2006 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4.7 to 5.7

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MarcosC

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2006
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4.7
Hi guys I’m new to this forum and I’d first like to say thank you for all the info this forum has provided me. I’ve been lurking on here for a few weeks now and I figured just make a damn account already lol.

I just bought my 2006 Ram 1500 4.7 with only 41k miles on it. I got an amazing deal for it and I’d much rather had got a hemi but really couldn’t pass up on a pretty much new truck for the price. So I just got an exhaust and K&N air intake installed on the truck yesterday. Yes I know I won’t be making power with a 4.7. I just want my truck to look nice and sound nice as of right now. I love the exhaust man I couldn’t stop smiling lol

I have a big amount of cash laying around and I really want to swap to a 5.7. My trans is the 545rfe and I know the 5.7 will bolt right up to it but I also know the trans isn’t going to last well if I decide to boost in the future.

I plan on buying a remanufactured 5.7 with a stroker kit to a 6.1 with some other internals forged before I even decide to put it in my truck. I rather do everything to the engine before it’s even put inside my truck. I know some people much rather go to a junk yard and get the engine but I like to have peace of mind that I’m not just buying some random used engine that could’ve been abused. That will def run me around 5-8k alone with engine wiring and misc.

I also plan on buying a nag1 trans that’s upgraded to handle 700-1000hp that alone is 5k. I know with the nag1 you would have to set up some electrical stuff I’m not too mechanically inclined to understand it all. But I definitely want a bulletproof transmission. Is there a better trans than a nag1? Or is the nag1 the best way to go?

I’m considering going the pro charger route. That runs for around 6-8k. What do you guys think? Is there a cheaper alternative without sacrificing quality?

My real concern here is how will the suspension and drivetrain hood up if I decide to boost to 600hp to the wheels?

I know I would have to get a new driveshaft that can handle that type of power. I also know tires and brakes are 100% needed. How will the differential hold up? Axles? Other suspension / drivetrain parts that I know nothing about?

I would really appreciate any thoughts on this. I want to do this slowly and take my time. I’m not in a complete rush to do it but I will 100% soon. I just want my truck to be able to put the power down on the street without the truck flying all over the street and bam crash. I’ve been in an accident before and almost died (not driving like an idiot just bad luck) and I want to do this right the first time around so I don’t end up killing myself.
 

HemiLonestar

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5.7 hemi
Easier to do with a PCI bus (pre CAN bus) vehicle, but doable. Might be easier to boost the 4.7 vs swapping lol. Since you hinted at a large budget, go for it.

I have a big amount of cash laying around and I really want to swap to a 5.7. My trans is the 545rfe and I know the 5.7 will bolt right up to it but I also know the trans isn’t going to last well if I decide to boost in the future.

I plan on buying a remanufactured 5.7 with a stroker kit to a 6.1 with some other internals forged before I even decide to put it in my truck. I rather do everything to the engine before it’s even put inside my truck. I know some people much rather go to a junk yard and get the engine but I like to have peace of mind that I’m not just buying some random used engine that could’ve been abused. That will def run me around 5-8k alone with engine wiring and misc.

I also plan on buying a nag1 trans that’s upgraded to handle 700-1000hp that alone is 5k. I know with the nag1 you would have to set up some electrical stuff I’m not too mechanically inclined to understand it all. But I definitely want a bulletproof transmission. Is there a better trans than a nag1? Or is the nag1 the best way to go?

Good chance the trans isn't gonna last just bolted to a 5.7; I'm on my third going on fourth lol.
Any particular reason you only wanna stroke it out to a 370 vs a 392?
The wiring needed will be engine harness and PCM at minimum, plus in to the APPS pedal (hemi is electronic throttle, 4.7 didn't get that til 2008).
Is this gonna be street driven, especially any appreciable distance? NAG1 is great in the earlier cars, but honestly not so much in the trucks. Street truck, especially distances, an 8HP70 would be better and would probably cost about the same to put in. Neither transmission has provision for a slip yoke so you'll need a custom driveshaft to connect it to the rear.

I’m considering going the pro charger route. That runs for around 6-8k. What do you guys think? Is there a cheaper alternative without sacrificing quality?
There isn't another supercharger designed to integrate with your current accessory drive. Here's where things get interesting/complicated/more expensive. Stock cylinder heads will start to be a limiting factor, even modified, at larger power levels. Eagle heads are a great step up, but then your intake manifold will be the limiting factor. Swapping intakes screws up the accessory drive, UNLESS you completely swap to an LX accessory drive. Then you could use one of the other intakes and and an LX blower kits. This will require swapping to an electric fan and dealing with other engine bay clearance issues.

