Need Advice on Ram 1500 performance parts
Thread Starter
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Registered User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 8
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From: WI
Wow thanks for all of the replies. Lets see if I can answer them all.
I will get pics up tonight.
I don't want to spend a ton of money but I want the truck to function with good power and speed. I was going to save up to buy one part at a time basically.
So I need to look into:
1.7roller rockers
sct tune (if we can figure out what will work on a 96)
52mm throttle body
4.88 gears
Hughes Airgap intake
I was going to do Catback flowmaster straight pipe 2.5 in.
I will email hemifever and get the lowdown.
I will get pics up tonight.
I don't want to spend a ton of money but I want the truck to function with good power and speed. I was going to save up to buy one part at a time basically.
So I need to look into:
1.7roller rockers
sct tune (if we can figure out what will work on a 96)
52mm throttle body
4.88 gears
Hughes Airgap intake
I was going to do Catback flowmaster straight pipe 2.5 in.
I will email hemifever and get the lowdown.
Record Breaker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 4
From: NB, Canada
welcome to dodgeforum! get used to all the informative replies you'll get here, LOTS of gearheads here with almost infinite dodge ram knowledge 
oh, and +1 for the pics! Sounds like a pretty badass truck you're workin on
oh, and +1 for the pics! Sounds like a pretty badass truck you're workin on
Thread Starter
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Registered User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 8
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From: WI
But I will pull it out of the garage tonight and snap a few pics.
Does anybody have any suggestions of where to look for gears and what I should look for? I dont mind doing the leg work in searching and hunting I just need to know what to look for.
Last edited by jasonw; Jun 24, 2010 at 05:16 PM.
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,362
Likes: 4,209
From: Clayton MI
It is certainly cheaper to swap out the entire axle, provided you can find some in the used market, but, finding any with 4.88 gears is like trying to find a needle at the bottom of the ocean.
While gear changes aren't that difficult mechanically, getting them set up correctly IS an exercise, and requires some specialized measuring tools. Read that: Not cheap.
To buy parts, and have someone else do the labor, you are going to be looking at 1500 dollars, or more. Most likely more..... one member here spent 1600 bucks on just parts.....
To do it 'right'.... you will need gears, and an install kit. (bearings, seals, etc.) You can find gears 'cheap', but, they will either be noisey, or, weak.. good quality gear sets are available from many many places, summit, jegs, richmond gear, even amazon.com.... be prepared for sticker shock when shopping for gears, and related items..... the CHEAPEST traction enhanced diff carrier I have seen was 500 bucks......
While gear changes aren't that difficult mechanically, getting them set up correctly IS an exercise, and requires some specialized measuring tools. Read that: Not cheap.
To buy parts, and have someone else do the labor, you are going to be looking at 1500 dollars, or more. Most likely more..... one member here spent 1600 bucks on just parts.....
To do it 'right'.... you will need gears, and an install kit. (bearings, seals, etc.) You can find gears 'cheap', but, they will either be noisey, or, weak.. good quality gear sets are available from many many places, summit, jegs, richmond gear, even amazon.com.... be prepared for sticker shock when shopping for gears, and related items..... the CHEAPEST traction enhanced diff carrier I have seen was 500 bucks......
Look at my sig, Its got 5" lift and 35X12.5X16 bf allterains t/a k/o
Thread Starter
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Registered User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: WI
It is certainly cheaper to swap out the entire axle, provided you can find some in the used market, but, finding any with 4.88 gears is like trying to find a needle at the bottom of the ocean.
While gear changes aren't that difficult mechanically, getting them set up correctly IS an exercise, and requires some specialized measuring tools. Read that: Not cheap.
To buy parts, and have someone else do the labor, you are going to be looking at 1500 dollars, or more. Most likely more..... one member here spent 1600 bucks on just parts.....
To do it 'right'.... you will need gears, and an install kit. (bearings, seals, etc.) You can find gears 'cheap', but, they will either be noisey, or, weak.. good quality gear sets are available from many many places, summit, jegs, richmond gear, even amazon.com.... be prepared for sticker shock when shopping for gears, and related items..... the CHEAPEST traction enhanced diff carrier I have seen was 500 bucks......
While gear changes aren't that difficult mechanically, getting them set up correctly IS an exercise, and requires some specialized measuring tools. Read that: Not cheap.
To buy parts, and have someone else do the labor, you are going to be looking at 1500 dollars, or more. Most likely more..... one member here spent 1600 bucks on just parts.....
