Is there anything now looking back you would have done different?
Jeremy
First of all thanks for reading. For me that's kind of a hard question because I think it is a natural progression to change things as you go since with new capacity comes more opportunity. The question I have to turn back over to you is what do you plan on using your rig for? That helps give a better idea of what may be more important to you rather than me. I think it's good idea to start out with a plan but allow it some room to breath or at least go in with the expectation that you'll probably make some changes along the way because those will suit you best. There are things I want to change and that I have been changing. I think this change progression is especially true for rigs that serve several roles like I do with mine, DD, Wheel, Tow. For me hwy rpm and speed is important so I think running an overdrive is pretty important. If you're not going to see much hwy then that may not be as important. And of course the funding options dictate the kind of compromises that get made to get the rig back on the road. There is certainly not one right way to do this.
After driving this for a two years and subjecting it to different roles there are things I'd like to change or try differently. I cannot say these are the best options and I'm assuming there would be improvement with change.
Motor Mounts. I would like more dampening than I have but also want a system that is good for engine support in offroad situations. I don't have a definitive answer on that because I've only run one design so far and redoing engine mounts is not a quick/simple thing.
I also have plans to return my tranny to full auto operation using an aftermarket controller for tuning and the flexibility of manual control like I'm used to now but with the option to drive and forget. I did not find the Baumann controller back when I was making set up decisions and I've easily spend that amount on my manual control experiments. I think that electronic auto trannys offer neat options and flexibility with a good controller and I'm not really tapping into that... yet.
It's really hard to get this one right the first time especially putting this engine and tranny together in a modified vehicle that never came from the factory this way but a better matched torque converter. I like my tranny and it's strength but I think I could do better with the t. converter. That of course costs some decent coin to get a company to set one up so now that I've experienced the less expensive option of a stock diesel GM converter and a modified stall on a stock converter, I'd suggest spending the money on something better and having one build the first time. It may not be perfect but it would be better than what I've tried.
The 14bolt I have sitting in the garage will make it's way under the rear end, hopefully during this next year.
My turbo just isn't enough for me anymore so I'll be changing that out. That means coming up with a control function for the turbo I've choosen, building an exhaust manifold, and redoing some exhaust.
I'm considering a rim swap in the future for better tire options (due to hwy usage) and a lighter combination. If this were just a wheeler than quite a few of these little things wouldn't even be an issue but since I DD the thing, and the fact that it's in my nature to want to make things better, they bother me enough to drive change or at least the want for change since funding is now minimal.
I'd also run a selectable locker in a least the rear axle for a little smoother hwy control. The aussie is great and really isn't a problem, it's certainly hard to beat for the price and sure makes a difference offroad. Since I make so much torque so early I think it stays locked most of the time.
Things I'd do again: a 4bt swap! I love this engine even though it has a healthy decibel figure. A doubler! The perfect option to maintain hwy gearing and offroad options. With some tranny tuning I'd do an auto swap again too. A SOA and my chevy rears. Hydroassist hands down!! That saved my family's life. Overall I enjoy my rig and am fortunate to have a
that supports my hobby.