My real concern here is how will the suspension and drivetrain hood up if I decide to boost to 600hp to the wheels?
I know I would have to get a new driveshaft that can handle that type of power. I also know tires and brakes are 100% needed. How will the differential hold up? Axles? Other suspension / drivetrain parts that I know nothing about?
Are you 2wd or 4wd? If 2wd, you could use the pieces from a 2006 SRT-10, including the Dana 60 rear. 9¼'s have been at that power level but I don't know that it would survive repeated abuse long term.
Brake upgrade is a must. I know Baer has big brake upgrade kits but I also know they are pretty expensive, even as compared to tracking down SRT-10 parts.
 
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MarcosC

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2006
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4.7
I don’t know why I put 6.1 instead of 6.4 I def meant to put that lol. My truck is a 2WD automatic. I will look up that trans and do some research on it. I’m going into the Air Force soon so I’m probably not going to be driving far distances to and back from base. I might hold off on the pro charger for a few years.

I just don’t find it worth it to boost my 4.7. Yeah my truck only has 41k miles on it but your talking about a stroke kit for the 4.7 if they even make them... then boosting. I just feel like the 5.7 stroked would make more power compared just stroking the 4.7 and then I still have room to boost the 5.7 in the future. But thanks for the info man I appreciate it!
 

HemiLonestar

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No stroker kit for the 4.7. You'd have fun trying to find an old HO forged crank. 5.7 will definitely will make more ultimate power but using the existing 4.7 vs converting it will be easier and less expensive, two things if you're about to be a junior enlisted man that will come in handy. If you're about to get a commission as a junior officer......then you're not gonna have time for **** like this for awhile unless you write a blank check to a shop lol.
 
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MarcosC

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No stroker kit for the 4.7. You'd have fun trying to find an old HO forged crank. 5.7 will definitely will make more ultimate power but using the existing 4.7 vs converting it will be easier and less expensive, two things if you're about to be a junior enlisted man that will come in handy. If you're about to get a commission as a junior officer......then you're not gonna have time for **** like this for awhile unless you write a blank check to a shop lol.
Yeah do you know what exact crank I can get for my 4.7? Like maybe on eBay or a reference to website that sells them? Or possibly a forged kit? Nothing crazy. Eventually in a few years me and my wife are going to get a corvette and I should probably just save my money for that but the obsession of building my truck is so strong that I don’t even care lol. But honestly might just do stuff to my 4.7 and just have fun with what I got. How much do you think the 4.7 can handle? Let’s say I get a forged crank that puts the 4.7 to a 5.3 or something should I upgrade the pistons and rods? How much power you think I can get out of it without boosting it just 100% NA. I don’t want to end up blowing my engine or trans. Honestly if I can get enough power similar to a stock hemi I’d be happy. Realistically I’m probably pushing around 210-225hp to the wheels. To the crank around 260-280hp. What route would you recommend me go just to get around stock hemi level?

I’m going enlisted right now. I’m waiting on a contract to come up. Once I get a feel of military life then I’ll make a decision on what route I want to go. I know officers make big money but it also comes with lots of responsibility so it’s just something I would have to see and experience to figure it out.
 

HemiLonestar

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LOL....they don't make big money til they get to a somewhat senior level, like O4-O5 and up.
I will say this again:
No stroker kit for the 4.7.
Unless you're gonna pay someone to whittle one out of billet lol.
Other than boring and maybe if the crank can be offset ground, you're stuck with stock displacement with a 4.7. Give this a read: https://www.dodgetalk.com/threads/4-7l-ram-eaton-m112-supercharged-build-with-pics-vids.367696/
That's one of your options, your other easy options are an STS remote turbo kit or this: https://www.boostedtech.com/superchargers/dodge-ram/2000-2007-dodge-ram-4-7-liter-v8-supercharger/
Email Air Ram: http://airram.com/, they specialize in 4.7 performance and came up with the Eaton blower adaptation.
Any of these options will get you to at least a stock 3rd gen (03-08) hemi power level. Once you get too far past 400hp (with the resulting torque) is when the RFE will start to fail you.
I've seen AirRam comment in the past that they have N/A mods that will get you to stock hemi power, email them and ask.
FYI deployments seriously get in the way of fun stuff like this, though they do sometimes help pay for it lol.
 

GTyankee

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Which ever way that you decide to go with your trucks engine, you should really do thorough research on the best tunable CPU for it
 
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