Mopar Talks Pricing and Availability for Ram Runner Off-Road Kit

Posted by Mike Levine | November 2, 2010

Earlier this year, we had a blast driving the Mopar Ram Runner at Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. It’s a Ram 1500 half-ton pickup transformed into a go-fast desert rig with help from veteran Baja racer and suspension developer Kent Kroeker. Soon, you’ll be able to buy Ram Runner parts in kit form from any Ram dealer to create your own Moparized prerunner.

“We’re real excited about the kit we’ve created,” said Keith Montone, manager of Jeep/Ram off-road engineering. “You’ll be able to buy it around late January or February.”

Off-road enthusiasts will be able to buy the Ram Runner hardware all at once or in batches at their own pace.

“If a guy wants to start just with the fenders, they can do that first,” Montone said. “The can come in later and add suspension pieces and order it all separately. You don’t have to order it as a whole kit.”

The fender and body kit will include the front and rear fenders, front and rear bumpers and hood for approximately $5,000 to $6,000, according to Montone.

Mopar developed the running gear components in coordination with Kore Suspensions and Fox Racing. It will include new half shafts, upper and lower control arms, and front springs. The suspension has approximately 14-inches of travel in the front and rear. The front and rear shocks are 3-inch internal bypass dampers developed specifically for the Ram Runner by Fox, the same company that supplies the shocks for the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. The rear coil springs remain stock.

“[The suspension kit] will probably cost more than $10,000. Around $10,000 to $12,000” Montone said.

Wheels and tires will be up to the individual, though the Ram Runner’s special General Tires can also be purchased from a Mopar dealer.

Owners that do transform their Ram pickups into Ram Runners should be aware that the truck won’t be street legal, similar to the Ford Racing Raptor XT. That’s because Chrysler isn’t putting these parts through the same certification tests it would for replacement parts.

Still, the durability testing is tough, said Montone. “We knocked the living heck out of it. We’ve tested it in Moab and the desert and Kent Kroeker has tested it in the desert in Southern California. We did a lot of repetitive hard impact stuff.”

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Comments

Not that I need or really want a truck like this but it sure is cool looking. IMO much better than the Raptor!

Posted by: D57H | Nov 2, 2010 5:20:23 PM

Guys slag the Raptor for being available only in high end models. Ford does it that way to recuperate costs.
Look at the price of these kits.
5,000 - 6,000 for body kit
10,000 - 12,000 for the suspension kit.

Not street leagal.

I'd rather have the Raptor.

This is a cool truck.

I'd rather have a turn key drive home truck.

Posted by: Lou | Nov 2, 2010 5:22:44 PM

i like it alot, but to compete with the raptor on sales theyre gonna need to make it street legal and cheaper

Posted by: tyler | Nov 2, 2010 5:25:22 PM

Sweet! I like it, a lot.

Posted by: Frank | Nov 2, 2010 5:28:50 PM

They have no interest in competing with Raptor for sales. This is for the guy who actually plans to run their truck. When was the last time you saw a Raptor with dirt on it in the real world? The people buying it aren't using it. Mopar's kit is only for those who will use it.

Posted by: Chd | Nov 2, 2010 5:45:41 PM

Guessed i missed something, why wouldn't it be street legal if it is only suspension and body. Is this a Safety thing?

Posted by: R | Nov 2, 2010 6:01:48 PM

You could easily get away with this on the street. Saying it is not street legal is just a red tape thing and a liability thing.

Posted by: Sean | Nov 2, 2010 6:07:41 PM

@Sean - get into an MVC with "offroad" or "closed course only" components and your insurance goes out the window.
A liability lawyer would have a field day.

THe body kit would probably be fine but not the suspension components.

Posted by: Lou | Nov 2, 2010 7:03:40 PM

The Ram has coils not leafs. Its cool that they left the dirt on it at the display. I sure hope that as a mechanic at a Dodge dealer that I get the chance to install one of these kits. I`d have to road test it before giving it back to the customer, only way I`ll ever get to drive one. I wonder if the prices quoted are install included. Also a customer can recoupe (a small small amount) some of the costs by selling the stock un-needed parts. You also have to admit that its better than what GM offers (really really big stickers and 20 inch rims).

Posted by: Jordan L. | Nov 2, 2010 8:23:49 PM

Buy a stripped Ram and build it yourself with your ideas, etc...

You will save $$$

Posted by: oxi | Nov 2, 2010 8:25:28 PM

@ chd

"They have no interest in competing with Raptor for sales. This is for the guy who actually plans to run their truck. When was the last time you saw a Raptor with dirt on it in the real world? The people buying it aren't using it. Mopar's kit is only for those who will use it."

