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looking to upgrade!! Advice please!

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My List of mods

  • will see power gains and look nice

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  • should of bought the 5.7

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  • Your list is trash keep looking rookie

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  • I like to feel important but I have no input

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G

gory lobotomist

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I sold my RX8 and just got a 4.7 SXT Durango, I needed a more family oriented vehicle, and now I'm gonna use the Durango as my new money pit starting with performance then getting wheels/suspension. Anyways, I'm looking for some input on mods and some online stores that specialize in Dodge (new to SUV world.) I listed some "mods" that have caught my eye and seem to be decent bang for the buck.

AirRaid Jr Intake - Cheaper than K&N and looks solid.

Exhaust - Still unsure?? Seems Borla is a popular Durango exhaust and I'd like to go straight pipe (advantage/disadvantage?)

Throttle body spacer

As for aesthetics I'm looking at

Hood scoop

A bull bar or grill guard

Hitch dress up

Wheels - Would like to get 20's but, depending on how big of a tire I can fit, I might go 18's. I love the looks of 22's on the Durango but I'm not sure of how functional they'd be as a year round rim and I'd still like to fart around some mud holes and not get stuck. if this isn't the appropriate place to post I'm sorry in advance.

Nick
 
#2 ·
The throttle body spacer is useless, save your money. Contact Fastman (see his banner ad at top of the site for access) and get a larger throttle body. Great guy to deal with.

20's look great, but the ride will suffer, depending on tire profile.
 
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#3 ·
2nd the throttle body spacer as almost worthless. The 4.7 won't gain much from the Airaid Jr intake. QA programmer is your next best option for performance, but there's maybe only 2 companies that dabbled in the 4.7. Which year did you find?
 
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#5 ·
Hi Nick,

Yep the throttle body spacer is useless? don't waste your cash on that trash. Ditto on Mike's suggestion for a modified throttle body from Fastman. They're very nicely machined and well worth the cash. :)

As far as a CAI, K&N is WAY overpriced for PLASTIC tubing and a filter so stay away from that junk too (the filter is good just the tubing is junk!) I've run IP, AEM, Injen, off brands and Edelbrock over several vehicles and the current one on my 5.9L 01 D is an old Intense Performance CAI. It's nothing special, S&B filter and plumbing. Here are some very nicely priced options with metal tubing to consider for your 2nd Gen D.

Dual 2004-2010 Dakota Durango Twin Air Intake

04-09 Dodge Durango Cold Air Intake

And, if you don't like the filter, go get an S&B or K&N and bolt it to the end of the existing tube. No biggie. :)

Headers: Very limited options here and you're stuck with shorties unless you want to have them custom fabbed. These JBAs are ceramic coated (helps keep the gasses hot for quicker velocity) and should bolt up (notice I didn't say easily.) lol

Hood scoops: Sure, why not! A new fiberglass hood can be $850 with these added and and it looks just so-so. :)

Bull Bar/Hitch Dress: Obviously, I like these. Depending on your color, black may be a better option for the bar.

Wheels: My taste won't be yours. Get what makes you happy!

Carry on.

V
 
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#7 ·
Volphin said:
As far as a CAI, K&N is WAY overpriced for PLASTIC tubing and a filter so stay away from that junk too (the filter is good just the tubing is junk!) I've run IP, AEM, Injen, off brands and Edelbrock over several vehicles and the current one on my 5.9L 01 D is an old Intense Performance CAI. It's nothing special, S&B filter and plumbing. Here are some very nicely priced options with metal tubing to consider for your 2nd Gen D.
Click to expand...
The school of thought on the "plastic" tubing for the CAI is that it doesn't attract heat as much as metal tubes do. Since you're looking for COLD air, any metal tubing isn't helping that situation.

True, K&N did have a recall on the plastic breaking down and that put a bad taste in some people's mouths, however they (K&N) replaced them all for free and have been error free ever since. Thus, opposite my pal Vol, I'd only use a CAI that's made from plastic and, since K&N has "been there/done that" with theirs while others may not have yet, that's who I'd use. My second nod to Volant because I like their design better than K&N and they're plastic too.

