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21' LTD CTD Personal Dream Rig

AEV_CUMMINS

AEV_CUMMINS

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Location
Vancouver, B.C - Canada
I picked this rig up after a loong 25 week wait. Spent many hours researching and ordering parts ahead of time during the wait because just like the truck shortage.. all the parts I wanted also came with hefty wait times. Well safe to say I am a happy guy now even with many parts still awaiting install and arrival, the truck is so much more than I could have hoped for. The real moment of when I fall in love with this truck all over again is after my appt on 10/19/21 to get deleted and tuned. See pics for the Carli 3.25'' Backcountry kit installed recently as well as the 17'' Innov8 wheels wrapped with 37'' Toyo MT's. Other than a ring and pinion set bringing me to 4.11 gearing, the occasional idea of a GoFast Camper in bed or a small Bushwacker plus trailer upgrading my hunting sleeping arrangements.. I think I am done ordering parts (atleast that's what I tell my wife). My AEV front bumper has been on order since March and also awaiting my high mount steering stabilizer from Carli (which was unavailable when I purchased my Backcountry kit), that will fix the right hand pull of the Toyo MT meats.
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I plan on upgrading to the the Carli dominator shocks a few years down the road once these Fox's get some use! The Backcountry kit is perfect for now with the insanely plush ride on road and the FSR I send them down. Nothing but great things to say about the Fox's and how well they are damped and matched to the truck. Railway tracks are nearly indiscernible and Carli's Torsion sway bar makes short work of potholes, speedbumps and driveways on an angle. Truly worth every penny and I believe when I anti up for the dominator down the road, I will also push my fears aside and bring out the knife to the truck and get the AEV flares put on!
 
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I left out that to keep this black beauty's paint clean and durable, I used Kamikaze Collection's Zipang base coat, Miyabi second coat and topped again with Zipang. I used this combo after had tried everything from CarPro, Optimum coatings and GTechniq previously on other vehicles. I have watched numerous videos and read many articles on the Kamikaze claims and results on dark paintwork and it is 100% true, the depth of the black got deeper and the water and dirt behavior is incredible. GTechniq is still the most satisfying to apply with how slick it gets and ease of use but I am glad I went with Kamikaze now that it is all done. Watch a few Youtube videos about it and make your own choices but I highly recommend trying it out!
 
AEV_CUMMINS said:
I left out that to keep this black beauty's paint clean and durable, I used Kamikaze Collection's Zipang base coat, Miyabi second coat and topped again with Zipang. I used this combo after had tried everything from CarPro, Optimum coatings and GTechniq previously on other vehicles. I have watched numerous videos and read many articles on the Kamikaze claims and results on dark paintwork and it is 100% true, the depth of the black got deeper and the water and dirt behavior is incredible. GTechniq is still the most satisfying to apply with how slick it gets and ease of use but I am glad I went with Kamikaze now that it is all done. Watch a few Youtube videos about it and make your own choices but I highly recommend trying it out!
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I've used Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer - amazing stuff on old and (keeps it) new.
 
AEV_CUMMINS said:
Did you use it on the rail protectors of the bed? Or the plastic surround of the windshield? How was application versus after a few washes?
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Yes. Still does great after 18 months of outdoor exposure.

I used it on my 04.5 to renew some plastics and to protect some replacement parts I put on.

Very impressed with the results.
 
Got the exhaust and tuning done! From 19l/100km to 12l/100km going 135km/h on the Coquihalla highway and now even in town a steady 12.5l/100km is very impressive to me especially with the power increase and my heavier than normal right foot :p. I am very pleased with how the truck feels and the increased line pressure on the 68rfe feels. Overall I wish the USA was a little behind like Canada and let everyone feel and enjoy these trucks when they can breathe easy. Cummins sure did a good job with this motor!
 
AEV_CUMMINS said:
Got the exhaust and tuning done! From 19l/100km to 12l/100km going 135km/h on the Coquihalla highway and now even in town a steady 12.5l/100km is very impressive to me especially with the power increase and my heavier than normal right foot :p. I am very pleased with how the truck feels and the increased line pressure on the 68rfe feels. Overall I wish the USA was a little behind like Canada and let everyone feel and enjoy these trucks when they can breathe easy. Cummins sure did a good job with this motor!
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Pretty great huh? I love the way mine feels. Y'all got me all the parts lol.
 
AEV_CUMMINS said:
Got the exhaust and tuning done! From 19l/100km to 12l/100km going 135km/h on the Coquihalla highway and now even in town a steady 12.5l/100km is very impressive to me especially with the power increase and my heavier than normal right foot :p. I am very pleased with how the truck feels and the increased line pressure on the 68rfe feels. Overall I wish the USA was a little behind like Canada and let everyone feel and enjoy these trucks when they can breathe easy. Cummins sure did a good job with this motor!
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I have no idea how your getting such bad mileage... I average like 13-14L/100km on 37s, no delete. hand calculated.

Glad your happy with the delete, I have been hesitant since my truck has a cp4 in it.
 
Greenhills said:
I have no idea how your getting such bad mileage... I average like 13-14L/100km on 37s, no delete. hand calculated.

