Best Mods for Under $100

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ConorToot

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Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
2012
Engine
4.7L
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The best upgrade so far for me has been this cold air ram intake that I got new for $66.99. The tube is aluminum and has an amazing throaty sound when the gas is smashed. I've bragged to my co-workers that my truck purrs and growls now. I haven't played my much, much more expensive upgrade in a 12" T-Style head unit because I love to hear the growling purring sound of my gas mileage racing towards single digits.

Pros:
- My Ram is a 2012 Quad-Cab SLT RWD with the 4.7L FlexFuel V8 and there are few upgrades made for it, unlike the 5.7L. Almost every other intake I found was well over $200.
- Installation was really pretty quick and went without much trouble at all. I don't think I screamed obscenities more than once or twice, and that might be a record. I was done with a little time to sleep before my alarms rang at 4:00 AM to get ready for work.
- It sounds fantastic.
- The parts were all really close to fitting or fit well.
- Everything I needed was in the package I received and there were no angry trips to the stores or online to create work around parts or fixes.

Cons:
- Zero instructions, not even a picture of the completed installation, was included with the intake.
- The 4" air channel was rough. The welds weren't cleaned up after being welded. The holes had razor sharp edges that protruded from the drill that cut them. The MAF sensor hole was razor sharp and would have sliced the little grommet that was included into shreds. Big metal filings were still inside the tube as if they didn't bother even blowing the thing out when the machining was done. The majority of my install time was devoted to fixing this part as I sanded everything to a fine polish and only then installed it.
- The hose for the return air to go back into the engine manifold is too short and will need to be replaced. It could really use a right angle fitting for this hose so it lays down in the engine bay.
- The fitting where the tube and the throttle body meet feels loose and might need a better jumction.
- The grommet that was included could be a better fit
- The hole at the top of the air chamber could have been made to be a little bigger so the filter can be removed from the top. I had to disassemble the whole thing when I thought I was finished installing it because I forgot to put the filter on before I mounted the air chamber.
- My fuel consumption has greatly increased because I'm stomping the gas to hear it and driving really fast to feel it, but this might be a pro as well. My mileage is somewhere around 12 MPG now. Yikes....
 

Warlock2024

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2024
Engine
V6
I've ordered 2 Dee Zee tailgate assist now. The 1st one wasn't even close, installed the 2nd one from the links in here and it fit, but there is an issue with the bottom part of the hydraulic. It clamps onto a plate on the side of the tailgate where there was already a hole. Issue is, no matter how tight I get that plate, it moves when the tailgate goes up and then there is so little space for the hydraulic to function, tailgate still drops like a rock! Went to Dee Zee website trying to order replacement hardware but site won't let me "check out". All I need is a post to connect the hydraulic to the tailgate itself, I think! 1st pic is what the plate looks like when I drop the tailgate. 2nd is The plate attached to the side of the bed. 3rd is after I manually pull the hydraulic down and 4th shows how the plate moves. Any advice??
 

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Daw14

Senior Member
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Nov 29, 2017
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Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 hemi
Update to these knob covers. Although they look pretty good and fit the knobs well, there's not a good way to keep them on the knobs. They kept falling off with use, as they just slip over the stock knob. I got tired of picking them up off the floor, so I ended up leaving them off. It was mainly the center console covers that would fall off the most - Volume, HVAC, Tuner knobs. The only one that is still on at this point, is the headlight knob cover. And, really, only because I hardly ever touch it.

I thought about trying some glue to keep them on, but then I didn't want to glue them on. Tape, maybe.
A little silicone will hold them on , then it can be cleaned later with no sign it was ever there.
 

Choicebro

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2023
Posts
15
Reaction score
7
Location
Sydney, Australia
Ram Year
2023 1500 Express
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I've ordered 2 Dee Zee tailgate assist now. The 1st one wasn't even close, installed the 2nd one from the links in here and it fit, but there is an issue with the bottom part of the hydraulic. It clamps onto a plate on the side of the tailgate where there was already a hole. Issue is, no matter how tight I get that plate, it moves when the tailgate goes up and then there is so little space for the hydraulic to function, tailgate still drops like a rock! Went to Dee Zee website trying to order replacement hardware but site won't let me "check out". All I need is a post to connect the hydraulic to the tailgate itself, I think! 1st pic is what the plate looks like when I drop the tailgate. 2nd is The plate attached to the side of the bed. 3rd is after I manually pull the hydraulic down and 4th shows how the plate moves. Any advice??
It looks to me that the plates are mounted in the incorrect positions.
Swap their positions and I think you will find it will work properly.

Cheers
 

aszumilo

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Military
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Dec 9, 2023
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Location
Las Vegas
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I've ordered 2 Dee Zee tailgate assist now. The 1st one wasn't even close, installed the 2nd one from the links in here and it fit, but there is an issue with the bottom part of the hydraulic. It clamps onto a plate on the side of the tailgate where there was already a hole. Issue is, no matter how tight I get that plate, it moves when the tailgate goes up and then there is so little space for the hydraulic to function, tailgate still drops like a rock! Went to Dee Zee website trying to order replacement hardware but site won't let me "check out". All I need is a post to connect the hydraulic to the tailgate itself, I think! 1st pic is what the plate looks like when I drop the tailgate. 2nd is The plate attached to the side of the bed. 3rd is after I manually pull the hydraulic down and 4th shows how the plate moves. Any advice??
Looks like Choicebro is right, you have the brackets wrong. Here's a video for the install
 

Warlock2024

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Location
Northern VA
Ram Year
2024
Engine
V6

Warlock2024

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2024
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V6
The video doesn't show 2 brackets like the DZ43301 kit that I got. If I had the piece that screws into the tailgate, I'd be good
 

aszumilo

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The video doesn't show 2 brackets like the DZ43301 kit that I got. If I had the piece that screws into the tailgate, I'd be good
Maybe the kit you got was mislabeled? Or somehow got the wrong parts put in the wrong package?

The bracket you have on the tailgate, should go on the side of the bed.

You have a 2024, right?
DZ43301 is not for your truck, I think. The package in the video says it is for 09-13 Ram 1500 and 10 to 13 Ram 2500/3500. I think you need DZ43302

1713747744424.png
 
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aszumilo

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04fxdwgi

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Location
Coastal NE North Carolina
Ram Year
2016 1500 Sport
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Must have gotten the wrong parts. Thanks!
I have a new in the box spare sitting here (not a deezee). It is yours, if you want and pay for shipping.

But to be honest, when bought at Amazon using Prime, the shipping for this will probably be the same as Amazon's price.
 

Warlock2024

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2024
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V6
This may be the video for your truck. Shows the install on a 2019, but, kit says for 19-23. 24 should be the same I would think.

Here's a link to the printed instructions.
Unfortunately, that won't work with my truck, it's not for the 1500 "Classic". Thanks though!
 

Warlock2024

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Anyone know what this piece is called?
 

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metalchewy

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Ram Year
2010 TRX4
Engine
4.7L
Google Lens found them and they are listed as "Ball Stud"

That's what they were called on the old dodge clutch linkage for hooking up the torque shaft (zbar). Press in/weld fit, male threaded or female threaded versions of ball studs available.

Smaller versions were on carburetors.
 

Warlock2024

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2024
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V6
That's what they were called on the old dodge clutch linkage for hooking up the torque shaft (zbar). Press in/weld fit, male threaded or female threaded versions of ball studs available.

Smaller versions were on carburetors.
Thank you!
 

Warlock2024

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2024
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V6
So, I searched and found the common size is 10mm. Should a 3/4' long thread suffice or is that too long?
 

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