Ram 5500

Let’s Stack It

The first alteration made was the exhaust. Like many other owners know, simply changing up the exhaust can, in itself, reduce temperatures and increase the power potential in the engine. By routing the exhaust through a set of stacks, the 5500 began to take on a little bit of the flair Hopkins was looking for. The next few upgrades to the truck included an aFe intake and Banks intercooler, and to further keep the engine running cooler, a Shibby Engineering Intake Horn.

Since the new exhaust, alongside the multiple upgrades, reduced the engine's temperatures and allowed more fuel to be burned, Hopkins decided that a FASS 260 HD lift pump would provide the necessary fuel needed to keep the engine running strong and introduce a little more power to the platform, but issues began when the boosted power proved to be too much for the 5500's Aisin transmission.

"The transmission began to slip while I was hauling, but I managed to get it limped home and because it was still under warranty, it was fixed and on the road in no time," says Hopkins. "With the repairs done, the transmission shift was a lot more firm and faster, which made me realize something must have been wrong when I bought it."