In any specific regard?
Just in general truck search struggles. This is my cycle: I really need a crew cab, let's get online and see what's for sale. Look, a 2012 3500 for $23,000...that's doable...wait it has a 68RFE...hmm, ok, add $7000 for deletes and a good trans build. Jesus, now I'm at $30,000 and it still might shift like Helen Keller's race car. Ok, I'll just stay mostly stock and get an Aisin truck and a nicer updated interior. Ok, there is one for $31,000, at least it'll last me for a long time. Dead pedal and possible retardo shift problems with deletes? Damn you Dodge! Alright, where are the 6.7l Fords, those have a solid transmission and I like the interiors. $38,000??!! Still needs deletes, has CP4 failure with high miles, and the engine bay its tighter than a tick's ass. F-it, I'm over this, where are the blown up 6.4 trucks on facebook? I'm stabbing a compound turbo 12v and Allison in one of these turds and telling the EPA to eat a bag of dix! Who am I kidding, I don't have time for that, let's just hop online and see what's for sale.:hehe:
I have seen a few 4th gen trucks getting Allison swaps. At least EFI live can adjust everything on them and they are reasonable to build.
Personally, my '18 has been trouble free so far ....(damn Midwest...).
That's good to hear. I don't drive my truck as a job or anything, but I do demand a lot when it's called upon.
As far as Aisin tuning updates go there aren't any that I'm aware of. People still react to questions about it like you just asked how to make a dirty bomb, don't respond, or say they're currently working on making the 68RFE into not a total pile and will work on Aisins next (maybe...). I still haven't gotten a straight answer to the question of approximately how much power you can add to the 6.7L before the AS69RC will start to act up and shift funky yet from a reliably source. Some rando on Instagram said up to ~100hp is fine, but he didn't even have an Aisin equipped truck... I'd be really nice to know if an EFI Live/MM3 tune that added 50p, 100hp, or even the Stealth Performance Module on the high setting would make the Aisin shift funky or not.
If I got a solid response from a reputable source that I could delete or delete and add 50hp without issues, I'd buy a Aisin truck tomorrow. I get the same run around. No one wants to discuss the Aisins, they want to sell you $7000 worth of 68RFE fixes.
I'm actually toying with the idea of trading my '18 for a new Ford Raptor or sports car of some kind or just keeping it. I change my mind dailyLOL.
I drove an early Raptor with a 6.2L and it was a blast offroad. However, it's not an option for me with trailer/farm duty.
Yep, right there with you guys. I use to want more and more power, but now I just want a truck that is reliable, drives well, and looks good more than anything. I've seen one too many mouth breathers in rusted out 24-valve 2nd gens with an 8" exhaust tip on 24s with rubber band tires (or equivalent Ford/GM) smoke out the entire highway trying to get their Pringles tuned sh!t box to accelerate ~5mph to pass someone so they can go 90mph and everyone behind them hit their brakes so they don't drive into a giant jet black cloud of smoke... I just don't want to be associated with that. There's a time and place for that stuff and busy public roads in heavy traffic isn't it.
95% of the ricers I see on the road are diesels. I dislike being in the same category but don't want to go back to gas for towing trailers.
If I modify my truck it will be aesthetic stuff, suspension upgrades, and tunes for maybe 50-100hp+ (mostly I just want that dead pedal feel in 1st and 2nd gear gone).
That's all I need, deletes and maybe 50hp or a tow tune. I'd like to drive two back to back note the differences, maybe this weekend...
And I agree, Chris, these trucks do need better breaks from the factory now.
I'm starting to wonder if the Aisin is the right choice more... If you're going to keep your truck relatively stock it most likely is, but if your intent is to eventually modify it for significantly more power it might not be as there might not ever be aftermarket tuning for them. The 68RFE might be crap in stock form, but they can be built fairly strong (it seems) and are can be tuned. The new 5th gen's Aisins adaptive learning software has twice the learning power as the previous AS69RC according to the press releases so far, which sounds like they just got even more complicated and hard to tune than before to me. I'd say a manual truck is an option, but Ram killed that...
Maybe it's age but I look at the cost benefit of spending $7000-$10,000 for reliable 100-150hp gains in a newer truck and it just doesn't appeal to me like it used to. I have other priorities these days. I have a manual truck and it's perfect for towing but not perfect for wife/family if they need to use/borrow it or long trips I put 24 hours/1500 miles of driving on my 12v/G56 truck for a family trip recently and it was mechanically awesome but comfort wise not so awesome. The thought of a fresh truck with a well shifting auto passed through my head several times.
I'd test drive all three brands as much as you need to and see what you like, they're all pretty damn nice these days. A couple guys near me have new Platinum trim Alumiduties and one guy has a new High County trim Silverado in black that is gorgeous. I'd also consider if jumping through the hoops of new diesels is really worth it to you and if you want the dilemma of whether or not to tuned/delete the truck to make it more reliable/fun to drive and likely kill your powertrain warranty or to drive it with the emissions crap intact for five years/100K miles and keep your warranty weighing on you constantly. Lavon said in one of Firepunk's YouTube videos trucks with emissions equipment on have ~16th" of soot built up in their intake tracts after 100K miles, at ~3:10:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2OIplNh7Yc?t=190
The fact that the diesel aftermarket is currently having its throat slit is also something to consider I'd say.
A new truck isn't in the cards for me, likely a $30,000 and under used truck with 100-225,000 miles is where I am stuck unless I want a base model.
