I've been trying to decide on my next mod and have been bouncing back and forth between things. I've got an 05 4x4 QC /w a hemi. Only mods right now are superchips running 91 oct, K&N drop in. Also I have a set of moto metal 951's mounted with some mickey thompson MTZs (33").

From experience/research CAI's don't do a darn thing for performance and I don't care about the sound. Exhaust-wise I've got an AT3030 muffler that I am planning on putting on or potentially using in a full exhaust system.

Right now I'm torn between full exhaust (LT headers, Y pipe, catback) and 4.56 gears on the performance side.

If I were to go with non performance upgrades I think it would be a nice pre-runner style bumper, or a suspension lift.

I'm leaning towards something on the performance side right now and trying to keep the mod budget around $2k or less.

I'm open to other mod ideas or opinions. Looking for a good bang for the buck and some significant differences.

 

If you are going to do headers, Y and catback, do the CAI. You will only be as good as your biggest restriction.

I tend to agree, CAIs on there own don't do much, but they start to shine as you open up more of the intake/exhaust.

If'n it were me, I'd do the CAI, headers, Y and catback then add an e-fan and call it good on the performance side.

If you do a suspension lift then you are just gonna want to spend $$$$ on bigger tires...

 

I was going to say the exact same as Hammer about the exhaust and CAI. Get more air in and out. Im betting you could do a cheap CAI, Pacesetter LTs, Y pipe, catback, gears and MAYBE a body lift all for 2 grand with you buying the parts at the right places online and finding the right exhaust shop and person to do the gears. It would be close but I bet it could be done.

Where are you located?

 

I'm in Rochester, NY weed. I'd be impressed to even get my gears done for under $2k. Being a 4x4 i'd be doing both front and back diffs and also replacing my stock LSD for a detroit trutrac.

If you know some secrets about piecing together a full exhaust for cheap or something do let me in it. Pricing out a full exhaust was coming to around $2k for me.

I know the stock catback really ain't bad except for the muffler (which i've got an AT3030 waiting) and the Y pipe. I could probably get away with just doing LTs and swapping the muffler.

Appreciate the input!

edit - hammer I just put on my 33" MTZs and i'm quite happy with them. I wouldn't swap em if i got a lift.

 

Good garages are hard to come by in the rochester area in my experience. Especially ones that get into the mod'ing. Lived there until I was 25. The fam still resides there. I always used one place on the westside of town that always gave me an honest job done at a good price.

 

If you went higher, you would want bigger tires. Heres a body lift and 33s lol looks goofy

 

lol matt it does look a little wierd. My only reason for shying away from a suspension lift right now is because i fear chewing through CVs. I know not everyone experiences that but it does happen.

And yeah rochester definitely is tough for performance mods.

ram b006 was the shop called new era performance? If so I live just down the road from it.

 

Wow.....things are so much more cheap down here.

I had one shop that was going to run the pipes and weld everything (duals) for $200 with the cats but i found another shop to do all the same with no cats for $300

I bought my Magnaflow mufflers on ebay (both) for either 90 or 100 shipped. My tips I bought off another board for $50

My Pacesetters I bought from a guy over on DT a long time back.

 

Ok so my concern with the headers - i'd like to avoid having the CEL stuck on so I can actually pass inspection.

What would I need to buy in addition to a set of pacesetters to have a complete system? Magnaflow Y pipe and some new Cats? Do I need to buy new gaskets too?

Also, I am concerned about the durability. Being that I live in upstate NY with salty, salty winters, I don't want a set of headers that are going to rot the hell out in a couple years. Now, I clean my truck about once a week in the winter but these NY winters destroy anything less that top-quality.

Am I better off going with a dynatech kit? http://www.autoanything.com/exhausts...0A3124549.aspx

The kit has factory-style O2 sensor bungs, a new set of Cats, comes with the Y pipe, it's stainless steel, etc.

My main mission it to get a good quality set of headers to have a nice flowing and sounding exhaust - that will last, and not set of my CEL like crazy...

For the cat-back I'd just be swapping the muffler, we've already got mandrel bent tubing on the these trucks, why waste the money imo.

 

Doing some of my own research on e-fans, I've found that generally performance with the stock clutch fan is within about 1hp. Sure you get better cooling at idle/low speeds but you're adding stress on the alternator as well.

Currently I'm running 2 pairs of infinity kappa perfect 6.1 6.5" component speakers off of a 1200w 4 channel amp. I'm also running a kicker CVT 10" sub hooked up to a 1000w mono amp. Already putting a significant stress on my alternator I feel like there's not a good reason for me to pick up an e-fan.

This leaves my reasonable performance mods down to:
Headers/exhaust (and possibly intake)
Cam
4.56 gears/Detroit TT

I think that's about it?