I'm a member on a raptor forum and tons of guys who daily drive their raptor take it out into the desert for hours at least twice a month, they regularly take them off jumps at 50 MPH, they use their trucks how they were intended to be used. and they still drive to and from work, and the grocery store everyday. plus the raptor does have a race version available, which is not street legal, 500HP full roll cage, all glass removed, etc. etc. way more of a rac truck then the bolt on parts for the ram runner. would be cheaper to just strip a base model ram and build stuff yourself. although at least they are offering something.

Posted by: 09FordFX4 | Nov 2, 2010 10:21:01 PM

@Jordan L: Doh! Can't believe I wrote the Ram 1500 has leafs. Mea culpa. It's fixed.

Posted by: Mike Levine | Nov 2, 2010 10:42:35 PM

isn't Dodge owned by an italian bicycle company now? Fiat right? wow...that's scary.

Posted by: ilikemayo | Nov 2, 2010 11:11:16 PM

A comment like that shows how educated you are. Great Job!!!

Posted by: RryBe | Nov 2, 2010 11:26:18 PM

I have to agree with oxi...buy a stripped down model and fix it up the way you want...save some bucks...and make it street legal as well.

Larry
http://www.4-the-love-of-jeeps.com/index.html

Posted by: Larry | Nov 3, 2010 1:05:40 AM

just a matter of time.

here. educate yourself. let me know if you need help reading the multisyllabic words you reprobate.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68P0G320100926

Posted by: ilikemayo | Nov 3, 2010 1:09:54 AM

I caught you posting a false statement, and now you think I'm uneducated.

Stupid people make me smile.

Posted by: RryBe | Nov 3, 2010 3:05:24 AM

As a Raptor owner (which I do use off-road, BTW), I am glad to see Dodge offer this. Competition is good (even though these are not necessarily direct competition). More options from OEMs (or in conjunction with the aftermarket) is good for the off-road vehicle consumer.

BTW, why the constant stereotype that Raptors never make it off of the pavement? Off road capability is WHY I BOUGHT IT!! If I didn't plan on using it, I would have bought an FX2.

GM / Toyota: Dodge and Ford have something, where is yours?

http://www.svtoffroad.com

Posted by: KaiserM715 | Nov 3, 2010 9:01:50 AM

@KaiserM715:

Most smart off-roaders buy a striped or close to one and build it themselves!

That is what I am doing with my 2010 Tacoma that was only a SR5 from the Cali. factory. No stickers or TRD stuff on it, just one solid 4x4 as a base to build upon.

Here is how she looks after Phase I:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f36/oxi3/3.jpg

Toyota doesn't make fancy trucks that will not sell very well, all they have to do is slap Ivan Stewart on it and it is legit.

This is just a fad right now to differentiate the crowded full-size truck market. With the economy still in the tank and high unemployment, this fad is not very smart.

Posted by: oxi | Nov 3, 2010 11:21:29 AM

If you own a ram you can bulid a street legal pre runner for 5,000 dollers.
kore suspension - 1900
fiberwerx baja finders 350 pair
fiberwerx bed sids 500 pair
and around 1000 for the trie carryer and frount light bar.

Posted by: anthoy torrescano | Nov 3, 2010 12:14:53 PM

@anthoy torrescano - does that 1,999 suspension kit include half shafts, and upper and lower control arms ?

I had priced out all of the aftermarket goodies to build a Raptor like truck and it was around $8,000. So I'm not surprised by the prices of the Ram kit.

Posted by: Lou | Nov 3, 2010 1:41:44 PM

The Kore kit you mention is not even close to the capability of a Raptor or the Ram Runner kit. The shocks included with that kit are not much better than stock. What you described would give you a pre-runner "look", but not a pre-runner.

Posted by: KaiserM715 | Nov 3, 2010 1:42:47 PM

the raptor is the kind of truck you would find at walmart compared to this

Posted by: sean | Nov 30, 2010 10:59:03 PM

@ sean - you are correct. This truck is not street legal.

Posted by: Lou | Dec 1, 2010 12:06:16 AM

@ lou i would still take this over the raptor. besides i live in the country part of town no cops ever come here. the raptor is still a great truck by all means. but it doesn't matter i cant get neither one of them

Posted by: sean | Dec 4, 2010 2:42:12 AM

i have a tundra and i need a body kit like the red one.

send email back if you can help me about it.

thank you.

Posted by: eissa | Feb 4, 2011 7:44:46 PM