To do it 'right'.... you will need gears, and an install kit. (bearings, seals, etc.) You can find gears 'cheap', but, they will either be noisey, or, weak.. good quality gear sets are available from many many places, summit, jegs, richmond gear, even amazon.com.... be prepared for sticker shock when shopping for gears, and related items..... the CHEAPEST traction enhanced diff carrier I have seen was 500 bucks......
I guess I will be saving fo a while for that.
Champion
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,811
Likes: 2
From: Ft Campbell, KY/TN
If you looking for cheap horsepower and really nice sound outta the box, maybe look into getting a quality set of ceramic coated headers out to dual exhaust with a nice flowmaster muffler or cherry bomb...whatever sound your after.
Hughes Airgap intake manifold would probably suite you well, only $600.
52mm Throttle body $200-400 depending on quality and brand
Electric fan kit are great, adds a guaranteed 7-12 HP plus 1.5 solid MPG gain and smoother throttle response
These are great places to start and really you just have to work around your budget and needs...
Hughes Airgap intake manifold would probably suite you well, only $600.
52mm Throttle body $200-400 depending on quality and brand
Electric fan kit are great, adds a guaranteed 7-12 HP plus 1.5 solid MPG gain and smoother throttle response
These are great places to start and really you just have to work around your budget and needs...
Also, e-fans are not going to net you very much for the money.
Best money, SCT Tuner. I guess that was not around when I was searching for that on my 1996 in 2004-2007.
I have a mopar performance chip for a 1996 5.2 auto 4x4. but yours is a 5.9.
Record Breaker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,680
Likes: 0
From: Allentown, PA
What you have so far are mostly for mid to high rpm range. Your not going to be getting much tq from those at all.
Need a cam, 1.7 rr, gears, tranny, higher stall, etc. if you wanna inprove your low end. you can also try to reduce weight, that will help a little, IIRC, every 100lb is .1 of a second.
E-fans, U-Pullies, will help also but are really for accompanyin other parts.
Bored out throttle body (TB), 52mm for 5.9, 50 for 5.2, that will help throttle response, you can get a fastman TB from fastmans site, He does quality work. He also recommends that if towing is your main concern, IE. down low power put the 50 on the 5.9. The hughes air gap would be a big improvement over your kegger style intake manifold, better throttle response, and you wont risk losing your low end.
Thats all for now, carry on.
Need a cam, 1.7 rr, gears, tranny, higher stall, etc. if you wanna inprove your low end. you can also try to reduce weight, that will help a little, IIRC, every 100lb is .1 of a second.
E-fans, U-Pullies, will help also but are really for accompanyin other parts.
Bored out throttle body (TB), 52mm for 5.9, 50 for 5.2, that will help throttle response, you can get a fastman TB from fastmans site, He does quality work. He also recommends that if towing is your main concern, IE. down low power put the 50 on the 5.9. The hughes air gap would be a big improvement over your kegger style intake manifold, better throttle response, and you wont risk losing your low end.
Thats all for now, carry on.
Champion
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,811
Likes: 2
From: Ft Campbell, KY/TN
What you have so far are mostly for mid to high rpm range. Your not going to be getting much tq from those at all.
Need a cam, 1.7 rr, gears, tranny, higher stall, etc. if you wanna inprove your low end. you can also try to reduce weight, that will help a little, IIRC, every 100lb is .1 of a second.
E-fans, U-Pullies, will help also but are really for accompanyin other parts.
Bored out throttle body (TB), 52mm for 5.9, 50 for 5.2, that will help throttle response, you can get a fastman TB from fastmans site, He does quality work. He also recommends that if towing is your main concern, IE. down low power put the 50 on the 5.9. The hughes air gap would be a big improvement over your kegger style intake manifold, better throttle response, and you wont risk losing your low end.
Thats all for now, carry on.
Need a cam, 1.7 rr, gears, tranny, higher stall, etc. if you wanna inprove your low end. you can also try to reduce weight, that will help a little, IIRC, every 100lb is .1 of a second.
E-fans, U-Pullies, will help also but are really for accompanyin other parts.
Bored out throttle body (TB), 52mm for 5.9, 50 for 5.2, that will help throttle response, you can get a fastman TB from fastmans site, He does quality work. He also recommends that if towing is your main concern, IE. down low power put the 50 on the 5.9. The hughes air gap would be a big improvement over your kegger style intake manifold, better throttle response, and you wont risk losing your low end.
Thats all for now, carry on.
Remove the bed, chop the top off (literally), take off the hood and bumpers
They did an article in a magazine where they completely cut up this dude's car because he wanted to be in the 12s without spending much money. It was some 4 cylinder import. It looked like a go cart by the time it was in the 12s.