| 2002 Dodge Ram after
In our relentless pursuit for Fantastic Four candidates, we shook the phone tree until this '02 Dodge Ram 2WD 4.7L pickup fell out. The truck's owner takes regular trips to a holiday home in a rural part of Mexico, so the truck had to retain its ability to navigate bumpy roads. That being the case, we went with a 6-inch suspension lift kit from Fabtech, 35-inch Nitto Dune Grappler tires, and Hot Wheels Custom Rims by KMC wheels. A dual-sport exhaust from Gibson Performance and a sealed air-intake system from True Flow rounded out the modifications just peachy. JBM Motoring Accessories in Orange, California, installed the parts for us quickly and professionally. Read on for the juicy details.
From The Driver Seat:Intake: It was an easy install, as could be expected. The True Flow filter came already oiled, so the dripping oil can create a bit of a mess when you pull it out of its plastic packaging.
Exhaust: This was fast and easy to install, as aftercat exhaust systems usually are. Since the suspension was lifted rather than lowered, there was no need to cut the Gibson pipes, and aside from deciding to weld the joints together, everything was essentially bolt-on.
Suspension: The Fabtech kit was designed to be truly bolt-on. It went on very quickly, thanks to no welding and extremely minimal cutting, which was done by choice, plus, the skill and experience of the technicians who worked on it.
Wheels and tires: The wheels and tires were a good fit for each other because the tiny flamed Hot Wheels logo on the wheel was complemented by the flame-shaped tread on the Nitto tires. The wheel/tire size, combined with the 6-inch lift, creates just the right amount of lift for the truck owner's aesthetic and practical purposes.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED: Time Spent Working 4.5 hours (Intake, 30 minutes; exhaust, 30 minutes, suspension, 3 hours; wheel and tire mount, 30 minutes) MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY: Intake Easy Exhaust Easy, if bolted not welded Suspension Intermediate Wheel and tire mounts Easy, with pro equipment TOOLS USED: Basic handtools (A lift, a die grinder for suspension, a welder for the exhaust, impact tools, and tire-mounting machinery.)
PARTS USED: Fabtech 6-inch Lift Kit for ’02-’06 {{{Dodge Ram 1500}}} 2WD, PN K3004 $1,540 (Includes two boxes of components, and front and rear shocks) Gibson Performance cat-back dual-sport aluminized exhaust for ‘02-’05 {{{Dodge}}} Ram 1500, PN 6400, $563.10 Hot Wheels custom rims by KMC, chromed D-Back model, 20x10 inches, PN 6103, ($296 each) $1,184 Nitto Dune Grappler Desert Terrain tires, LT325/60R20, ($400 each) $1,{{{600}}} True Flow sealed air intake for the Dodge Ram 2002-03 3.7L and 2002 4.7L, PN 30500, $265.73 TOTAL COST: $5,152.83 (Not including labor)
