model year diesels are already very impressive from the factory. Ford Power Stroke, GM Duramax, and Ram Cummins engines are rated at 900 lb-ft of torque and above from the factory.

The aftermarket companies can always find ways to get even more power and performance from these impressive engines. There is just one major question that keeps coming up. Will the aftermarket modifications void the warranty on a brand spanking new $70,000+ truck?

There are companies, such as aFe POWER, that claim to have solutions to power-hungry truck guys and gals. (Note: I am referring to aFe POWER here because they have tuners, air intakes, and performance exhaust systems for the latest 2017 GM 6.6L Duramax V8 and 2017 Ford 6.7L Power Stroke V8 engines. This is not an ad or an endorsement of these products.)

Ike Gauntlet extreme towing test

We (at TFLtruck) have found that just installing a high-performance air intake or exhaust system is not quiet enough to feel an increase of performance by the seat of the pants. It’s when you combine the intake, exhaust, and an engine management tuner together – you get a significant and very noticeable performance improvement.

The question still stands. Would you tune and modify a brand new diesel truck without worrying about warranty issues; or would you wait until your truck is two, three, or five years old before messing with it?

Here are the three big 2017 dually trucks duking it out on the Ike Gauntlet™ – world’s toughest towing test.