Pedal or No Pedal Comm that is the question.

Hey guys, this is only my 2nd post...new to the Raptor community finally was able afford a Gen2. Got some miles 2017 802a w/ 93k miles in very good shape. Hoping to get some info on the pedal commander. I have a warranty that covers me up to 148k miles and with 93k on it already I didn't want to go the tuner route. I came from a lifted 2010 5.4 3v, 3.73, cat back, CAI, 35" tires, 22" wheels and 5star custom tune. She wasn't a dragster but she had some pep in her step. In the Rap, first step seems lazy, thought it would be a little more sling shot with 4.10 rear end w/out having to put my foot through the floor. Would a pedal commander give me that sling shot merging on the interstate during rush hour im looking for w/out a custom tune?

PC just modifies the APP signals to cause the PCM to believe the accelerator is being pressed further than it actually is. You accomplish the same thing when you press the pedal further manually. The PCM’s APP algorithms are extremely sensitive to any signals outside of the expected range, including ramp rate. Some users have had their trucks set DTCs and go into limp mode because of this.

Have you tried Sport Mode? It increases throttle response significantly.

FordTechOne said:

The PCM’s APP algorithms are extremely sensitive to any signals outside of the expected range, including ramp rate. Some users have had their trucks set DTCs and go into limp mode because of this

Click to expand...

That explanation is pretty much spot on. Full disclosure: I have a p/c set to city +1 and have been running it since late 2017 without incident. That’s not to say you won’t have an issue because @FordTechOne is right about sending an outside the norm or expected value signal. I think this product the similar added boost products (JB4 is it?) are using a similar strategy, fooling the computer by manipulating the values.

That said... I hate the Raptor eco normal drive mode. It’s way too lazy and way, way, way lazier than normal mode in say an Explorer ST. By lazy, I mean the truck will seemingly refuse to downshift until or unless you stab the pedal to WFO. Early build Gen2 like Lucille had older programming. It took a couple of stealership visits but I convinced them to apply the latest/greatest TCM(?) programming and that did help significantly at about 40mph and up. She’s still a little lazy under 40 - and loves to stay in 3rd gear and try to take off in 3rd unless I’m stopped for a few seconds.

Most times, a full stop and she goes into first, but, you must stop. No California stops, no movement at all. If you’re even drifting under 1mph, she will not downshift from 3rd to first in normal mode. I know she’s gotten even lazier lately because I caught her trying to take off from a dead stop in 3rd. So she starts moving, then downshifts and moves a little faster, I think she’s downshifting to 2nd. This is another pet peeve of mine, the programming’s affinity for 3rd gear. I can be making a 90 degree turn at 1mph and it’s in 3rd gear, speeding through the turn with all the urgency of an aircraft carrier changing course. Sport mode takes care of this though, or manual shifting.

If you’re trying to pass someone on the highway with this kind of transmission programming, you’ll be unsuccessful unless you go WFO. The truck just pours on boost little at a time until it’s past the rpm that it can actually downshift at and by then you’ve likely run out of room to effect a safe pass. Part throttle is the biggest issue i have with the truck.

I also agree, sport mode is better and -- this is where a pedal commander gets tricky. If you put the pedal commander in sport and the truck in sport mode, the throttle is too touch in my opinion, it’s either no boost or 3/4 and up and it doesn’t feel natural. it’s that much worse in m&s, or baja. So, if you do a p/c, you have to be cognizant that other drive modes will be affected - so be judicious.

I like tow/haulass mode with the top two gears locked out when I'm being a jackwagon around town otherwise I feel your pain @smurfslayer .

@FordTechOne arent these trucks limited to less than full throttle until a certain rpm or speed? it was my understanding that they were and the pedal commander allowed you to get full throttle from a stop

I’d not heard that before, but... and you probably know this already, bikes with throttle by wire have been doing it for years to keep riders out of the weeds. Heck, even before TBW. My ’06 ZX14 was down almost 30 pound feet of torque below 6k rpms because the stock programming kept the secondary throttle butterflies 90% closed until 6k rpms or so. It felt like riding a 600.

Pulled the secondary plates after I think it was 2 weeks and that was much, much better.

Just get a tuner and do it right

The Car Stereo Company said:

@FordTechOne arent these trucks limited to less than full throttle until a certain rpm or speed? it was my understanding that they were and the pedal commander allowed you to get full throttle from a stop

Click to expand...

The PCM will always receive the unfiltered input from the APP; the parameters that determines the response is not published. The PCM will determine the appropriate response based on an algorithm. When the APP signal is modified, the PCM can receive an invalid signal, meaning it determines that the input is not valid/rational.

pat247 said:

I like tow/haulass mode with the top two gears locked out when I'm being a jackwagon around town otherwise I feel your pain @smurfslayer .

Click to expand...

I gotta try this. Sport is usually too much. Normal is OK if I'm feeling mellow. In between sounds really good.

After having the truck for 9 months now I've gotten used to having it react like it does in normal mode. I had to get used to how much you need to roll into the throttle if you want to really move out. I keep the start/stop shut off, and I like sport mode down in the cities if I'm in the mood to be a little stupid. It makes me laugh the way some of my bikes have! Out here in the boonies, sport is annoying to me, because of how it holds onto gears unnecessarily for the driving I'm doing.

I really love this truck every time I drive it. When I was first shopping around, I was on the fence about dropping so much coin for it, but I'm so glad I did.