Hi all, I’m looking to do some things to modify my 1st gen ram, and as I’ve looked through the internet I’m having trouble finding anyone that makes aftermarket parts for the truck. Was looking for exhaust systems as my exhaust rusted off right after the muffler so I’m just gonna do a whole new system from headers out but I’m struggling to find anyone that makes them and the ones I have found I don’t know anything about. Does anyone know of good exhaust systems for 1st gens? And also are there any good sites to find other modifications for them? My truck has the 5.2L V8 if that helps, and also it’s a 4x4. Just looking for some things I can do to make the truck more unique but it doesn’t seem that they have much aftermarket support like I’m looking for so I would appreciate any help you can provide.

 

What year is your W series?
If you've searched for after market parts, then you have found them all, lol. There isn't anything much for the gen 1 Rams. Summit has a rear roll pan, I plan on using it on my 91. You can do anything with the engine, unless it's TBI, then you'll have to convert to carb. There is no aftermarket support for the ecm. Summit does offer a couple "chips" that plug in between the harness and the ecm that's suppose to help with upgrades like cam, headers. Why I asked what year it is, if it's carb. Then you got it easy. You might find a hood with a scoop in it aftermarket. Lift kit for the 4x4. Nobody makes a lowering kit for the 4x2. Aftermarket wheels are available. Grill/brush guard maybe not new, but used. Roll bar if you can find them. Nothing for the interior. Bucket seats from a ram charger. As for your exhaust, a muffler shop is your only choice, unless you do it yourself. Summit sells the hooker exhaust from headers back, but I read some very bad reviews. I made my own after I did a 360 Magnum swap converted to carb.

 

i think it depends on what type of mods you want to do. tons of electrical upgrades that could be done to these old trucks. you just sometimes have to get creative with where you get the parts from.

 

My truck is a ‘92, and is carbureted yes. Thank you for the suggestions, I do have a friend with a welder who offered to finish off the exhaust pipe so it doesn’t end dead center underneath the truck and cause drone lmao but I was hoping they would make aftermarket systems to beef up the sound some. How loud do you think it’d be straight piped? Worth hacksawing the muffler off or would that get me ticketed lol. As far as all the mods I would like to do, I’m a sports car guy so I was hoping to do the same stuff I want to do to my camaro like headers/exhaust, cams, also a lift kit because mine sits pretty low. I know almost nothing about trucks, just had the opportunity to inherit this one after my uncle passed and was wanting to deck it out a little bit because he had wanted to offer it to me for that purpose but didn’t get the chance before he passed, so it only felt right that I do as much as I can to it in honor of him. But I haven’t found much of anything that you really can do to it lol. It’s been sitting for years and I also think it’s gonna need some new leaf springs if anyone has any suggestions for quality ones that won’t cost me $1700 like Atlas ones would. Other than that I don’t know what else I really could do but any suggestions would be appreciated. Do they make like short throw shifters for manual trucks btw? That might be a really stupid question but like I said I’m a sports car person so that’s where I’m coming up with all the ideas for this truck and I don’t know how well it all translates.

 

It's an older truck, so, the once-plentiful aftermarket support has kinda dried up, but, there is still TONS of stuff for the engine. You can do pretty much anything you want to it. But, it IS a truck, and 4x4 at that. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a 'sports' anything. Please don't try and drive it like one. The end results will be unpleasant.

I think there are still folks that make lift kits for your truck, there are still folks that offer gears for it as well. If you like doing the off-road thing, you have a GREAT platform to start with.

 

If your gonna hack off the mufflers I would at the very least put some kind of system on it, so you don't get the drone, and I feel, personally that if the po po sees a tail pipe and hears loud exhaust he won't be as tempted to pull you over. That's just my take on it though my own opinion. And if it sounds good I don't think they will bother to much as compared to a cut the pipe in front of the cat and go for a drive kind of loud. Mine is 3" all the way. I ran the driver side to the passenger side, x piped it, used two thrush rattler mufflers and dumped it in front of the passenger side rear tire. It's loud, not as loud as it was before I had race mufflers on it, basically straight pipe only thing I can think to compare it to is a monster truck, grave digger, or a Nascar it was that loud, plus I drive it like one, prolly why it needs rear tires after less than 50 miles on the build, lol. A custom exhaust shouldn't cost but around $200-$250, cheaper than tickets, and court fees. Depending on the muffler you choose if any. I've always been a bit of a rebel with exhaust.

 

are you sure it is carburated? may want to post some pics to verify. they are usually fuel injected unless someone had converted it and most people can't seem to visually tell the difference between a carb and fuel injection. may also want to try figuring out if you have a LA or magnum engine. should be a magnum engine since it is a 92 but if the engine is truely carburated someone could have also possibly done an engine swap or who knows what else. you need to buy parts for the right engine since la and magnum engines are different from about the cam up. as far as exhaust goes if it is anything like what is on my 93 you could probably get away with just replacing the exhaust from the cat back. i don't know if headers would really make much improvement but could do short tube headers if you want the look. stock y-pipe is pretty decent. 3" pipe from the collector usually to just after that cat. no muffler sounds fine to me as long as you still have the cat installed. just make sure to have the pipe exit out from under truck. i like dumping them in front of the rear wheels. a exhaust shop is likely the cheapest place to go. these trucks where never popular as far as modding goes and only even got an LMC catalog less than 10 years ago.

 

This is what I’m looking at under the hood. Like I said I don’t know much about trucks and the oldest thing I’ve worked on is an ‘05 mustang so nothing carb’d but I assumed that circular thing connected to the intake tubing was a carb. I could be wrong though.

 

That's a Magnum 5.2 (318) with the kegger intake, mpfi- multi point fuel injection. That round thing is the air filter housing, with the fresh air duct. Think of it as factory cold air intake. Modding isn't gonna be so easy, there isn't much aftermarket support for the obd 1 Magnum ecm either, but you could swap it over to obd2, and keep the fuel injection and get re-flashed ecm for any mods you want to do. And you don't need a stand alone controller for the trans. Like the 96 up gen 2. This is going out of my ball park, I haven't done much of anything with the gen 2 side of modding, but there are some on here that have if you go that route, and have any questions.

 

I appreciate the help all. If anyone has any ideas for mods I would appreciate that as well. Like I have been saying I don’t know much about trucks and I’m finding out more as I search online as well as through these forums, but my knowledge is still very much limited and I don’t even know what all is possible to do on these trucks or how to go about it. If anyone knows of good headers to make the truck sound a little meatier I would appreciate you letting me know, as well as any other stuff I could do to beef up the power some. I’m not trying to make it a race truck by any means but i am a little bit of a speed demon so I would like it to be a little on the higher side if anyone has any ideas. Once again, much appreciated!