Help a newbie out

[LaJoie272]

I was in the diesel community with my 'stang eating Duramax for a good while, although I recently sold my pride and joy to get myself a more practical daily, and to help out the '06 LS2 GTO fund.. I pick up my new '08 Ram Big Horn hemi tomorrow and she is 100% bone stock, I am looking to change that. I am not wanting to get into cams or internals, just bolt ons and a tuner to make this daily both fun and reliable. I am only wanting to do headers, delete cats, and run duals straight out the back, a CAI, and a superchip as far as performance goes. I come from a community where we run our **** straight out the turbo... We didn't have the complexity of an x, y, h, or whatever pipe that is on these gas trucks so consider me ignorant in the gas truck department, that is why I'm kinda relying on your guys' advice to guide me through the basic bolt on mods I am wanting to do right off the bat (the LED/HID bling game I got down easy, lol). Any newbie advice, anything you guys think I should know as a new ram owner would help such as the common, right out of the gate, mods would help. Below are my true questions. Thanks guys!

- Exhaust (I want headers, cat deletes, duals straight out the back) What all do I need to do the ENTIRE exhaust system? Any brand preference or any advice helps.

- CAI, any brand preference or advice helps.

- Tuner, is superchips the best tuner for a bolt on truck? Again any info helps.

 

[WulfGang]

I don't know anything about Superchips but I DO know that with a Diablo Sport Trinity tuner you will be able to immediately feel the difference in your truck.

If you buy it from Moe's Performance - a preferred vender here - you will get access to a special "Hemi Fever" tune. This is a real kick ass tune and really wakes up the truck compared to a "canned tune" - a tune that comes with the unit. Which, is nothing to scoff at either.

This tuner has many features. I use mine not only for the HF tune but also as a tach since mine went out.
DiabloSport Trinity Tuner

Matt was a swell guy too. We spent about half an hour talking about rear diffs, CAI's, exhausts, etc.
I even needed it rushed because I wanted to use the tuner on my 2 week camping trip towing our 30'+ tow trailer - tows well, may I add - and he had it to me in 2 days so I was able to install it and use it.

I make nothing from recommending these guys. But, where I'm from people help you, you help them back. In honesty.

As far as exhaust - I'm in the same boat. I'm still kinda clueless as to what to run. There are a couple of different suggestions on the forums that I've read. It's up to us to choose I guess. Or experiment on our own to see if we can discover something that hasn't been done yet. I have little faith in accomplishing that so... lol

CAI:
I'm going with the Vararam. Again, from Moe's Perf.
Matt actually said that a tuner and gear swap would be the two biggest game changers to start off with.

Being I have a 4x4 gears are going to cost a heck of a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$.
And if it's gonna be a CAI then it may as well be the Vararam. It performs AND looks a lot better IMO than the K&N looking ones with the open filter design.
Though, I have seen some pretty cool looking ones built into an air box on the fender wall.

Basically, a lot of the stuff you're going to want to do you can get from Moe's.
So I'd look at my budget and give them a call.

Which, is actually, exactly what I'll be doing in 2 weeks or so.

 

[xb1230]

I have read only good things about the Hemifever tune.
I have a Superchips only because it was the only tuner supporting my 4.7L. If I had a Hemi I would have strongly considered the Hemifever through a supporting tuner.

As for the CAI, Vararam is the one at the top of the list, followed by the BFI. However the BFI cannot be found new as it is not produced anymore. They are rare but can be found on eBay.

The other thing to consider is that it does not do much get good air in the engine if it can't breath it out as well, so Long tube headers and better exhaust are in order to further improve and help the CAI do its job and allow the tune to work as best it can.

That being said, a tuner and gears are simple to deal with for starters and can definitely provide the best bang for the buck.

As Wulfgang suggested, spend some time researching and finding a trusted advisor from a specialty shop like Moe's (which I heard only good things from), and let them know what you intend to do with your truck. They will then be able to suggest what will be the best combination of improvements you can do to the truck.

Hope this helps

 

[VPRPWRD]

Did someone say LS2 GTO?

 

[WulfGang]

Not to derail the thread... but...


I have always thought those GTO's MUST be a wild ride!

 

[HemiLonestar]

Not to derail the thread... but...


I have always thought those GTO's MUST be a wild ride!

They are, especially with the 6.0, but gawd...they look like grand prix's...

 

[LaJoie272]

Thanks for the info guys. That GTO is bad, I'll trade you my woman for that. Anyway, I'll get in contact with Moes. Thanks!