Since the inception of the Dodge truck in 1936 the Dodge Ram has been a staple of the truck community and has been produced in some form or another every year. When Dodge stuffed a 5.7 Hemi engine in their Dodge Ram it instantly became a player in the serious world of truck performance. The Hemi engine, long known in the world of Mopar racecars helped to add substantial horsepower to the Dodge Ram. Aftermarket specialists took notice and developed many performance parts that you can bolt onto your Dodge Ram to increase horsepower and performance.
Remove the existing air intake and replace it with a high-flow-performance cold-air intake. The use of a high-flow filter allows more air to move into the engine at a higher rate. When an engine can breathe better, it allows the computer to recalibrate and add more fuel without stalling. According to KnFilters.com, replacing the existing air intake with a cold-air intake can add up to 10.49 horsepower on the Hemi 5.7 liter engine.
Plug in a jet performance chip. Jet performance chips plug into a Dodge truck computer and recalibrate it to take advantage of horsepower that has been restricted by the manufacturer due to EPA restrictions. It also adjusts transmission shift points, which takes advantage of the added horsepower by allowing the truck to reach higher RPM ranges before shifting. This gives you that feeling of being pushed back in your seat on hard accelerations. This modification can add up to 25 horsepower according Auto Truck Toys.com.
Install a body lift kit. A body lift kit raises the body of the truck off of the frame rails. This allow for the installation of larger rims and tires but, without the heavy modification that is required with a suspension lift kit. It's also a more cost-effective method and can be purchased from truck aftermarket locations like Body Lift Kit.net.
Install larger, off-road tires and bead-lock rims. Bead-lock rims have screws that hold a tire to the rim when using low pressure within the tire. If you do not plan on off-roading your truck, you can purchase simulated bead-lock rims to achieve the look. You will not lose much power when going to larger tires with the 5.7 Hemi engine.
