You know, in the past, it’s been let’s build this truck up and see what it is capable of with all of its limitations out of the way and no restrictions. While the outcome has been exciting, our good friends over at Diesel Power Products (DPP) were challenged to do the same except with a 100-percent emissions intact truck and the result was Ramule.

Ramule? Yes, Ramule the big 2018 RAM 3500 with the legendary 6.7-liter Cummins engine is stout as ever and passes every test you can think of. If you’re setting out to build a truck up inside and out with nothing but the best this build is going to be a good blueprint. Let’s dive into what the crew at DPP has done here.

We caught up with Josh Ullrich, the On-Site Marketing Manager for DPP and we had a good discussion about Ramule. “Ramule is a G56 manual transmission. Some people may not know but 2018 was the last year for a manual transmission to be found in any of the big three diesel. GM bailed out back in 2006 followed by Ford in 2010,” Ullrich said. “It’s sad to say, but one day, our children will have no idea what a manual transmission is or how to drive one.”

Ramule is a purpose build tow rig for Diesel Power Products and their green approach is pretty cool after you see what all is done and how it performs.

Electronics

For starters, Ramule just needed some oomph out of the box. Thanks to Edge Products, he’s been set up with their hottest item to date, the CTS2 monitor/tuner combo. The Edge Juice with Attitude CTS2 unlocks all of the potential in Ramule’s engine and offers a 5-inch full-color screen for you to monitor it’s every move. The slimmer, sleeker screen is a high-resolution display and it allows you to now set custom background, custom colors, and easy navigation to your truck’s real-time data.

The Juice with Attitude CTS2 programs your truck on the fly for quick power level changes. This means if you’re headed down the road on a hot setting, need to hook to a trailer, you can quickly make the change to a towing setting within seconds. This stress-free transition is what separates the Juice with Attitude from the rest.

With 5 levels of performance and up to 150-horsepower and 360-lb/ft of torque, the Juice with Attitude will add substantial power gains to this RAM.

Ever push the throttle and it just didn’t seem like anything was there? Or maybe you’ve pressed the gas and you just wished it had more go? Ramule was the same way. Thanks to BD Diesel, their newest gadget out, the Throttle Sensitivity Booster, you can have more. In fact, Ramule has one already and the results are great.

That laggy pedal is gone and the need for snappier in-town driving is fulfilled with BD’s booster. What this does is reduces the pedal lag which results in a better-looking performance curve. This module forces the power curve to happen sooner achieving quicker turbocharger spool up time. This easy to install module with all factory connections is adjustable to boost throttle signals by 50 and 100-percent.

The TSB also has the optional upgrade that comes with a six-position on-the-fly adjustment switch that allows you to change your throttles sensitivity from stock, Low, Medium, High, LUDICROUS, and Valet mode.

Hard Parts

With the electronics taken care of, it was time Ramule got some hard parts that would mesh perfectly with them. Up next, a cold air intake. “The S&B Intake System was installed to keep EGT’s at a minimum and turbo spool-up time at a maximum,” said Ullrich. This system allows your engine to breathe cooler, fresh air which results in better performance.

aFe has been a leader in the diesel industry when it comes to aftermarket upgrades. This includes Ramule’s sleek intake manifold coined, BladeRunner. This BladeRunner Intake is an EGR Compliant part and allows Ramule to make even more power and torque when towing those trailers across the country. This high-flow manifold lets you retain the factory EGR valve while still lowering temperatures and increasing power.

As emissions standards for diesel trucks get tighter, diesel owners are having to make the tough decision as to whether or not to keep their emissions equipment in place or remove it. Typically, when removing the emissions devices from the trucks require custom tuners that will potentially void your factory engine warranty, as well as not allow the vehicle to pass an emissions test. Not with the BladeRunner!

We’ve got the intake manifold covered, we’ve got the cold air intake system covered, and now, we just need to top it all off with some plumbing. The factory plumbing on these trucks, Ramule included, aren’t that great looking. In fact, they’re much smaller than they could be. Thanks to Banks Power, Ramule now has the upgrade kit that features 3.5-inch piping versus the 2.73-inch factory piping.

