Our annual event, Diesel Power Challenge, gets us pumped up. And not excited about just the trucks as a whole, but the parts that make them what they are. After all, a single awesome component can have a huge influence on the performance and character of a truck, the power the vehicle can make, or how streetable it is.
So, we set out to come up with a part(s) system that would make any diesel owner drool. But we realized not everyone is part of the mega-horsepower street truck crowd, so we’ve compiled a list of the baddest race, street, and towing parts we could find, in an effort to keep you (and us) dreaming about building the biggest and the best—no matter the usage.
Race Parts
B&J Transmission and Molinari Clutch
For years, drag racers have fought and fought with transmission issues, ultimately having so many breakage problems that transmission companies started developing parts just for them. However, getting the best diesel transmission out there means actually ditching the stock platform altogether and buying a unit that has been designed and tested on 4,000hp Top Alcohol Funny Cars and dragsters. While a certain amount of fabrication is required to adapt this type of transmission to a diesel, they are extremely strong, and drag racers and sled pullers alike can relate to the awesome four-disc Molinari clutch that most of these transmissions use. The price for ultimate strength and clutchless gear changes isn’t cheap, however. Expect to spend a pretty penny on a complete setup.
Price: $10,000 (est.) •
Where to find it: bandjtransmission.com
| B And J Transmission And Molinari Clutch
Haisley Machine Super B Cummins
“Here you go, here’s your new 2,000hp engine, just make sure you change the oil and keep an eye on the water injection system and water temperatures. Have fun!” OK, while it might not be that easy, you can buy a low-maintenance 2,000hp engine completely assembled and running, with dyno sheets to prove it. The maniacs behind this monster are the crew at Haisley Machine, who have their hands in some of the meanest 3.0 and Super Stock Class pullers out there—competitors who can actually use this type of power. And while we haven’t yet seen one in a street truck, we’re also not quite willing to dismiss the idea, either. Any way you slice it, the Super B is probably one of the baddest engines out there.
Price: $35,000 •
Where to find it: haisleymachine.com
| Haisley Machine Super B Cummins
SoCal Diesel Aluminum Duramax Block
The 6.6L Duramax is the lightest of the currently available Big Three diesel truck engines. Want to stretch that weight advantage even more? How about probe the limits of 2,000 hp and withstand ultimate heat? SoCal Diesel showed us this ultra-trick, all-aluminum Duramax block that was designed for racing applications. It saves a good 100 pounds over a conventional iron block and can be ordered with a variety of options.
Price: $11,000 •
Where to find it: socaldiesel.com
| Socal Diesel Duramax Aluminum Block
Winberg Crankshafts
Whether you’re trying to turn mega rpm with your diesel or make absurd power levels, Winberg Crankshafts can tailor a crankshaft to your specific needs. Made from the highest strength steel alloys in the world, these crankshafts are available for Power Stroke, Duramax, and Cummins engines. These crankshafts are heat-treated, nitrite-coated, and can be ordered in stroker versions, fully counterweighted units, or internal-balanced models. If you can dream it, they can make it.
Price: $5,000 •
Where to find it: winbergcrankshafts.com
| Winberg Crankshaft
Race Diesel Conversion Cylinder Head
This part is so new it is still in the design stages, but we couldn’t resist throwing it in. We can’t tell you who’s making it, or what it’s for, but we can say that it is a cylinder head originally designed for a gasoline V-8 engine that will flow approximately 600 cfm, have four valves per cylinder, and be compatible with many existing parts to keep costs down. When this thing goes into production (if it does), it will be radically different than anything currently available.
Price: TBD •
Where to find it: You can’t (yet)
| Race Diesel Conversion Cylinder Head
Street Parts
Pacific Performance Engineering Race Compound Turbos
Have a hot street Duramax and tired of your single turbo? Pacific Performance Engineering (PPE) offers what is probably the ultimate turbo kit for the 6.6L GM engines. Coming fully polished, the PPE turbo setup features two ball-bearing Garrett turbochargers: a GT4202R and a GT5533R. Boost pressures are designed to be in the 60- to 100-psi range and can be regulated with a Tial 44mm wastegate. A braced support for the large turbocharger, PPE exhaust manifolds and up-pipes, a higher-flowing intercooler, and stainless steel piping throughout are also standard in this all-inclusive $12,000 kit. Sound like a lot? Well, this kit has been known to support 1,500 flywheel horsepower on fuel and 2,000 hp on nitrous. Believe it or not, if the rpm is kept up (2,500 rpm and higher), these turbos can also be used for towing. Does this sound like the ultimate twin-turbo kit? It is.
Price: $12,000 •
Where to find it: ppediesel.com
| Pacific Performance Engineering Race Compund Turbos
Full Force Diesel 400/200 injectors
Want the highest-flowing, daily driveable HEUI injectors for your 7.3L Power Stroke? Look no further than Full Force Diesel’s 400/200 Stage 3 single-shot hybrid injectors. They can flow a maximum of 400 cc of fuel through a nozzle that’s 200 percent larger than stock, and the potential to make 650 rwhp is possible. These hybrid injectors only need one high-pressure oil pump to feed them, though it needs to be a larger-displacement pump (such as a Gen3 or SRP 1.1). While larger nozzles and displacement injectors exist in the aftermarket, this flow and nozzle combination is the best in the business when it comes to hot street trucks and ultimate reliability.
