KyleKap19's Build Thread - 2014 1500 Express

Gotta say, it was quite exciting -- after driving sedans since I was 16 -- to finally get a truck.

Always wanted one. Always drooled over the rams.

This purchase was just pure luck and finding my wife on the right day. We were actually going to our Mazda dealer to check and see if we can get her out of her current CX-9 lease and into a new CX-9. Didnt work out but I did spot my truck on the lot.

Long story short, they took my modded 2014 Mazda 6 (was 6 of the month in the Mazda 6 forums) and got me into the 2014 RAM 1500 for just a few bucks more. The truck as 21,000 miles.

The night I picked her up:


Anyway, I've always had zero immunity when it comes to the modding disease. After 2 months, here's what I've done

So far:

1- Carven Competitor Series Muffler: Love the sound, absolutely incredible. But I cant take the drone. I installed a Drone Suppression Pipe from Mufflex. Cut the drone considerably and still sounds great. Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcG5HQHk0c4

2 - S&B Intake. Looks great, and as we all know, that's about all it does! However, I do plan to get a custom tune and will ensure to maximize what it has to offer.

3 - Debadged the truck. Love the clean look. Rattle canned the chrome ram emblems on the grille and gate too. Didnt come out great, so I ordered black ones. Will probably replace them soon if the weather warms up.

4- Removed the chrome OEM side rails. and swapped for N-Fabs

N-Fab bars:


5 - Extang Trifecta Tonneau: so far so good. Love it. Hope it holds up in the NJ winters. We shall see.

6 - Trailer receiver hitch: easy to install and a must. Also got a custom hitch receiver cover with my company logo

7 - 5 inch moes tips: again, super easy bolt on. They LOOK SICK. And added some different tone to the exhaust notes. I have them poking out a bit -- like that look. To each his own

8 - Swapped OEM chrome headlights for OEM black. Dramatic difference IMO. Did not want to do the ballast route again with HIDs. Had that on my last vehicle and wasnt worth it. Again, to each his own. Also did the H9 and 9011 bulb upgrades and LEDs for back up and cargo. While we're still on lighting. I added some LED strips for Bed lighting and LED pods as Aux backup lights too. Both are tied to their own switches in the cab.

Here's the black OEMs


LEDs for backup and cargo:


Bed Lighting:


Aux LED Cubes for backup lighting:


LED Cube Coverage:


9 - Zone 6 inch lift with Bilsteins up front set at 2.1. Also added Moto gloss gray 970s. 20x10 with -24 offset. They're wrapped in 35x12.5 Toyo MTs

As she sits now!:








Thanks,

Kyle

What's Next?

Last night I picked up a Craigslist steal -- set of OEM 2500 flares for $100. Having them painted for another $100

Tune -- most likely Diablo

Back up camera -- my Express has the bare bones package. So I'm going to need to also update the head unit.

Leather interior upgrade.

Here's some info on the drone suppression pipe install.

I cant say how awesome the Carven muffler sounds, but on the highway and longer stretches where you cruise and are at 1800 rpms or so, it drones. And the crew cab doesnt help! Wife hates it and I suffer from tinnitus already (a constant ringing in the ears) so it destroys me for a few hours afterwards.

So instead of buying the less aggressive Carven kit, I opted to go for the Mufflex drone suppression pipe so I done lose any of that sound.

Was quite a pain in the ass to install because the piping needed to be expanded a bit, but I got it on there.

Drone was reduced a lot -- not eliminated though.

One thing I noticed when I triple checked the clamps, was a small leak. Could feel it on my fingers. I re-tightened the clamps, but no joy. Added some joint sealer and that did the trick.


CUT PIPE


INSTALL:


Red circled area is where they say to tuck the j pipe. I didnt like that idea. Rather tight and easily could vibrate on something. I decided to leave it hang down. Its not bad and easier to adjust the j pipe too to adjust and compensate for the drone as needed.

Sweet truck! Interesting how that drone pipe works.

PassivAggressor said:

Sweet truck! Interesting how that drone pipe works.

Click to expand...

All science --- just cancels out some of the frequencies before passing through the muffler

Beautiful truck man.

shibby927 said:

Beautiful truck man.

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Thanks, I appreciate it!

Will be installing OEM painted 2500 flares tonight or tomorrow morning. Hopefully they look good! If not, someone's gunna get a pair on the cheap!

Good looking ride.

very nice rig indeed, congrats and Merry Christmas

@kylekap19 Have you had any issues running the 6" lift with Bilsteins set like that in the front? I mean offroading or using 4x4 on the roads in ice or snow? I did something similar to another vehicle of mine after lifting and I kept separating CV axles and eventually cracked the front differential housing and I was just wondering if this has been an issue for you.

allena said:

@kylekap19 Have you had any issues running the 6" lift with Bilsteins set like that in the front? I mean offroading or using 4x4 on the roads in ice or snow? I did something similar to another vehicle of mine after lifting and I kept separating CV axles and eventually cracked the front differential housing and I was just wondering if this has been an issue for you.

Click to expand...

So far no --- smooth as butter. but she's not much of an off roading truck. I dont have the opportunity to do that here in NJ.

Been a while since I posted -- have been quiet lately, letting the old wallet recover from the bulk of the mods I've done so far. Namely the lift and wheels/tires.

I did get the bug to do something, so I decided to get some custom die cut stickers of my company's logo made up and added one too the back.

Came out nice -- clean and simple.

Hope to start taking more photos soon, once the weather turns better.

For now, stay tuned!

Nice ram

Rzrman328 said:

Nice ram

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Thanks man

Stepped up to 37s!

New rubber are Toyo RTs 37x12.5x20

Had 35x12.5 mts. The 37 RTs are basically the same weight. Had to do a little more trimming but they look great!

kylekap19 said:

Stepped up to 37s!

New rubber are Toyo RTs 37x12.5x20

Had 35x12.5 mts. The 37 RTs are basically the same weight. Had to do a little more trimming but they look great!

Click to expand...

Nice rig. Got any photos with the new tires that AREN'T held hostage by photobucket?

Oliver_Closov said:

Nice rig. Got any photos with the new tires that AREN'T held hostage by photobucket?

Click to expand...

Dude, Photobucket really ******* pissed me off! hahahaha

This is one of the latest photos I've taken -- hope to do an end of summer detail and will snap better photos then.

Finally have her as high as I'm willing to go! Installed the Zone 1.5 inch BL this weekend. That, plus the 6 inch Zone suspension lift, and 37s has me sitting right where I want.

Wheels are 20x10 Moto Metal 970s wrapped in Toyo Open Country MT 37x12.5s

DSC_0719 copy by KyleKap, on Flickr

DSC_0690 copy by KyleKap, on Flickr

DSC_0693 copy by KyleKap, on Flickr


DSC_0680 by KyleKap, on Flickr

Truck looks awesome! Did you have to relocate the push bar and rehang the exhaust because of the BL?