Tune Comparison

I'm considering getting a tune for my '17 Limited for the gear hunting issue. There are several available. How does one compare the options each offers or are they all pretty much the same? This is new territory for me.

 

There are differences. Most differences are only noticable if you do a back to back drive on each.

Personally I have found that the relationship with the tune installer is more important than the tune itself. Get on your regional thread, locate a couple of installers, and talk to them. Those conversations will quickly reveal which one is right for you.

 

Everyone who has had a tune of any brand is going to tell you their tune is best because they spent $$$.
Very very few have had multiple tunes to compare because $$$.
It's like tires. I can't buy seven sets of tires to run one week apiece through a test track and give you definitive test data because cost. Maybe YouTube?

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/performance-and-tuning.8/

OTT

 

I agree. The tune everybody has is the best. I’ve tried 3 brands of tunes and several throttle settings of each, as well as on one of the brands I tried their version a year ago and the updated version they came up with a few months ago. Doing it like that is the only way to truly compare and it is not cheap.

I have determined that tunes may add a miniscule amount of power but that’s it. Honestly, I am over it all. Hate that I spent that much money to come full circle back to stock, but that’s where I’m at. The rest of the “improvement” is a very sensitive throttle, which is hard to control at low speed and can be very jerky. I did regear so that changes things including my satisfaction with the stock calibration, but anyways I’m done with tuning unless I ever get a supercharger.

 

One thing you will find is that nearly all of those who went with a Tune will agree the Tune is worth doing. Most of us started with the canned Tune from VFtuner. Now there are several reliable and honest Tuners providing services. You can have the Tune done by a local vendor or get the software and do it yourself. I'd honestly say find a local vendor = they will update your ECU if necessary and provide the Tune, and they should offer updates for free when revisions to Tunes are created for betterment. My 2 cents, and vendor of choice is YotaWerx and @mZiggy. GL.

 

I had KDMax on my 2016. At first it felt like such a huge improvement, and as far as gear hunting, it was. However, the low speed throttle was overly sensitive and jerky, and I feel it held gears TOO long for daily driving. I’ve heard the OTT is better in those regards, but can’t actually say.

 

I've ran kdmax, coyoza and kdmax pro. Between kdmax pro and coyoza since kdmax is supercedded I prefer kdmax mostly because it smooths out the rpm to just about elimination of the vtec feeling through the rpm range

 

I ha e OTT, very happy. Solved gear hunting and throttle response is greatly improved. I chose lite/medium for that. Tried others, but mild for everyday was a bit much. Heard the KDMAX is very similar to OTT. I feel it was well worth the money.

 

Originally had the KDMax and it solved a lot of the gear hunting issues. The truck definitely felt better. I ran it for about 20k miles. When they came out with the Overland Tailor Tune, I asked the person who did my KDMax if they thought it was worth getting. They had a previous upgrade I asked about and he told me not to get that one. He told me he'd do mine for $50 and it's WAY better than both tunes so I went and got it done. I'll say the truck totally feels different! Going from KDMax to the OTT feels like if I had gone from stock to actually tuned. I can drive 70 80 90 on the freeway without feeling like I need to urge the truck to go

 

I never really noticed the gear hunting until I established an account on TW in Sept 2021--I brought my Sport home on May 14, 2021.

Got referred to YotaMaster and waited for an appointment...I wasn't in a hurry but had my initial tune on Mar 23, 2022. (OTT 7.0)

Then I got a second update on Sep 18, 2022 (OTT 8.0) and changed my setting to lite/mild.

EDIT: Need to schedule update to 9.0

Been happy ever since.

 

Thanks, guys. Some great feedback.

 

there is a section dedicated to tunes and performance mods, you'll get tons of info there.

 

In my opinion, ALL the tune options are an improvement.
We have come a long way in the past few years. The "jerky throttle" has been smoothed out and the shifting has been optimized for "Drivability."
And the best part is that you can always go back to stock if you are not satisfied.

We continue to work on the best tune for drivability and we will always have great customer service.

 

do you know why so many updates?

 

I've had the KDMAX 9.0 with N/L throttle setting for about a month now on my 22 Tacoma. My main complaint was gear hunting too. My overall impression is the trans shifts normally now, engine has more power now, better throttle response, maybe a very slight increase in mpg. Defiantly worth getting.

 

OTT saved me from almost immediately returning our Tacoma for another Tundra. Gear hunting and lack of immediate power were fixed in less than 30 minutes. Best money I've spent on our Tacoma to date.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/overland-torque-tune-ott-by-overland-tailor.759590/

My experience:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-overland-tailor.759590/page-41#post-28375280

 

What was the latest KDMAX tune were you on? I have been through all th tunes with KDMAX and to me the Pro9 tune is the best of all I had, cannot say anything about the other companies offering tunes. I would say that the tuners are very informed and I'm sure they are pretty much all on the same sheet of music.

 

@TacoZmtn

It depends on driver's needs--that's a conversation to be had with your tuner.

I would imagine there are constant changes in how torque is delivered for improvements...that's just my guess.

More INFO here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/overland-torque-tune-ott-by-overland-tailor.759590/

 

I started out with OV Tuning back in 2018, which later went to VF Tuner. Then tried OTT and KDMAX (several versions). All were an improvement from stock. Matt led the way in tuning for the Taco. I for sure would never go back to stock.