After doing some looking around at gauges and such, I have discovered that they are quite abit more pricey that I had anticipated. When you start adding isolated dimmer switches mounts, wires, and such it can get expensive quick.

What is everyone's opinion on which are the most important and which are not necassary? I'm going to run down the mods I have in mind and what I typically tow to give you something to base your opinions and advice on. I appreciate all the input you can give.

First, my truck is my daily driver. I pull two boats, one about 3K loaded out, and the other is pushing 6-6.5K. at the most every other weekend. I will also pull a 8-10K equipment trailer maybe once a year for a long trip, maybe 1000 miles each way. Other than that it's restriced to daily empty duty.

The mods I will be pursuing first are:
Gauges-Boost, EGT, Tranny Temp,...was thinking fuel pressure, but maybe not required?
Clearance lights - just want 'em
AFE Stage 2
ATS Intake manifold
Exhaust only after it needs it, and then probly Aero or similar
Programmer, TST or BD...probly wait till truck has about 50K on it or so.

So, everyone pony up there opinions on my selection of gauges and priority, and also the mods that I have chosen. I would like any input good and bad or alternative recommendations.

 

minimum, EGT, boost & tranny temp (AT). fuel is not necessary I think for your plans.

 

Is there an advantage to using "real" gauges over something like the Edge Attitude to monitor? Like was said, given the price of gauges, mounts, etc it gets a little pricey and I'm thinking it may be money better spent to go ahead and get myself a Juice w/ Attitude and kill two birds with one stone.

To further add confusion, is a temp guage necessary/recommended for a manual tranny?

 

I had the edge on for a while and it was an awesome package... you could put 4 parameters up there at once and monitor them all with a quick glance at the monitor. I dont think you need a tranny temp guage on a MT truck, I'm not sure there is even a way to cool the fluid if it got hot. there is no pump of anykind to push the fluid thru a cooler.

 

Steve, there are ways to cool the tranny fluid in a manual, you just have to rig up a pump, filter, and a radiator and wire that through the PTO port. Or fast coolers work as well and add capacity. Are temp gages needed on manuals, unless your going to be pulling heavy, I wouldnt worry about it. If your truck is a stick, right now under stock conditions a boost/EGT is realy all you need. fuel pressure gage will be needed once mods go 100hp over stock. if you have an auto a tranny temp gage is needed.

 

Cool, so you learn something new everyday... and it's only 9:30... time to call it quits for the day while i'm ahead lol.

whats the PTO port?

 

Power
Take
Off

On these heavier duty trannies it's an option that just has a plug over it, one might access it to drive accessories like a PTO driven winch, generator, or hydraulic pump (for a wrecker or something).

 

how would it work for a winch or something like that? I guess I dont see how it would work. if its tied into the tranny somehow... where does it get it's drive from when the truck is not moving?

 

if I had a direct drive PTO winch on my truck I would put the transfer in neutral, put the tranny in a gear and let out the clutch. there is a large gear inside the tranny that is just outside of the cover that drives the PTO.

the PTO cover on my NV5600 has 6 bolts holding it on, and a cover that is about 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide. pull the cover off and put on what ever you want.

 

makes total sense now! thanks for clearing that up. if you come across any pics i'd be interested in seeing a setup of some sorts.