loaded/unloaded tune - avoiding engine damage

If you were to adjust the tune for a max gains/unloaded tune to get as much as you can out of the engine, and then on a off day need to tow, is just watching the EGTs as you drive the only way to gauge wether you are causing damge to the engine? I.E if they get really high to just back off and allow them to lower? or is it more complex with more parameters to consider?

Straight from Nìck himself.

Watch "DIESEL INSIGHTS: TOWING IN THE RACE TUNE" on YouTube

https://youtu.be/vDpf3453vjw

Thanks Ben for the video link above :)

I'd also add that while lugging it's good to be aware of the rev range and additional load you're putting on the engine. Most 'race tunes' focus on the bottom right corners of the maps and may get a little aggressive with timing/boost in lugging situations. While proving the race tune out on the street you may not put the truck into these scenarios (for very long at least). However, when you're towing these cylinder pressure spikes add up. You may be operating the truck for 2 minutes at a time above the safe cylinder pressure threshold whereas it may have only been a couple tenths in your unloaded street testing.

Kind of a rant, but this is how you lose headgakets on a half-assed tune. Something to take into consideration anyway.

-Nick