Jlpowell84's Ram

Hey all, I am new to the forums and new Ram 1500 quad cab 5.7 TRX4 off road owner. 2012 I bought used on super bowl Sunday with 65k miles, with majority highway miles. I really didn't want a new truck payment and I got a really good deal on this one with a very manageable payment.

Anyway the 1st and only owner did a front end leveling kit with 18" Vtec rims and Antarres Deep Digger 35x12.5 tires. The tires are a less known generic brand but they had sub 2k miles on them! Truck is pretty dang clean with only 3 tiny little dents in the entire truck. IT took me 2 weeks to spot the third under my Snap On LED work light. All this to say the truck feels new to me

Ok so I have been researching potential upgrades to death and have spoken with a few people via phone calls and PM's. I just installed the K&N 63 series intake system. I know it's not the most desired intake system by some of the pure enthusiasts. But I got it brand new for $205...

Today I ordered and just got shipping confirmation from Moe's performance.com of the Diablo Sport Trinity T-1000 tuner and Long tube American Racing Headers 1.75" kit WITH the Y-pipe and ARH high flow cats. My thinking and was confirmed after research that the stock exhaust manifolds are BY FAR the weakest link on these Rams. When I first got under the truck my first thought when seeing them was damn they are DINKY! The plan is to run with the full stock exhaust and see how it blends/sounds with the long tube headers and K&N. IF I desire change I will swap out muffler. I don't want stupid annoying loud like a Flowmaster Outlaw series. EDIT: I love stupid loud! Just not on a party daily driver But when I punch it, well I want her to sing

The headers cost have eliminated a few things for now like projection headlights, weathertec mats and neoprene seat covers. They will have to wait. I still will also order the ICI Magnum step/nerf bars for $350.

I will post pics tonight and update anything I forgot!

Lemme know any input or advice!

Sounds like it's coming together nice!


Sent from the fetal position using Tapatalk

Has anyone ever bought headlights from this place? Prices seem a solid chunk cheaper than anywhere else. HID upgrade is not much more either...

2013-2016 Dodge RAM [OEM Standard Model] Performance LED Projector Headlights

This is the one I have been leaning towards. I am not a fan of the headlights jammed up with numerous halo rings and such. I can do two halo's but I'm kinda weird in that if it was two then I want them either straight vertically or horizontally lol, no angles. Anyway this one seems like decent price with bulbs too of your choice...CCFL halos instead of LED...
http://www.protuninglab.com/hidxe09doram1.html

Ramping Up The Ram With Headers, Exhaust, and a Tune - Off Road Xtreme

Did I make this thread in the right place? Just making sure as I can not seem to find a forum directory. I was going for general members truck/build thread/modding the Ram/looking for feedback/advice thread...

Anyone care to comment on drive train upgrades for these Ram's? My plan is the ARH Long Tubes and Trinity 1000 tuner on their way to team up with the K&N 63 series already installed. That was going to be the extent of bolt on's for power but I am thinking a little work on gaining back lost power through drive train upgrades will be next.

Anyone running the ATI under drive pulley, aftermarket torque converter or swapped to an LSD options like on Moe's site? Would you explain what gains you felt and if it was worth it in your opinion.

The plate on my diff is gone so I have emailed the dealership about finding out gear ratio with vin#. My truck is a partial daily driver so I don't want gearing that makes highway driving at high RPM's. While I am doing performance on this truck obviously with my chosen mods I still want to optimize MPG as a second place goal. I may go with 33's in the future but a neighbor just got a Ram with 33's and they look too small for the truck IMO but they were narrow too. I am sure a little offset and width would look just fine.

Sounds like you got a lot going on! And yea, you posted in the right place.

Adam

Drummin4jc said:

Sounds like you got a lot going on! And yea, you posted in the right place.

Adam

Click to expand...

Dang! Thats a nice build you have there. I am loving the Deep Cherry Pearl red paint Usually I like the sport look like you have but I am digging the chrome accenting and bumpers/grill. Kinda like instead of two tone black/red add in some chrome accenting. My wheels kinda tie it all in too with the silver lines on them.

I just ordered ICI Magnum steps in black as well.