Price: $2,845 •
Where to find it: fullforcediesel.com
| Full Force Diesel 400 200 Injectors
Elite Diesel Engineering Stage 3 Max-Power Compounds
For the ultimate low-rpm response and high-rpm power on highly modified 6.4L Power Strokes, Elite Diesel’s Max-Power Compounds can’t be beat. The combination matches a 66mm high-pressure custom charger with an 82mm low-pressure unit from Precision Turbo. Available in Stage 1, 2, and 3 forms, this turbo arrangement has been proven to support up to 1,000 rwhp on street-driven ’08 to ’10 Ford Super Dutys. The Stage 1 kit starts at $10,250.
Price: $12,050 •
Where to find it: elitedieseleng.com
| Elite Diesel Engineering Stage 3 Compund Turbos Installed
Street Parts
Scheid Diesel 13mm V-8 P-pump
If you’ve ever loved lots of power, the rattle of mechanical diesels, and V-8 engines, boy have we got something for you. While it’s no surprise that mechanically injected Cummins engines are virtually power limitless, Duramax and Power Stroke mills can be, too. Scheid Diesel just notified us that it has a run of eight-cylinder P-pumps, which can be mounted on a Duramax or Power Stroke engine and are capable of supporting in excess of 2,000 hp. While the price ($4,700) might not be cheap, adding up the cost of custom common-rail injectors, triple pumps, stand-alone controllers, and custom tuning isn’t cheap, either. However, a V-8 P-pump project isn’t for the faint of heart or for those who lack fabrication skills, as the pump drive, lines, and injectors must all be custom made. We’ve seen a few sled pullers take the mechanical V-8 plunge; now we want to see one in a street truck!
Price: $4,700 •
Where to find it: scheiddiesel.com
| Scheid Diese 13mm V 8 P Pump
Destroked Zeus Stand-Alone PCM
The aptly named Zeus PCM is available for ’03 to ’10 5.9L and 6.7L Cummins common-rail engines and can virtually do anything. How about 8,000 rpm? A low, slow idle with big injectors? No problem. Manual mode, where timing, pulse width, and pump duty cycle can be entered? Yep. The Zeus also cuts down on wiring for conversion projects in off-roaders, muscle cars, and drag vehicles. It is also a data logger, can be outfitted with a five-position switch, and will work with the factory wiring if it’s installed in a newer Ram truck (off-road use only).
Price: $3,800 •
Where to find it: destroked.com
| Destroked Zeus Stand Alone Pcm
Towing Parts
Redwood Residential Vehicle
Toy haulers are big business these days, and with new diesel trucks capable of towing tens of thousands of pounds, they just keep getting bigger, and nicer. Perhaps one of the nicest fifth-wheel campers we have ever seen comes courtesy of Redwood Residential Vehicles and features just about everything you’d find in an upper-middle-class home. Features like cherry hardwood cabinets, halogen lighting throughout, and ball-bearing kitchen drawers are standard, as are 40-inch and 26-inch televisions. In case you need an afternoon nap, there’s also a full sofa and spring recliners. And when you wake up hungry, there’s a banquet table 60 inches across to eat at. Be prepared to dish out about $130,000 for one of these houses, um, we mean fifth-wheels, but seriously, we can’t think of anything else we’d need for traveling in maximum style and comfort.
Price: $130,000 •
Where to find it: redwoodrvfamily.com
| Redwood Residential Vehicle
PullRite SuperGlide
Towing a monstrously huge trailer and need some extra room? How about this cool, sliding fifth-wheel hitch from PullRite? Especially handy for shortbed trucks, the sliding fifth-wheel pivots and slides back during cornering, which keeps large-overhang trailers from smacking into the cab of your pickup. While it might be a little more expensive than regular hitches, at around $1,400, it’s still a lot cheaper than a bunch of bodywork and paint on a brand-new truck.
Price: $1,400 •
Where to find it: pullrite.com
| Pullrite Superglide Hitch
Pacbrake P-67 Loadleash
Ever want to save on brakes while towing? Or better yet, how about going down a steep hill with no brakes? The P-67 Loadleash from Pacbrake works in conjunction with the factory- installed exhaust brake on ’07 to ’12 Dodge pickup/chassis cab trucks and Sterling chassis cab trucks. This system is a true integrated engine brake that is quiet and nearly doubles the braking horsepower (up to 300 hp) available to stop a truck and trailer combination. If you’re looking for maximum engine/exhaust stopping power, this $1,600 option is pretty much in a league of its own.
Price: $1,600 •
Where to find it: pacbrake.com
| Pacbrake P 67 Loadleash
Dynatrac Pro 80
Whether you’re worried about breaking your axle during sled pulling (we’ve seen that) or wearing it out due to overloading your trailer (we’ve seen that, too), the Pro 80 from Dynatrac may be just the ticket. The custom-built rear axle is a bolt-in for popular trucks and features such options as 35- or 37-spline 1.5-inch, induction-hardened, alloy steel axleshafts; a variety of locker choices; disc or drum brakes; large, tapered, roller hub bearings; and a multitude of gear choices. For someone who wants to install a rearend once and never worry about it, this is your ticket to worry-free heavy towing.
Price: $6,060 to $8,690 •
Where to find it: dynatrac.com
| Dynatrac Pro 80 Axle
Hensley Arrow Trailer Antisway System
We’ve all seen trucks flying down the highway with their trailers wagging back and forth, running cars off the road left and right. Not only is this dangerous to other people, it’s dangerous to the driver, the truck, and the trailer. For the ultimate in trailer sway control, there’s the Hensley Arrow, a hitch system that virtually eliminates any kind of trailer sway. It can be used on almost any truck or trailer setup and also allows for a smoother ride and tighter turning. For those wanting proof, there are YouTube videos of people towing a 35-foot trailer through a slalom that are quite entertaining.
Price: $3,000 •
Where to find it: hensleymfg.com
| Hensley Arrow Trailer Antisway System
