2005 Dodge Ram 3500 blends real-world drivability with pulling power

An ’05 Dodge that Dominates in the Dirt

Street-able pulling trucks are hard to find these days. Even in entry-level classes, it seems the trucks you come across have long been relieved of their daily driving, towing, or hauling duties and are purpose- built to win in the dirt. Gutted in- teriors, turbos spec’d for top-end power (not low-rpm drivability), and fuel systems flowing three times more than stock are par for the course. But then there’s Eric Loy. The Medora, Illinois, resi- dent—a veteran truck puller of 20 years—seems to buck the purpose-built trend with his ’05 Dodge Ram 3500 dually. In fact, with the rear suspension stops removed and a little air in the tires, his truck is still 100-per- cent street-able. “The A/C is still there, the interior hasn’t been hacked up, and the gooseneck hitch is even still in there,” he told us. “I can still drive it on the street anytime I want.”

YEARS OF PRACTICE HAVE TAUGHT ERIC HOW TO SET UP A TRUCK TO PULL EFFECTIVELY, BUT WHILE HORSEPOWER IS IMPORTANT—IT ISN’T EVERYTHING.

EXPERIENCE PAYS

Years of practice have taught Eric how to set up a truck to pull effectively, but while horsepower is important—it isn’t everything. Despite competing in ultra- competitive Work Stock style classes within the heart of pulling country, he campaigns a stock bottom end common- rail 5.9L Cummins. The only lower end mods consist of a street cam from Scheid Diesel and provisions to accept 14mm head studs (which was done during an untimely overhaul back in ‘06). Scheid also fire-ringed the head and outfitted it with heavy-duty valve springs. A1 Tech- nologies’ 14mm head studs secure the head to the block.

FUELING

Leaving nothing to chance, Eric went big on the fuel side of things. A 200-gph AirDog II system (rated to support more than 1,000 hp) supplies fuel to an Exergy Performance 12mm stroker CP3 (also rated for 1,000 hp). Eric told us that adding the 12mm CP3 to the mix really woke the truck up, taking him from mid-pack fin- ishes in 2014 to the front of the field in 2015. A set of stock injectors equipped with 180-hp Industrial Injection nozzles complete the fuel system combination.

TURBO DUTIES

With S300 based turbochargers being permitted in his local Work Stock classes, Eric runs a 66mm, T4 flanged S300 from High Tech Turbo. The high-flowing S366 mounts via an ATS third-gen T4 exhaust manifold. A Spearco intercooler keeps excessive EGT at bay, and an ATS Arc Flow intake elbow frees up the intake path leading into the head.

TUNING

While Smarty has always been Eric’s weapon of choice when it came to tuning the truck’s ECM, he recently delved into custom UDC tunes. Allowing the truck to make as much power as possible yet keeping the stock bottom end alive was left in the hands of the tuning experts at Firepunk Diesel. As for the transmission, the stock NV5600 six-speed manual equipped with a Haisley Machine dual disc clutch harnesses the Cummins’ power. Surprisingly, and after a decade’s worth of hooks, the only carnage the NV5600 has ever endured came in the form of a shelled second gear and a broken output shaft.

BUDGET BUILT-RIGHT

Perhaps the best part about Eric’s truck is that it was put together on a blue- collar budget. There’s no built engine, no $2,500 turbocharger, and no bling under the hood. It’s just a simple, tried-and-true setup that works. He and his Dodge are proof that you don’t need an endless bank account—or even the most horsepower— to out-pull the competition. DW

SPECS:

Year/Make/Model: 2005 Dodge Ram 3500

OWNER: Eric Loy

HOMETOWN: Medora, Illinois

ODOMETER: 85,000 miles

ENGINE: 5.9L common-rail Cummins with Scheid Diesel fire-ringed head, heavy-duty valve springs, A1 Technologies 14mm head studs, Scheid Diesel common-rail street cam

FUEL: Industrial Injection 180-hp injectors, Exergy Performance 12mm CP3,

AirDog II 200-gph system

AIR: High Tech Turbo 66mm S300, Spearco intercooler, ATS Arc Flow intake elbow, ATS three-piece T4 exhaust manifold

TUNING: Smarty UDC via Firepunk Diesel

TRANSMISSION: NV5600 with Haisley Machine dual disc street puller clutch

HORSEPOWER: 750 hp (est.)

TORQUE: 1,400 lb-ft. (est.)

TIRES: 325/60R18 Pro Comp Xtreme A/T (front), 285/70R17 BFGoodrich All- Terrain T/A (rear)

WHEELS: Moto Metal 18×10 (front), factory (rear)

SUSPENSION/STEERING: KORE leveling kit with 5100 series Bilstein shocks, homemade traction bars, sled stops, and bump stops