Newbie Here: To stud or not to stud?

[StokeSmoke]

Hi, I’m a 6.0 newbie and I’m slowly getting familiar with the quirks of this engine. The truck is a 2004 FX4.

I’ve been reading a lot on the forums, and have a good idea of what I need to do to make this engine reliable. The truck is stock and runs great. It’s my daily driver, and I tow heavy (15,000) regularly.

My question is this: if I do all of the obvious mods, (EGR delete, oil cooler, coolant filter, 4 inch exhaust, EDGE Insight) can I get by without studding this engine?

I understand the reason for studs, but I hate to tear into a running engine.

What’s the most miles one has gone without studs?

Tell me what you think.

[Fox Hunt]

Its a crap shoot really. Ideally ya studding it would be the way to go. I have been tuned for almost 10k and dont have studs, some guys go 50k+ without and tuned. Some people dont even tune them and they dont last even that long. Doing all the mods you mentioned will help but its not a 100% guaranteed fix. For you if you dont tune it and do the mods you mentioned I would say you'd be safe but I'm sure someone else will throw there .02 cents in too.

[jetjock15]

I dont have studs and tow 16.5k all the time. Though I have a CUSTOM built DP towing tune that has a lot of benifits but only adds about 60HP. If you tow and run an off the shelf high performance tune, good luck. Recipe for disaster. Bottom line is stock engines can tow all day and not ruin the heads, Performance tuned trucks can get away with normal driving and a little hotroding without studs, but combine a performance tune and a 15K trailer, you just pulled the pin on your gernade...

[dazdillenger]

I made it to 283k before I needed to do studs. (bragging).

["Stroker 8"]

[MDRhoads360587]

Originally Posted by dazdillenger

I made it to 283k before I needed to do studs. (bragging).

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Mine is at 201,000+ miles and I have had mine tuned with a 150hp tune for a year now (15,000 miles) and I still have my factory studs. I regularly pull a 18' boat on the weekends. Hope I get to 283K

[Galaxie]

Originally Posted by dazdillenger

I made it to 283k before I needed to do studs. (bragging).

NICE!

[Galaxie]

If you look at my sig, those are my mods. I am happy I did studs but I should have been good ditching the EGR cooler and urine colored coolant.

[2003kingranch]

ive been tuned for 25k with stock head bolts. about 10k ago i did a egr delete and a coolant filter ect... we'll see. i tow with my SLR tune. most i have ever pulled with that tune is 15k for 60 ish miles. usually i return it to stock if i pull more. generally its under 10k. ill stud it when the time comes

[Freedombyforce]

Stud or Sell.