These upgraded pipes improve airflow, allow the turbocharger to spool up much faster, and offers a 70-percent greater flow area when compared to the factory part. Turbocharger spool up time, eh? Yeah, Ramule has a larger turbo too. In fact, it’s a 100-percent drop-in unit that is capable of a ton of power. This turbo’s home is on a BD Diesel 2-Piece Exhaust Manifold.

Navigating to the link above, you too can get yourself a drop in turbo from Fleece Performance that will support power levels into the 650-horsepower range. This turbo features a brand new actuator, Fleece exclusive 63-MM forged-milled compressor wheel, and a high-flow turbine wheel. This whole package is capable of 650-horsepower without sacrificing any drivability.

With the larger turbo comes more boost pressure. With more boost pressure comes with stress on the surface of the head and factory head bolts. In fact, this truck now makes north of 60-psi of boost so obviously with that kind of pressure, they needed a set of head studs to keep it all together.

These factory head bolts are tough. They will take some serious abuse but when you start pouring the power on and the boost levels climb, you’re really risking stretching the bolts. Ramule, however, doesn’t have to worry about that anymore because the ARP head stud kit is what it takes to ensure the head gasket will live a longer, healthier life.

Ramule is set up with plenty of extra power, but it needed a drivetrain that could handle the abuse too. Although the factory clutch would have probably held up for a little while, it wouldn’t have made it forever. So, it was upgraded to an aftermarket clutch.

Ramule features this tough-as-nails South Bend dual disc clutch that is capable of supporting 550-horsepower and delivers easy engagement. The South Bend kits include everything you need to convert your dual mass flywheel G56 to a much more dependable one-piece flywheel design.

This clutch is perfect for the RAM owner who daily drives, tows, but needs more than a single disc clutch. Other features include 12 organic buttons per side that delivers smooth engagement and yet enough clamping force to support 550-horsepower. This isn’t, however, intended for boosted launches or abusive situations because it is organic.

Oh, you take your truck off-road? That’s fine. The parts available on the DPP website can take you on any terrain.

Now to ensure that both the CP3 high-pressure injection pump and fuel injectors stay fed with fresh fuel, Ramule uses a FASS Diesel Fuel System’s Titanium 95-GPH lift pump. This signature series lift pump has proven itself as a reliable lift pump for these Cummins trucks. With all the upgrades that Ramule has, it was important that he has a fuel system that is as reliable as the rest of it.

With its revolutionary Whisper Technology, the titanium lift pump is not only quiet, but it is also rated for up to 600-horsepower. Yes, this pump is going to make sure your fuel system is fed but it is also an insurance modification too. This pump is also a fuel filter and water separator making sure the fuel Ramule has is at its best performing condition. These filters will filter down to 3-Micron.

“Because Ram has recently been favoring tall gear ratios to aid in fuel economy (but destroys towing capability once taller tires are installed), we knew that even with the modest tire size increase, a lower gear ratio package would be necessary,” Ullrich said” “We got with our friends over at Nitro Gear and Axle and decided on a 4.30 gear package that would deliver a slightly lower RPM to speed runout compared to the stock gear and tire package. Especially for anyone doing any kind of towing, we can’t preach it enough, this is absolutely essential.”

Finding the correct parts and pieces for your ring and pinion can be tough, but not anymore. Diesel Power Products fitted Ramule with this complete kit package from Nitro Gear that included front and rear gears as well as a master installation kit for both differentials. It’s just that easy.

Looking Good Matters

The Diesel Power Products crew obviously wanted this truck to look supreme on the road but stay within reason on wheels and tires. After all, it’s sole purpose is to tow efficiently. So, they went with a 37-inch Nitto Trail Grappler tire wrapped in 20-inch KMC Grenade wheels. “Instead of our typical 40-inch meats, we went with 37-inch tires,” Ulrich said. “This would aid in better towing characteristics due to a lower profile.”

No matter the truck, no matter the size, Diesel Power Products has you covered from top to bottom.

Stay tuned to Diesel Army for more of the latest and greatest parts in the industry and coolest truck features available.