Good product. 2-3 hours total job even with fighting a bolt.
Tools : 10” channel lock pliers to remove the driver side exhaust clamps.
Chisel to pop the pass exhaust clamp off.
5/16 12pt and 8mm 12pt sockets. Have backup ones, easy to break 3 fighting the bolts.
1-1/2” flap style drum sander and drill motor.
5/16 or 8mm good combination wrench.
Dead blow hammer.
Tips: the 12pt bolts are a pain. Even nice sharp/newer snap on level sockets/wrenches can strip the heads or slip on the socket. Heat and kryoil liquid wrench may not get them to loosen. Good thing is there are the same size bolts behind the intake wheel as replacement if you need to drill/ez-out/chisel the head to lessen the head pressure to get them out.
On the install on the exhaust side run the bolts down evenly to seat the crush ring. It will grab the ex wheel if not perfectly centered but once all are torqued it spins freely.
Also on the bolt removal, don’t be scared to cut the center section with a cut off wheel for access as its trash anyway. The area where the bolt heads are in the “pocket” just cut it away so you can get an hammer impact on it.
And use a 1-1/2” flap style sanding drum to remove rust for the ex side crush sleeve to seat nice. Or hand sand it off so it doesn’t bind.

This is made very nicely. But I does whistle pretty loud and is kinda annoying. It is good for bigger injectors. I had it on a truck with 160/80cc injectors and it would get really hot really fast when towing with those injectors. I then put I on a truck with 205/30cc injectors and it worked fine. I just am not a big fan of how much it whistles

I was so happy to find a center cartridge as these can’t be rebuilt. Great product, hitting 40lbs on my truck no problem.

My 38r started to get slopped out and this was the only option i had in the sense of rebuilding it without breaking the bank. turbo seems more efficient and is far better for in the cab noise. truck sounds gnarly as before just not as pronounced of whistle when off the throttle. would recommend

When my bearings went out on my GTP38r, I was told it wasn't able to be rebuilt and I'd need a new turbo. Then I checked with Riff Raff Diesel, bought this center section, perfect solution. PLUS, if these bearings ever fail, I am told this piece can be rebuilt. Performance seems to be better, as well. Whistle isn't near as pronounced.