Volphin said:
Yep the throttle body spacer is useless? don't waste your cash on that trash. Ditto on Mike's suggestion for a modified throttle body from Fastman. They're very nicely machined and well worth the cash.
Click to expand...
+2? 100%

IndyDurango
 
#8 ·
HEADERS DON'T DO SQUAT ON A 4.7 EXCEPT MAKE FOR A BETTER LOOK UNDER THE HOOD.
Steve
DOC Pres
 
#9 ·
IndyDurango said:
True, K&N did have a recall on the plastic breaking down and that put a bad taste in some peoples mouth. However, they (K&N) replaced them all for free and have been error free ever since. Thus, opposite my pal Vol, I'd only use a CAI that's made from plastic. And, since K&N has "been there/done that" on theirs while others may not have yet? theirs is who I'd use. My second nod to Volant because I like their design better than K&N. They're plastic too.
Click to expand...
I'll agree and disagree at the same time Indy. (Sort of like planting my feet firmly in mid-air).
The metal on the runner tube can get warm, so in theory plastic is a good idea. But, IME it's not enough to hinder ANY performance gains. TRUE CAIs actually draw the air from outside the engine compartment, as is the case with several import designs by Injen and AEM (also with metal runners). And let's get real? this is a short ram? inside the engine compartment where there's heat aplenty. You know, K&N is the ONLY mfr. producing plastic? I think it's because it's easier to mold and lowers operating costs. For durability over the long haul I'll take steel over plastic any day. My old Accord racked up 275K mi on an AEM system, and I sold it with the car. :) K&N's plastic would have grenaded long before then.

HTH

V
 
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#11 ·
Welcome?

What color did you end up going for?

I have an Airaid intake, not sure if it did anything besides more growl when you step on the gas.

I went with 20's and lost around 1-2 mpg. The ride is ok, but I really need to install the set a Bilstien shocks I have, new shocks seem to help these big SUVs.

I have the Borla/Mopar exhaust and never noticed any real performance gain, but it sounds better.

A Fastman throttle body is going to be a better choice than the spacer. Easy to install, great service and noticeably better response.

The hood scoop you posted would be to small IMHO. There's only one aftermarket hood choice I can find.

Add a rear spoiler to the back, helps finish it off. I couldn't imagine it without it anymore.

I removed the door guards from the side, nicer cleaner look and easy to do.

All I can think of right now.
 
#12 ·
IndyDurango said:
Volant, Airraid and K&N all make CAIs for the Gen2 in plastic.

With that said, K&N has a metal one too for the 5.7 Gen2 if you're really wanting one.
Image


Image
Vol

IndyD :)
Click to expand...
LOL You're correct sir! :bugeyed:

:cool:

V
 
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#14 ·
gory,

The factory CAT is a good one so I'd suggest chopping off the muffler and replacing it with a Flowmaster Series 50 SUV and chopping off and eliminating the resonator, filling the space with additional tubing. That'll open it up, make it sound better, and aid in performance for less than a fourth of what it'd cost to do a full exhaust replacement that probably isn't needed.

IndyDurango
 
#15 ·
First off, Welcome to the Forum!

I'd remove the Muffler and put a high performance muffler on. I know that on my '99 D, I just replaced the muffler and got a nice boost of power from that.

Don't limit your choices of hood scoops to ones that only fit your D. We had a guy here put a Mustang hood scoop on his Gen 1 D and it looked good and he was able to do it himself. Search around for scoops that fit other vehicles, you might find something unique. I also knew a guy who cut a '69 Cuda hood onto his Ram. It looked awesome, but he was able to do it himself so it wasn't expensive for him.

I'll echo in with getting a Fastman throttle body. Easy to put on as well.

Maybe you can look into an SCT Tuner?

I don't like 20's, our roads in CT are way too rough to drive around on those, but to each his own.
 
#16 ·
IndyDurango said:
gory,

The factory CAT is a good one so I'd suggest chopping off the muffler and replacing it with a Flowmaster Series 50 SUV and chopping off and eliminating the resonator, filling the space with additional tubing. That'll open it up, make it sound better, and aid in performance for less than a fourth of what it'd cost to do a full exhaust replacement that probably isn't needed.

IndyDurango
Click to expand...
Exactly what I did to mine and yes it was very cheap ($200 parts and labor)
 
#17 ·
What I did on my 06 was used a drop in K&N with the factory tubing and it seems to work just fine. As far as your other stuff goes, for the exhaust I'd go with a Flowmaster Cat Back system. It's relatively cheap and sounds good, in fact I plan on putting one on mine in the near future. I'll agree on a bull bar, I have a black grille guard on mine and, IMO, it improved the look of the truck drastically. There's actually a pic of it here on the forum that was taken a couple of weeks ago (just do a search and you should be able to find it.) At least that'll give you an idea of how it'd look, but don't be surprised if, after you put the bar on, you want the matching taillight guards? happened to me.
 
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