Well first off this looks like a great site. I'm no newbie to the forums, but new to the dodge forum. My dad is picking up a 98 Ram Sport ext cab (4 door) 4x4 with a 360. Right now it has a set of black 20s on it with street tires, but hes looking for something a little more rugged.

So I will start with a list haha

1. What size wheels and tires are you guys running on your trucks? My dad is planning on doing a 2" front leveling kit and a little bigger tire probably a nitto terra grappler on some aftermarket wheels either 16x8 or 17x8 since the tire prices aren't that much different.

2. Hes also planning on doing some performance mods (cai, headers, catback, possibly intake and cam too) wheres the best place to start and what is everyone else doing?

3. What are the common things to look out for? The tranny was rebuilt 15k miles ago, it has a new rear end, new brakes, new steering components up front, new wheels bearings, and more but I can't remember now.

Now this is what I kind of had planned in my head for the truck and let me know if I should stay away from anything or if I'm headed in the right path...

Pacesetter long tube headers and offroad y pipe (no sniffer test in Wisconsin) summit 3" single catback with a spintech muffler, 2" front lift/leveling kit, 16x8 or 17x8 wheels with 295/75/16s or mabye a 305 or 315 and the equivalant size in the 17" wheel, either a CAI or traditional 14" round filter mounted on top of the TB (does that work?), roll pan and new hiden reciever hitch (stock bumper is rusted out) and some apperance mods here and there. Can you add headers and an offroad y pipe to these trucks? Do you have to modify the computer to make it run right?

But anyway I have read through a few posts and know some things to look out for, but if you can give me any insite on some good mods and what to stay away from I'd appreciate it.

Thanks in advance, Jesse

 

yes, but you will have to do sum thing about the o2 senors, drill and tap holes, but may throw code,,, safe way would be a o2 slim( http://www.thefastman.com/02Simms.asp ) or search and there was a thread on how to build you own slim. good luck with the truck.

 

That is a pretty good list that you have assembled. The round 14x3 air cleaner works better than any other CAI and is a lot cheaper. personally, i dont like the idea of running without a cat.thorley tri y headers or edelbrock shorties are (from what ive heard) are good choices. if you go with the edelbrocks do not get the Ti tech coating cause they rust. the Pacesetters are good also. personally, i dont like the idea of running without a cat. i run a magnaflow and love it. If you are going to lift the truck, i would get a new trackbar from Thuren Fab. also swap out your shocks. as for other perfomance mods, fastman tb, modded kegger, 1.6 rockers, new plenum, and if you have the $$$ get the SCT tuner. hope this helps

P.S. can we have some pics

 

Thanks guys, I don't have pics of the truck yet, it won't be at its new home until Friday morning and I'll clean it up and get some pics of it saturday.

Whats the problem with not running a cat? In all honesty they don't do anything for performance but they do clean the exhaust a little bit. Aslo whats a kegger and I keep seeing to replace the plenum. Whats the plenum, the intake manifold? Also we don't plan on lifting the truck, but a 2" front coil spring spacer would be all it would get.

Thanks again guys

 

I'm running 285 75 R16 BF All Terrains K/O... i've heard you can run 305's.. but they will prolly rub

flowmaster 40 series.. to tail pipes
rhino line your rocker pannels and bed as well

you'll love the truck

 

Oh absolutely. They hurt your performance, especially the stock ones. But a high-flow cat is the best route. You stay legal, your truck doesn't have the opportunity to hurt the environment, and the high-flows are much better than a stock unit. I'm not saying they will, but if the Feds ever see you don't have a cat, big fine.

The "keggar" is the intake manifold, we call it that because it resembles half a keg in these trucks. The plenum replacement is, basically, the replacement of the intake manifold belly pan and gasket. Reason why: Chrysler engineers, for whatever reason, chose to use a steel belly pan with an aluminum intake manifold. Different heat expansion properties for the two metals usually tear up the gasket, allowing oil into the manifold. You can tear it apart and just replace the gasket if you want, but unless you replace the belly pan with an aluminum equivalent, you're just going to have the same problem later down the road. If you don't have someone in your area that works with aluminum, Hughes Engines makes an aluminum one, as well as APS Precision Manufacturing.

http://www.hughesengines.com/partDet...698&eTypeID=10

http://www.apsprecision.com/billetplenum.html

Both sell the just the plenum plate (belly pan) with bolts, and/or the whole kit with new intake bolts and gaskets. I would go FelPro though on the gaskets.

 

Nice, thanks alot guys, I really appreciate all of the answers, really quick on the replies.

But I'll see about the highflow cats, but it probably won't happen. I have been running my Camaro with no cats for 3 years and no problems yet, but then again the car is really low compared to a truck that sits up a little bit. But then again if you are running highflow cats they usually aren't street legal anyway.

Where do the tires rub? In the front or the back? I think he was planning on doing the tires, 2" front lift and exhaust right away, but good to know about your tires, your truck looks great BTW. Also I was going to tell him to rino line the bottom of the truck since it seems like dodge trucks have a problem with the bottoms of the doors rusting out, plus it just makes it look a little more badass. My dad wants a flowmaster, but I think I'm going to talk him into a spintech. I have never heard one on a dodge yet, but these trucks really sound good with some exhaust work done.

One more thing, who makes a bulletproof tranny for the dodge trucks? The tranny was replaced, but I know the tranny is the weak point and the guy were buying it from said the the overdrive acts up once in a while. Any suggestions on the problem or someone that makes a beefy tranny?

Thanks again guys and sorry about all of the long posts But before I buy something or my dad buys something I like to over research it LOL

 

tires rub in the front when turned lock to lock... I'm running on a 2500 suspension

when i bough the truck the tranny and rear axel/suspension was built to 2500 spec... last spring I rebuilt the front axle to 2500 spec... i'm riding about 5in higher than the stock 1500

 

highflow cats are not illegal. the MagnaFlow i run is a highflow cat, and its not illegal

Im pretty sure that the tires rub on the control arm links.

APS precision makes a good tranny for our trucks. the link is on jasons post.

 

i just installed the highflow cat like 3 days ago, and made my truck like 3 times louder, after the cat it goes to a single chamber cherrybomb extreme muffler si/do. out the back behind the tires. so if you want it loud its the way to go. sound good too, will be posting a video soon, if your curious to find the sound of your truck go to youtube and type in dodge ram exhaust, or on this site somewhere there is a a thread called "post your sounds" you will find what you like.

i also reccomend getting a decent tune up also brass cap/ rotor, msd wires 8.5 superconductors, dont go under 8mm with any wire. i have ngk iridium plugs there awesome.

fastman was one of my 1st mods and probley the best one that i have done, and it the cheapest around, and you get 80 dollars back sending in the old one.