Setting up a higher milage truck for towing

[pup]

The truck is a 2001 Excursion with 180K miles towing a max 10,000 lb toyhauler (1000 lb tongue weight). The truck is 2WD with a gentle highway life and no towing to this point. Everything appears stock in good working condition.

The goal is to build an economical, reliable tow rig without a crazy high budget. I will tow in the mountains and on interstate like roads, but probably will not exceed 65-70 mph. Fuel mileage is more important than speed to me.

From the reading I have done the following seem like things to do. Am I missing anything, or have I included things that are not needed...inquiring minds want to know

Transmission:
Manual Lock up overide on converter (or possibly a tune to do this)
Valve Body (BTS or Wood)
Is a billet Torque Converter worth it?
Transmission Temp guage

Engine:
mild towing tune should I go the programmer or tuner route
economy tune for not towing
"poor mans" engine brake using the EGBV (possibly a tune with this)
Using the OBDII port to run "gauges" for EGT and boost etc. using a computer, iphone...
Napa filter intake
Not too sure if I want to do a turbo back exhaust...ultimate power is not the goal, and being an excursion I am concerned with the "boominess"

Frame/other:
air bag rear suspension
F350 rear sway bar???

If you had say $1500 what would you do?

[ridiculously_necessary]

custom tunes, not programmer or canned tunes. go php, tw, etc.
upgrade the tranny cooler to a 6.0 cooler. or just larger than stock.
remove the cat if allowed, and if it has one.

everything else looks good. no idea on the TQC, id be interested in others opinions as well. i hear a modded 6.0 TQC works well.

[Rob454]

First i would get the BIGGEST transmission cooler you can fit on the truck and run that. There is no way to overcool a transmission.

Get a trans temp guage

get a trans service and change the filter

I wouldnt go throwing money into the truck unless something breaks. Then upgrade to better parts. other than that your truck may last another 100 000 miles.

[burrfree]

Back it up to the trailer now and start towing. That's what it was built for.