Sent in my deposit for some serious upgrades!

[Rbertalotto]

2006 Dodge Cummins....170,000 miles

Runs like a top, but time for some proactive work

Sent a deposit of nearly $10K to Auto Wurks Diesel in Caldwell, NJ. I've been following articles in various magazine and online about these guys. Drove four hours to meet them and was VERY impressed with the worh they do.

The quoted me for the following:
BD Exhaust Brake
BD Torque Converter
BD Tow/Haul Transmission
BD High Performance Intercooler
New Transmission cooler
Mishimoto Radiator
Various other parts

Total with labor....$12,577.06

Parts are ordered. Will drop truck off for a couple weeks. Hope to have it done by Dec 1

Looking forward to much better performance towing my trailers and another 200K trouble free miles!

 

[dwh]

and another 11 trouble free miles!

11 eh? So just over $1,000 per mile. Not bad.

 

[2025 deleted member]

So the current tranny works good?

 

[Rbertalotto]

Fixed the "11" thing....:sombrero:

When I bought this truck in 2008, it had 40K miles and was just off a two year lease. Everything I'd read about these Dodge diesels said the transmissions were the weak link. So I took $4800 and put it in a separate account to replace the transmission once ot failed. Of course, the transmission has been rock solid! I haul a number of different trailers from a 14' box trailer at 4000 pounds to a 8 X 24 Motorcycle trailer at nearly 10K pounds.

I dropped it off at the dealer in 2014 with 140K miles when I went to Australia for a few weeks and told them to go right through the truck and replace anything questionable. They replaced the AC compressor, a few rusty steel lines to the Turbo and transmission and they pulled the pan on the transmission, tightened bands and gave it an inspection. They reported it was in excellent shape.

It shifts perfectly, no issues.......But I currently tow a Toy Hauler of around 8K pounds and I drive mostly back roads while on vacation. The truck rarely gets out of third gear. On this truck, the TC only locks up in 4th gear so in 2nd or third gear I'm running on fluid coupling and the temperature really rises. I've seen over 250 degrees for a minute or two pulling a good hill at 30-40 mph. And this is out east. I can't imagine what it would do out west on really big hills.

I'm leaving in January on a three month cross country odyssey and I don't want to have any issues on the road.

The toughest decision was do I go ATS or BD Diesel for the transmission. It basically came down to flipping a coin. They both get rave reviews and both seem to be real well designed. Since I like the BD Diesel exhaust brake I figured I'd keep it all in the family.

We'll see.......

 

[Rbertalotto]

Well... Did a 6231 mile shake down last month......Couldn't be more pleased

Wrote a little article on my web site about all the upgrades.

find it here:"
www.rvbprecision.com

 

[Marine]

Just read your post on your web site, I have a 2003 with the 5.9 love my truck. Glad your maiden voyage went good.

 

[2025 deleted member]

I was looking at this again, and wondered what kind of newer truck you could purchase with 12k plus the sale of truck. Not that you did anything wrong, just curious if that was one of your options?

 

[Rbertalotto]

I thought long and hard on this option. But I have so much time and effort in this truck with all the electronic mods and suspension upgrades. A new truck would have DEF, Particulate filters and more computers. And for around $40K (Selling my truck and the $20K I spent) i'm buying a used truck with totally unknown issues.

A new truck I priced out was near $60K

And I think the Gen 3 trucks are easily the best looking of anything on the road!....:wings:

 

[superbuickguy]

It's so true that you could do an awful lot to a used truck before you ever approach what you'd pay for a new truck. That said, the new trucks are pretty comfy.

 

[bigskypylot]

Love your truck! I'm going down that same road. I love my '06 Xterra, I've had it since new and it's very sentimental to me as we have been through a lot together. I'mean never going to get rid of it as I bought it new. However, I'd love to get a new F150 or perhaps a new 350. Of course they are nice and comfy but I think since I don't really tow anything currently (other than a cargo trailer), I could do some nice upgrades and have exactly what I want (except for the truck bed) and still be happy. I'll eventually get a truck, but I've been wanting to Titan Swap and VK Swap for the past couple of years. Should be interesting. I need to come across a STILLEN blower for a VK now lol.

 

[superbuickguy]

Thank you. I get a great deal of joy taking junk and making it nice.

Washington (in the county I live) just started this obscene license-tab tax that encourages people to buy old cars. My FJ40 is $68.00 a year to license, a new, same-value vehicle is nearly $1000.

 

[chet6.7]

Fixed the "11" thing....:sombrero:

But I currently tow a Toy Hauler of around 8K pounds and I drive mostly back roads while on vacation. The truck rarely gets out of third gear. On this truck, the TC only locks up in 4th gear so in 2nd or third gear I'm running on fluid coupling and the temperature really rises. I've seen over 250 degrees for a minute or two pulling a good hill at 30-40 mph. And this is out east. I can't imagine what it would do out west on really big hills.


We'll see.......

I did not like the TC lock up on my 14 driving back roads(not towing),I recently added the BD low range 2 wheel drive switch,it fools the CAD so I can drive in 2WD low range.I just got to try it out this afternoon,I like it.The truck feels much tighter,instead of the sloppy feeling it had in 2WD/4WD/HR. The E brake works, that was nice coming down the other side of the ridge,but it was nice for scrubbing off a few MPH as I came up to a rougher section or a corner.
There is nothing wrong with an older less complex vehicle,my neighbor has a Gen 1 12V,it stinks, but I know it is much more reliable than mine will be.
Good luck with your truck

 

[Rbertalotto]

Low Range 2WD is a great thing to have. Now that my truck has manual locking hubs, I simply put the truck into low range and don't lock the hubs. Fantastic for maneuvering the trailer around the yard or pulling a boat up a steep launching ramp.