I was just looking at bull bars too but am undecided. Where did you buy your fender flares? I just seen the riveted style on an Ford F-350 from the local Line-X shop. Truck was all yellow with the riveted fender flares but they had the black truck liner spray on finish on them. Can't figure out if they would look cool or painted to match would look better. Your truck looks super sharp!

Here is Matt on the AR Headers install.
"They are not bad at all to install. Just remove the front wheels and fender liners, and you should be able to access all the bolts easily. The only tough part about the install is removing the lower oil dipstick tube bolt on the driver side. You have to remove the dipstick in order to install the driver side header, and the lower bolt can be tough to reach on the 4wd trucks..its very easy on the 2wd. Once you get that dipstick tube out of the way, it is easy to get the new header in place and bolted down."

Just texted buddy, we are a go for Sat

Adam, just went to your build thread and seen your paint. You pic looked like it could be the deep cherry pearl paint but now I see your color after going to your thread. My bad

Ok, hopefully you stop back by again I just wet through your whole build thread. Great job and you really got creative with paint accents.

Few things I like.

The fender flares, I have been looking all around and like that you found some bushwhacker ones but more on the narrow side. Did you ever PM that guy an ebay link?

The roof lights! I couldn't put my finger on it but it gives the truck a slight more "forward" look if that makes sense. The windshield to cab top is very smooth almost reminiscent of a balding head. The lights put the hairline back lol! Cabin visor things and light bars are not for me in that location. I would not know how to wire up the lights how but I do trust my steady hand and tools.

The exhaust tips, you painted while on the truck?

The bull bar I have been back and forth on. If I had a sport with all matching bumpers and paint I think that would be ideal. But I got a great deal on my truck and do like the chrome accenting along with the red and black wheels and my ICI Magnum RT step bars arrive tomm.

sounds like a plan... post some pics and impressions once you have everything done!

Well tomm my ARH headers/Y-pipe w/cats, Diablosport Trinity T-1000, ICI Magnum RT step bars all arrive tomm!

CMil527 said:

sounds like a plan... post some pics and impressions once you have everything done!

Click to expand...

Absolutely! I plan to hook up Trinity tomm on lunch and get the two files to send back to Sean @ Hemifever so I can get my custom tune back.

I will tak lots of pics. I am SUPER BIG into home theater and just got down with a pair of Massive subwoofers that I had over 100hrs labor into. So I am pretty primed for pics

Well my local muffler shop got the ARH kit all installed, 1-3/4 primaries with 3" Y-pipe with high flow Cats welded in. They were pretty impressed with the parts and quality. He was praising how the fitment was 100% perfect and how people bring stuff in that doesn't quite fit sometimes. Just transferred the aggressive 91 octane Hemifever tune (for long tubes) onto my Diablo unit. Need to run another tank of premium through before logging info to send back to Sean.

I was expecting the headers and high flow cats to change the exhaust tone more than it did. Wasn't expecting new muffler type tone but perhaps a step louder but it seems to be the same. It does have a deeper more aggressive sound when getting on it. I should have had them swap a Magnaflow in there but I kinda wanted the MBRP sound...anyway something to look forward too

Oh and I suppose its noteworthy I swapped the stock antenna for a 15" Antenna X shorty.

I got the ICI Magnum RT steps installed but am not entirely happy with them. I will say build quality is excellent on these, very stout. But unfortunately the pair I received have a curve to them. Imagine squatting down and being able to see an air gap between the truck and the start of the long bar that butts up to the bottom of the rocker panel. The middle 50% is flush with truck but the ends have a gap about 3/8 inch. Going to call Auto anything tomm to start a return. Perhaps I should list on Craigslist for $300 to avoid having to ship lol.

Pics to come tomm.

ARH pics

more pics

Ordered the 409 stainless MBRP cat back today..

63 series...

Diablo installed, Hemifever 91 octane long tube header tune loaded...

Magnum RT steps installed and tweaked after initial install. Bar has a slight curvature to them and the middle 50% was flush with bottom of rocker panel with a 3/8 gaps on each end. The end 25% of each side began to curve down to the 3/8's at the ends. Used a jack and piece of wood to flush up front and close the gap on the rear. Rear is not flush but the steps look straight now and looks better IMO

At first I honestly didn't like the look 100%, wasn't sold and debated taking them off but the tweak satisfied my OCD and if nothing else my mind thinks it looks better lol.