2021 Ram 1500
Now into its third year of the fifth-generation re-design, the 2021 Ram 1500 is still much the same pickup as it was the year prior. The base 3.6L Pentastar V6, reliable 5.7L Hemi and frugal 3.0L EcoDiesel make up the power train options, all paired to a TorqFlite8 8-speed automatic transmission. An assisted steering feature is now part of the Tow Package, helping steer the truck in reverse when maneuvering a trailer, and a new HUD make up most of the changes for the regular Ram 1500 models. Completely new, however, is the insane new Ram 1500 TRX edition. Sporting a 6.2L V8 engine, this supercharged half-ton pickup also has 13" of suspension travel and nearly the same in ground clearance.
Adjustable Load Leveling
An expensive option, the 2021 Ram 1500 can be factory equipped with an air ride suspension system. For those that didn't opt for the OEM system but would like similar functionality, an air ride suspension will give just that and at a fraction of the price.
- Raise, level or lower truck ride height
- Adjustable firmness
An air ride suspension does away with the steel coil springs and replaces them instead with a specialized air spring. Made from a very heavy-walled flexible rubber, the air spring is essentially a rubber boot that can be inflated or deflated as necessary to change ride height or load handling characteristics. With an operating range of 5-100 psi, upping the pressure in the air bag will increase ride firmness, ride height and reduce load sag. Conversely, a lower air pressure will do the opposite. Filling the air bags is done with an air compressor. For maximum performance and versatility from the air suspension system, it is recommended to install an on-board air compressor and couple it with a self-monitoring and self-adjusting controller system. While the air bag suspension can be managed perfectly manually, an automatic controller and monitor vastly simplifies the process and allows you to air up or down your 2021 Ram 1500 at the touch of a button. In terms of installation, air suspension requires adaptations to the stock coil brackets and therefor it is recommended to have a professional shop take care of the job.
Voracious Sound & Power
2021 Ram 1500 trucks with the 5.7L V8 can realize big improvements in horsepower, torque and sound by replacing the log style factory exhaust manifolds with a set of performance exhaust headers. Aftermarket headers are engineered to vastly improve exhaust scavenging out of the cylinder head and transmit it to the collector with minimal amounts of interference. This is accomplished by increasing the length and diameter of the primary tube, carefully engineered to provide sculpted and orderly flow to the exhaust pulses. Long tube headers provide the most dramatic effect, but given their much greater size, are more difficult to fit. Shorty style headers offer a compromise between long tube and the factory manifolds. Their primary tubes are lengthened as compared to stock, but are still much less than that of a long tube. Expect to pick up the most power gains (20-30 horsepower) with a long tube header, and a deeper exhaust note. One last area to note is the use of catalytic converters. Long tube headers for the 2021 Ram 1500 usually come with a new y-pipe with incorporated catalytic converters, whereas shorty headers are intended to bolt up to the stock collector and re-use the factory cats.
