Well, after a couple years of fighting with my turbo, it finally needs to be replaced. I have a 2015 2500 with a manual transmission that I ordered new straight from the factory. I deleted it very shortly after I got it and immediately started having really bad VGT surging issues. I have AFE 5” TBE, AFE intake, and a RaceMe Ultra. I started out with the RaceMe tunes. After fighting with the surging for a while, I took it to two different shops in town and they both told me the same thing. It was a tuning issue. I contacted RaceMe and when back and forth with them for months. Updated my tuner, retuned, downloaded new files, it felt like 50 times each! I came across a couple others with similar issues and realized that we all had the manual transmission in common. I mentioned that to RaceMe and they sent out new tunes. That, however did not work. RaceMe finally just told me that the problem was my truck. I was devastated, because despite the issues, I love my truck! It was the first truck I ever custom ordered! It has everything I want and nothing I don’t. Anyway, about the time RaceMe gave up on me, Ray at double R was getting the software to custom tune the RaceMe tuners. I linked up with him and he worked patiently with me through a couple different versions until he got me a tune that worked for me. However, now my turbo needs to be replaced. After a few minutes of driving the VGT stops moving as commanded. My local shop says replace the turbo and recommended the Fleece cheetah, so that is my plan. They recommend replacing my exhaust manifold while the turbo is off. They say the stock manifold has a tendency to crack around 150,000 miles. I am nowhere near that mileage, but I want to keep my truck for a long time.

I know that was a lot to write just to ask one question, but...
Is this a legitimate concern and worth the additional $600 to replace the manifold that is not giving me issues yet? I know there are some other benefits to the upgraded manifold, but I am on a very tight budget and it is about breaking the bank just replacing the turbo. Can anyone confirm the cracking manifold claim?