Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
I've been looking into the T'Max recently mostly out of curiosity, although I presently have a PCIII and map that is excellent for my present setup. I think it is unreasonable to say categorically the T'Max will make your bike run better, as if either a SERT or PCIII is set up properly and A/F and timing are optimized, there should be no difference. The problem with these other two options is that they both require either a canned map that is provided for your exact setup, which likely will be very close to optimal for your bike, or a dyno tune. If you chose the latter you've spent ~$275 for the PCIII, more for SERT, and another $300 or whatever for a dyno tune, if necessary. Ideally, you can find an exact match in a map for your hardware, and if the hardware is popular that won't be hard.
What's good about the T'Max is that it should optimize the EFI regardless of what hardware you throw at your bike in the future, and without any dyno tuning. In my case, I'm thinking about adding an aftermarket cam, and if I do I'll need to either find another canned map or invest in a dyno tune. There are no canned maps for the cam I'm looking at, or none that I can find, so if I want to swap the cam now my only option is a dyno tune. If I had the T'Max I wouldn't need to worry about this step. OTOH, it also likely wouldn't make sense to buy one now just to optimize the EFI for the new cam, as I don't plan on doing other mods to the engine on this bike. Sooner or later a PCIII map will surface that covers my hardware.
If I had just bought a bike and wanted to add pipes and an AC upgrade, and planned on some future engine mods, I would think the T'Max would fit right into that equation. But I doubt if it is wise for someone to buy one simply to optimize a new bike equipped with an AC and slip-ons, not if cost is a consideration.
What's good about the T'Max is that it should optimize the EFI regardless of what hardware you throw at your bike in the future, and without any dyno tuning. In my case, I'm thinking about adding an aftermarket cam, and if I do I'll need to either find another canned map or invest in a dyno tune. There are no canned maps for the cam I'm looking at, or none that I can find, so if I want to swap the cam now my only option is a dyno tune. If I had the T'Max I wouldn't need to worry about this step. OTOH, it also likely wouldn't make sense to buy one now just to optimize the EFI for the new cam, as I don't plan on doing other mods to the engine on this bike. Sooner or later a PCIII map will surface that covers my hardware.
If I had just bought a bike and wanted to add pipes and an AC upgrade, and planned on some future engine mods, I would think the T'Max would fit right into that equation. But I doubt if it is wise for someone to buy one simply to optimize a new bike equipped with an AC and slip-ons, not if cost is a consideration.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Lincoln, CA
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
Does anyone have pictures of the T-Max 02 sensors welded in place?? That would be the only thing holding me back..sounds like a jerry rig set-up..I don't want to see that hanging off my exhaust...
Let see how everyone else has hooked up the sensors..lets see those pictures!!! I really like the stuff I've read so far.
Let see how everyone else has hooked up the sensors..lets see those pictures!!! I really like the stuff I've read so far.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
Likes: 721
From: Bellevue, NE
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
ORIGINAL: cowboyglide
Get it. You will not believe how strong your bike will run. 5000 mi on mine and bike runs stronger than I thought it was capable of. Pulls strong from a dead stop all the way through the gears and it pulls like it's in 5th at 60mph when i'm actually in 6th. No pinging at anycorrect rpm in any gear and do decel popping. No heat issues even when it's in the 90's.I did play with the map and richened up some of the settings until I got it just the way I wanted. I had put a PCIII on it when I first got it and there is no comparison to howstrong it ran then and now. Much stronger with the TM. I have the Rinehart TD and SE pro heavy breather performance air cleaner kit.
Get it. You will not believe how strong your bike will run. 5000 mi on mine and bike runs stronger than I thought it was capable of. Pulls strong from a dead stop all the way through the gears and it pulls like it's in 5th at 60mph when i'm actually in 6th. No pinging at anycorrect rpm in any gear and do decel popping. No heat issues even when it's in the 90's.I did play with the map and richened up some of the settings until I got it just the way I wanted. I had put a PCIII on it when I first got it and there is no comparison to howstrong it ran then and now. Much stronger with the TM. I have the Rinehart TD and SE pro heavy breather performance air cleaner kit.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
ORIGINAL: stro1965
Cowboyglide...just curious, what map did you start with? I'm putting mine on tomorrow if all goes well. I'm also running Rinehart True Duals and SE A/C.
