After having to listen to my stocker literally scream at me for the past month (terrible rattle coming from the bell housing where my flex plate is holding on for dear life) AND noticable slippage when rolling into the throttle...I finally decided to pull the trigger on the Garmons Stage 2 that I have been eyeing for the past couple years.
SO...the order was placed with Jeff yesterday and the install is scheduled for the 29th "Good Friday"...BOY, will it be!!

Anyhow, I was just way too excited not to share this upgrade with "the group"...I will certainly provide some feedback after the install.

Next steps:
Better Fuel Filtration (suggestions are welcome here)
Bump that Jr. up to "11"...

 

You'll be very happy with your trans, very noticeable difference. As far as fuel filtration GDP and Vulcan both make a high quality kit that sits between your factory fuel filter housing and your injector pump. They are capable of 2/3 micron fuel filtration. The Vulcan is a little cheaper.
Neither of these kits have a water separator filter, but they also make a remote mount dual filter head that can be mounted anywhere you can make it fit. I just run the VP Filter max and in the stock filter I run the Baldwin filter (its a very capable water separator).

 

Tranny upgrade will be some of the best money you can spend. You will enjoy it and wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

 

I have been waiting for this thread to be started!!

Congrats Chas!!

 

Yes Sir Rye...I apprecaite the help here. This is exactly what I was looking for!

Agreed...I have heard this since the day I started throwing more power at the truck ("Save for the Trans upgrade"...).

Thanks brother...I can't wait to make that drive back to Carolina from ATL!

 

Just a quick bump to this thread for some feedback/ props to the Garmon's team!
As for the trans upgrade...there really are no words to describe the diffrence! From the moment I left Garmom's shop, all the way back to Charlotte; the truck simply drove, shifted, etc...as you imagined it ALWAYS should have. In short, the Cummins & trans now effectively work in harmony together. That said, with the Smarty Jr. on the SW3 tune and the new trans; the engine runs smoother and the driveability of the truck is night and day (heck, i used to think I had a solid truck prior to this upgrade, "I just needed the ability to stomp on it every once in a while". In all, I was pleasently surprised at how well the truck improved in all driving conditions (HWY driving @ WOT, stop & go, to standard "city" driving around town...).
Although, I don't intend on "beating on this thing"...I will say, it's as if the trans is begging for you to jump on the throttle. From the moment you throw her in drive, the truck just jumps forward as if to say, "let's do this thang!".

As for Jeff Garmon and his team, the whole experience was above and beyond my expectations. I really didn't know how to describe the experience of being in a shop where you have 100% confidence and comfort with everything they were planning to do...as Jeff and his team (specifically Rick...Garmon's Lead Trans Tech) was willing to walk me through the entire process of the trans build that had taken place on my trans and the process of tear down all the way through the new install (welcoming me to take pictures of anything I wanted...)
Again, I could go on all day about how impressed I was with the Garmon's team and the hospitality they showed me while there. Again, a special thanks to Rick from Garmon's shop...truly one of the most knowledgeable "diesel minded" individuals I have ever had the pleasure to meet (and an absolute gentlemen in every since of the word!)

So...YES, I would suggest this upgrade to anyone. I have heard since day-1 on this site that this will be the upgrade that will make all the diffrence. I now know that this statement is absolutely correct. Further, I would be remiss to say that if you have the means to get to Garmon's shop for this upgrade...DO IT!
Hit me up on this thread if you have any questions or PM if you want more specifics...I could talk about this experience all day!
Later....

 

Wait until you hook something heavy up to it. You will not have to jump on the go pedal to get moving anymore. It's great. Just ease on the pedal and your off and moving. Ahhhhhh

 

Yeah, gonna test it out this weekend with a 12K lbs. skid steer. Jeff told me I could easily pull that still on SW3. (He said the same as you...)
Considering I pulled the same skid steer 1 week before the install, I can't wait to see the difference in the trucks performance...
Like I said...I wish money was no option. I would have done this YEARS ago!!

 

Congrats Chas!! I feel like I should start taking bets as to how long before the ear to ear smile starts to go away!!

The more I read threads like this and after talking to ya I really need to just do my clutch and be done with it!

 

I hear ya' brother....Best money I ever spent on the truck! Like I said to you the other day...new clutch on your truck with that manual and you will be driving an absolute BEAST!

 

Here's a few pics he sent me of his Garmon experience....



















He liked Garmons diesel with a Stack Forklift..

 

YES SIR!!! (Thanks Swole for putting these out there...)

AWESOME experience...as I said, Rick and Jeff invited me to take as many pics as I could and walked me through the entire process.
Truck went on the lift @ 9 AM, test drive was done by 2 PM...out of there by 2:30 (I was enjoying myself so much I kinda' wish it had taken longer ). It's like entering a redneck Disney land for diesel lovers! My project was probably the most "boring" thing going on in the shop according to all the trucks they were currently working on!

*However, I am going to send Jeff and his team a new coffee maker and some cases of sugar for Christmas...I joked with Rick that I was suspecious if I was drinking used motor oil from the shop...they laughed when I asked where the sugar was.

Again, great group of guys. If I were any closer they would have to ban me from the shop!

 

That's great to hear man. I'm glad you finally got it done. Best upgrade I've done to my truck yet. She just doesn't like the -40 temps up here in the winter, but then again I don't think anything does.