First off, let me just say thanks in advance! More than anything, I want my truck to remain safe for my family and myself for many years. I have a personal training and fitness boot camp business called Body4Change that I want to advertise with our truck. I plan to do cool graphics and stickers on it. I'm hoping I will also get more business because the truck will be big, flashy and loud, so people will notice it and get my phone number. I commute 30+ miles/day to our various locations and don't plan to do any offroading unless in emergency...just watched 2012 I want the truck to be as big and bad as possible while keeping it safe and to know the best choices for mpg with the lift and such. I also would like to keep this truck for a long time, at least 10 or 15 years or longer so I need advice on which parts would hold up the longest also.

My truck is an '06 5.7 HEMI RAM 1500 TRX4 (4x4) Quad Cab with 58,000 miles on it. From what I'm told, it has IFS. It has a 2.5" leveling kit, K&N drop-in air filter and tow package. Everything else is stock.

First for the BIG & BAD...
I want to lift it as high as possible while maintaining a good ride that will be reliable and not super "bouncy" like my uncles lifted F250...thing could give you whiplash. I was originally thinking a 6" suspension lift and maybe a 3" bodylift after that if I wasn't satisfied to make it taller. I am aware that it has an independent front suspension so I can't go higher than 4" or 33" tires without having recurring cv axle/suspension problems while offroading. I know that you have to extend things for a body lift but they are supposed to be safe if done properly.

Could I safely go with 35's since I won't be going offroad or will things still wear out faster?

Do I need to change the gears to 4.56's with 35's? how about with 33's?

Are there street tires that are the same size and "look" like offroad tires from the side? I know this sounds dumb, but it would help with gas mileage and the tires would wear longer?



Now for the LOUD...
I live in Utah and there is strict emissions testing because of the inversion we have every winter from the cold air and being so close to the mountains, etc. Anyways, I want to do long headers and convert to dual exhaust. I know that stainless steel will last longer than other metals so I plan to go with them. I have found that dynatech has stainless longtube headers that still have street-legal cats:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dynat...Q5fAccessories

Are there others that are stainless steel that are good and will pass emissions?

I would like to have true dual exhaust. Do I skip the y pipe and have a pipe go from the cat to a muffler and then out the back on each side? or do the two sides need to be connected somehow after the motor?

I've read that Hooker MaxFlow are the best flowing mufflers. What diameter exhaust pipes should I run?

How much louder and better performance will I get from a CAI then from my K&N drop-in air filter?


On a sidenote:

With living in Utah there's a lot of salt put on the roads during the winter. Should I get one of those underbody spray coatings? If so, what should I look/ask for?


Sorry for the long post

 

if u want big and bad and tall get a cummins.
as far as undercoating i was told that i holds the moisture in and rusts it even worse.
use the search up top^

 

I tried searching and couldn't anything to pull up. I can't do the cummins...got too good of a deal on this one and want to make it as big as it can. I also have a CNG kit from my SUV that I'm going to put on it to have a Bi-Fuel truck once the lift is all said and done.

 

Sounds like you're already on the right track. Lots of guys have body lifts and they're completely safe if installed properly. You could go with a 4-6 suspension lift. (IMO a 4wd with a 4" lift looks perty d@mn close to a 2wd lifted 6") So, if you had a 4" lift with a 3" bl, you will definitely be able to run 35's. If you do the suspension lift, you'll need new rims with at least 4.5" backspacing. You're talking 35's, so I would personally go with something like a 17x10 or an 18x10 in a rim. (assuming you're talking about 35x12.5's) As for tires, Nitto terra grapplers are a good all around tire. Good manners on the road, good wet traction. They are an all terrain tire, but IMO ride like a passenger tire and are quiet. By the way, from the factory you most likely are already running 33's. Hope I helped a little.

 

Some suspension kits also dont advise adding a body lift so you have to look into that when choosing your suspension lift.

 

I was thinking 20x10 rims and 12.5's are probably what I would go with. I measured my current tires and they are about 30" on a 17" rim. So 35s don't need new gears?

 

you dont really need new gears for 35's but im sure it makes a big difference

 

But with them I would have more power, better gas mileage and less wear on transmission, right? I think I understand what's happening, that since the tires are bigger, to keep all the ratios "stock" it needs bigger gears?

 

Well mine is an 04 with now a 12" lift, sitting on 24s with 36s with 4.56s (hopefully 38s soon), train horns and a full custom exhaust of LTs, no cats, dual cutouts and more. A truck like that will get some attention

I will rent it to you.......LOL

 

haha nice