ORIGINAL: cowboyglide
Get it. You will not believe how strong your bike will run. 5000 mi on mine and bike runs stronger than I thought it was capable of. Pulls strong from a dead stop all the way through the gears and it pulls like it's in 5th at 60mph when i'm actually in 6th. No pinging at anycorrect rpm in any gear and do decel popping. No heat issues even when it's in the 90's.I did play with the map and richened up some of the settings until I got it just the way I wanted. I had put a PCIII on it when I first got it and there is no comparison to howstrong it ran then and now. Much stronger with the TM. I have the Rinehart TD and SE pro heavy breather performance air cleaner kit.
Get it. You will not believe how strong your bike will run. 5000 mi on mine and bike runs stronger than I thought it was capable of. Pulls strong from a dead stop all the way through the gears and it pulls like it's in 5th at 60mph when i'm actually in 6th. No pinging at anycorrect rpm in any gear and do decel popping. No heat issues even when it's in the 90's.I did play with the map and richened up some of the settings until I got it just the way I wanted. I had put a PCIII on it when I first got it and there is no comparison to howstrong it ran then and now. Much stronger with the TM. I have the Rinehart TD and SE pro heavy breather performance air cleaner kit.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,652
Likes: 5
From: The sticks in SC
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
Most people ride about 20 to 25 miles and shut down the bike for a few minutes fire it back up and ride about another 25 miles or so. About 2 or 4 shut down's and restarts it has usally auto tuned itself very close and will fine tune from then on out. How close your base map is decides how many times it takes. I have one and have not installed it yet, but have talked to many and read that many more threadsto know about what to expect, I hope this helps.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
Likes: 721
From: Bellevue, NE
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
ORIGINAL: barneyz71
With that setup go with map 393.
ORIGINAL: stro1965
Cowboyglide...just curious, what map did you start with? I'm putting mine on tomorrow if all goes well. I'm also running Rinehart True Duals and SE A/C.
ORIGINAL: cowboyglide
Get it. You will not believe how strong your bike will run. 5000 mi on mine and bike runs stronger than I thought it was capable of. Pulls strong from a dead stop all the way through the gears and it pulls like it's in 5th at 60mph when i'm actually in 6th. No pinging at anycorrect rpm in any gear and do decel popping. No heat issues even when it's in the 90's.I did play with the map and richened up some of the settings until I got it just the way I wanted. I had put a PCIII on it when I first got it and there is no comparison to howstrong it ran then and now. Much stronger with the TM. I have the Rinehart TD and SE pro heavy breather performance air cleaner kit.
Get it. You will not believe how strong your bike will run. 5000 mi on mine and bike runs stronger than I thought it was capable of. Pulls strong from a dead stop all the way through the gears and it pulls like it's in 5th at 60mph when i'm actually in 6th. No pinging at anycorrect rpm in any gear and do decel popping. No heat issues even when it's in the 90's.I did play with the map and richened up some of the settings until I got it just the way I wanted. I had put a PCIII on it when I first got it and there is no comparison to howstrong it ran then and now. Much stronger with the TM. I have the Rinehart TD and SE pro heavy breather performance air cleaner kit.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
I don't have pics of mine installed, however it doesn't look bad. If I'm not mistaken all of the 07's have O2 sensor's installed in the pipes also. It is what it is...the sensor is about 2 1/2 inches long and it is screwed into the exhaust pipe...there is a black covering over the wires that is ran any which way you want back to the side cover where the tmax ecm is located. I would not call it a jerry-rig setup. If you look at my picture below you could not see the sensors.
chuck
chuck
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,652
Likes: 5
From: The sticks in SC
RE: Thundermax Auto Tune Reviews
There's some good pic's of the o2 sensors on a D&D Fatcat on this thread 
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1734112/tm.htm
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1734112/tm.htm
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