09-18 2wd reg cab short bed platform to build

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

mondo

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Posts
954
Reaction score
482
Location
Columbia, Pa
Ram Year
2014 2wd express rcsb
Engine
5.7
Im looking to buy one next year and figured I'd start doing some research now. Im more than likely going to do typical bolt ons, heads / cam, and or, supercharger or turbo. Are the 8spd trannys more stout than the others? If so, what hp/tq are they generally good to until I have to buy a built one? Same goes with the 5.7, what hp and boost is safe on stock internals before having to do drop ins or a fully built motor? Ive been reading through the forums some but thought id post up and see what everyone is running and what they would do different if they arent happy with current setup. Ill be using it as a DD but will take it to the track also when i dont take the jeep.
Im more than likely going for an R/T but also thinking about maybe a Express. Please post up your thoughts and what mods you have done. Im not really looking to make a certain HP number or run a certain track time. Well, who am I kidding lol, looking to run 11s - low 12s then go from there haha.
 

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,725
Reaction score
23,401
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
Im looking to buy one next year and figured I'd start doing some research now. Im more than likely going to do typical bolt ons, heads / cam, and or, supercharger or turbo. Are the 8spd trannys more stout than the others? If so, what hp/tq are they generally good to until I have to buy a built one? Same goes with the 5.7, what hp and boost is safe on stock internals before having to do drop ins or a fully built motor? Ive been reading through the forums some but thought id post up and see what everyone is running and what they would do different if they arent happy with current setup. Ill be using it as a DD but will take it to the track also when i dont take the jeep.
Im more than likely going for an R/T but also thinking about maybe a Express. Please post up your thoughts and what mods you have done. Im not really looking to make a certain HP number or run a certain track time. Well, who am I kidding lol, looking to run 11s - low 12s then go from there haha.


Get the 8 sp. Buy the lightest truck you can with 3.21's / limited slip /do the normal bolt-ons like long tubes etc,get jay Greene to tune the engine and tranny, hit it with a 125 or 150 shot of nitrous and you'll be in the 11's at a decent track. Be forewarned the regular cab shortbox's have a tendenancy to chuck the driveshaft,especially the R/T's with 3.92's. At roughly 5350 driveshaft rpm it'll have ideas of departing itself out from under the truck.
 
OP
OP
mondo

mondo

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Posts
954
Reaction score
482
Location
Columbia, Pa
Ram Year
2014 2wd express rcsb
Engine
5.7
Get the 8 sp. Buy the lightest truck you can with 3.21's / limited slip /do the normal bolt-ons like long tubes etc,get jay Greene to tune the engine and tranny, hit it with a 125 or 150 shot of nitrous and you'll be in the 11's at a decent track. Be forewarned the regular cab shortbox's have a tendenancy to chuck the driveshaft,especially the R/T's with 3.92's. At roughly 5350 driveshaft rpm it'll have ideas of departing itself out from under the truck.
Im staying away from the giggle gas...lol. That sucks to hear about the driveshaft!
 

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,725
Reaction score
23,401
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
Im staying away from the giggle gas...lol. That sucks to hear about the driveshaft!

They're easier to tune for nitrous,and the top ring lands will take nitrous better then they will boost.
 
OP
OP
mondo

mondo

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Posts
954
Reaction score
482
Location
Columbia, Pa
Ram Year
2014 2wd express rcsb
Engine
5.7
They're easier to tune for nitrous,and the top ring lands will take nitrous better then they will boost.
The 5.7 as bad as the 392s?
I plan on using the same tuner as I do for my jeep
 

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,725
Reaction score
23,401
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
The 5.7 as bad as the 392s?
I plan on using the same tuner as I do for my jeep

The 6.4's are worse,but the 5.7 is limited to about 7 lbs boost safely before you'll want water/**** injection etc..There's a pile of nitroused trucks running around,and the 5.7's will safely take a 150 shot,and with good tuning are living at 175,a 200 horse nitrous hit seems to be where they'll start to come apart. I've got close to 400 passes on my little 4X4 on nitrous and it's never even burped at the nitrous.
 
OP
OP
mondo

mondo

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Posts
954
Reaction score
482
Location
Columbia, Pa
Ram Year
2014 2wd express rcsb
Engine
5.7
Nice, putting that truck to work! That's pretty awesome 400 passes sprayed on the stock block.
 

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,725
Reaction score
23,401
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
Nice, putting that truck to work! That's pretty awesome 400 passes sprayed on the stock block.

The weak link in the trucks with the 8 speeds isn't the engine or tranny,it's the rear diff.The stock clutched limited slips leave a bit to be desired,especially if you plan on hitting the local track with a set of slicks or drag radials. Make sure your budget includes upgrading to a True Trac posi unit. Matt/Moes is supposed to be putting a kit together that includes the extra axle/new gears / rebuild kit and the True Trac unit,which makes sourcing the parts to put a decent posi in a ZF diff a lot easier
 

Pull Ya

U.S. MARINE VETERAN
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Jan 16, 2012
Posts
15,787
Reaction score
23,056
Location
Cedar Creek, Tx
Ram Year
2015
Engine
5.7 Hemi
In addition to the information you already have, I think I would contact Matt at Moe's Performance. He is using the same platform you are talking about and he has been extremely successful.
Jay
 
OP
OP
mondo

mondo

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Posts
954
Reaction score
482
Location
Columbia, Pa
Ram Year
2014 2wd express rcsb
Engine
5.7
I might contact him when the time comes. I see he uses Modern Muscle for engine parts out of all the modern hemi builders out there.
 
OP
OP
mondo

mondo

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Posts
954
Reaction score
482
Location
Columbia, Pa
Ram Year
2014 2wd express rcsb
Engine
5.7
Where are all the builds on this forum???
 

chrisp2493

Always Modding
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Posts
3,006
Reaction score
1,870
Location
Warren, OH
Ram Year
2003
Engine
392 Hemi
In the member trucks section. But there aren’t a ton of performance built trucks on here, mostly stock trucks with a level, rims and a bed cover...the biggest discussions on here are synthetic oil and dealership problems. But a few guys that I can remember off the top of my head with some Performance goodies (and I’m forgetting a few) would be charonblk, wild one, tach tech, myself with the 03, redtruck-va with an 03, and a few others
 

Booms

The OG
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Posts
2,332
Reaction score
1,243
Location
Ocala
Ram Year
2015 Express
Engine
Whipple 5.7 • SmoothBoost!
I'm not supercharged, but I have full bolt ons. In sig.
Any questions, ask away. :D
 

Booms

The OG
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Posts
2,332
Reaction score
1,243
Location
Ocala
Ram Year
2015 Express
Engine
Whipple 5.7 • SmoothBoost!
5.7 - 8 speed/3.92's with LSD
Jay Greene 93 Octane tune/Trans tuning • S&B cold air intake • 87mm Ported throttle body • ATI 15% underdrive pulley • Clutch fan delete • JBA 1 3/4" longtube headers • Catless Y pipe • QTP Exhaust Cutout • Catch Can • 180° T-Stat
 
Top