Well Boys

New to the 3rd generation of Ram trucks.

Just purchased an 05 3500 dually and it is in need of some modifications....see signature.

I am sure by now you all know some sort of combo of mods that works best for this year and factory setup of truck.

I am looking to upgrade it for pulling the travel trailer. Don't want a race truck but a nice unit that will get up and go.

Any suggestions???? It does have the plastic intercooler ends as well.

 

Well you already know about the intercooler and what to do about that.

I would recommend a smarty jr. Strong towing module. With 90k on the tranny, if possible, do a refresh and upgrade and a good Goerend's torque converter for towing.

Some fuel mods are also a good thing like FASS or Airdog or a mechanical pump... small cp3 mod like a bag of parts....

others may chime in on their favorite mods... (don't forget your gauges)

 

Congrats on your new rig! I have one like yours,but it is 4x2 SLT. I have only pulled the 5er a few times and with what I have in sig. works very well. The only thing I am going to try (maybe) is the smarty, only because the egts get kinda high when pulling up grades, and have heard the smarty will lower them, but the edge still works very well, and I am very happy with this set up for pulling.
Look forward to seeing your sig. grow with your mods.

 

Cant go wrong with a Smarty Jr. get you a good intake and exhaust so she can breath.

 

Don't mean to hijack the thread but what is the problem with the stock 05 intercooler and what to you do about "that"?

 

The early 05's(like mine)have the plastic ends on the intercooler. When you run high boost they split or pop..Just take a look,it is easy to tell. My build date is 11-04 and it is plastic. Your build date should be on the driver door,or the valve cover..Enjoy...

 

Make trans upgrades and replace the torque converter with a tighter unit.

Install a 2 micron spin on fuel filter at some point after the stock fuel filter housing and the cp3 to help protect your injectors. (this is very important as these CR trucks make tremendous rail pressure that can act like a sandblaster inside your injectors)

Smarty Jr or Sr will add some nice power.

Gauges!

..

 

i do beleave all 05s have plastic interccooler ends. My build date is june 05 and its plastic. Do yourself a favor get a newer on out of a 06 up or banks has a nice one for that matter they have a nice intercooler intake system.

 

You probably can get by with that intercooler for awile,.. just keep your boost levels at or near stock levels.

You've had good advice on the Torq Converter swap. A Valve Body swap would help your towing and all around upgraded performance by putting more power to the ground.

When you do the Lift Pump upgrade,.. be sure to also drop the tank and do the pick-up straw upgrade as the oem is tiny,...

The Smarty Jr. is a great suggestion.

Good luck.

 

Jr, FASS, intake horn, air box mod w/ AFE PG 7, exhaust manifold, and have fun.

 

Hey guys thanks for all the replies and advice.
After Xmas let the mods begin.

One quick question.......build date on my truck is October 03, 2004. When did the build date start for the 2005 year?

 

Someone correct me if i am wrong,but is september the beginning of the 05 model year truck??

 

I had an 05 with a build date of July 2004. Manufacturers start building the new model year in either June or July to have inventory to sell in September (at least that is what they did in 2005). My 05 had the plastic intercooler and I never had any problems but the truck was stock. Like was said, don't get your boost too high (around 35 psi) and you should not have any problems. I don't know when they made the change, but the 05 trucks manufactured later in the model year had metal intercoolers.

 

mine was made in july of 05 and it was still plastic....

 

Do the 04.5 have the plastic intercooler ends? I am looking at buying a smarty and dont really want to break stuff when i'm having fun.