Glad your happy with the delete, I have been hesitant since my truck has a cp4 in it.
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I live in the most hill ridden area of the lower mainland and am hardly ever driving with mileage on mind. I have Toyo MT's (not sure what tires you have) and am a little less aerodynamic with the Carli 3.25'' lift. Plus with the way I get up to speed, I know I could easily get into single digit numbers if I wanted to. As info, the number I used are not hand calculated, but I will make a point of doing that in the future.

When I am driving as per the ''current l/100km'' gauge it shows low 6's and 7's while maintaining a steady speed of 60-105km/h and actually continuing to increase speed, so I know the efficiency is there.. but you could say I enjoy my drive to work a little more than the average commuter :p
 
AEV_CUMMINS said:
I live in the most hill ridden area of the lower mainland and am hardly ever driving with mileage on mind. I have Toyo MT's (not sure what tires you have) and am a little less aerodynamic with the Carli 3.25'' lift. Plus with the way I get up to speed, I know I could easily get into single digit numbers if I wanted to. As info, the number I used are not hand calculated, but I will make a point of doing that in the future.

When I am driving as per the ''current l/100km'' gauge it shows low 6's and 7's while maintaining a steady speed of 60-105km/h and actually continuing to increase speed, so I know the efficiency is there.. but you could say I enjoy my drive to work a little more than the average commuter :p
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I feel you, It sounds like we have similar driving styles, I'm pretty damn hard on it. 37" Falken Wildpeaks.
 
Thought I would post this as I answered another members question in my DM and thought it may answer some similar questions.

I am using Optimal Welding tuning. I too at first only wanted a single level tune because I thought I just want the truck to drive one way and stay that way for good. I picked to go SOTF last minute before ordering because I thought that at the end of the day, I do not need to change the dial on the SOTF if I want it to be that way but atleast I would have the option and never have to worry about wondering if I am missing out a few years down the road. I do have to say though.. I am very happy I went with the SOTF, I use it all the time now. If it is raining or really slick outside or I want to drive for fuel economy, I will turn the dial to stock power levels and it feels just as it did from factory but just more consistent in the response. However, when it is a normal day without pouring rain, my ''go-to'' mode is level 3 (+60hp), this tune feels rock solid in that it has so much torque and response, I can easily gap anyone in traffic and it is way more than enough power. I have tried the +120hp tune on level 4 once and it pulled so hard and accelerated like it was a supercharged gas engine in an SUV, seriously quick and the butt pucker factor was real because of just how crazy it feels to be in a truck that heavy and get that much g-forces onto you lol. I have not tried the +200hp tune yet because of how much I am enjoying the truck as it is now, plus I have yet to get and install the Banks air intake so I want to wait for that as I feel like it is probably in need of some more air at this point with the added fuel. I have tried the low boost fueling and did not like the smoke so I put it back to regular fueling and it only blows a small puff of smoke when I put my foot all the way to the floor :p just how I wanted it! I love the sound and I cannot wait for the intake as I have felt good gains from intakes on stock vehicles, so this should make quite a difference, especially being a turbo diesel.

I was thinking of trying CCS tuning from Dirty Diesel's website and I probably will at some point in the future as it does not hurt anything to have the option of both on the EZlynk and ensure I am getting and have the best available for my truck. Plus it is just cool to have that new truck feeling and excited as to what to expect when trying new tunes, especially knowing they are safe for the truck. That is actually the most important thing to me, making sure it is reliable and will never leave me stranded, which I am very confident with the Optimal Welding tuning it wont as even on their tuning features list it shows the truck will never go into limp mode or shut itself down for any reason. I highly recommend getting the SOTF as it goes in a spot on the bottom left side of the dash just over the parking brake handle, in a square piece of plastic trim that would be easily replacement and has no other buttons on it, plus it is out of the way and black so it is not even visible unless you know and look for it.
 
Had a great time out at Stave Lake for the first shakedown run and family campfire after a little off road spirited driving. We did not stay overnight but we left after dark and it became evident that I can no longer wait for the AEV front bumper to come and the lightbar that I will be putting on it may even need some assistance with wide angle. the drive out even with the high-beams was a little more difficult to find our path off the flats than I was comfortable with. So I have decided I am going to be buying the CJC Offroad sourced A-pillar mounted Baja Designs light pods. I am having a hard time deciding which ones I want, I think I am going to do wide cornering instead of the ''driving/combo'' as once the lightbar from the AEV bumper goes on, I can choose a more spot light patter from that and the pods will work great as a semi-auxiliary light for wide angle off the trail view.stave2.jpgStave3.jpgStave4.jpgIMG_4192.jpgIMG_4198.jpg
 
Love your truck man.

As far as aux lighting goes, I would recommend doing another kit from CJC, the fog light swap (link). You could piece it together yourself, not sure how much you'd save. The fog lights can still be put into the AEV bumper and still work with the turn signal (which you can disable via alfaobd if you don't like it).

That way you can get the light down low now, while you wait on the bumper. Then when you get the lightbar you'll have a different color option, while still keeping all the lights down load. Ditch lights would be good but it's mostly good for trail and slow speed stuff, so I'd prob do those last if it were me.

I hear the sport lights are the bees knees but they aren't rated for on road use, the SAE are good, but I hear mixed reviews if they are worth the cash. YMMV.
 
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