Stellantis Media Site Built for Speed; the 2004 Dodge Ram SRT10 Dominates the Fast Lane                                                Contact:                                                             Colin                         McBean                                                                                                Carrie                         McElwee                                                                                                                                                                                   Built for Speed; the 2004 Dodge Ram SRT10 Dominates the Fast Lane                                                                                                                                                           February 12, 2003,                                                                                                                      Chicago                                                       -                                               com • bus • tionn. 1. the act or process of burning 2. violent excitement; tumultThe 2004 Dodge Ram SRT10 is built for speed. With a top speed of 150 mph and the biggest engine in a performance pickup, the Dodge Ram SRT10 backs up its claim as the baddest truck on the block.More than just a big engine, Ram SRT10 adds the largest standard wheels and tires, the largest brakes in its class and acceleration to match its macho looks. Unique in a world of look-alike trucks, the Ram SRT10 is a radical, custom-built performance truck, but straight from a manufacturer and with performance cues direct from the Dodge Viper SRT10, the ultimate sports car.Absolute Power = Absolute DominationFrom the beginning, the engineers at Performance Vehicle Operations knew the powertrain was in place. The 8.3-liter Viper V-10 was upgraded for 2003 with a new bored and stroked aluminum engine block that increased the Viper engine's displacement from 488 to 505 cubic inches, and pushed its V-10 power output to 500 horsepower and 525 lb.-ft. of torque.Resting on unique engine mounts, the new V-10 engine delivers 90 percent of its whopping 525 lb.-ft. of torque from 1500 to 5600 rpm. The all-new cast aluminum cylinder block has interference-fit cast-iron liners and cross-bolted main caps. Both bore and stroke have been increased over previous Viper models. Block length, block height, bore spacing, firing order, rod length and compression ratio are unchanged.The Viper V-10 includes a six main bearing crankshaft with increased stroke length and cross-bolted main bearing caps. All-new cast aluminum alloy pistons - weighing slightly less than prior years despite larger diameters - are included, as are all-new cracked-steel connecting rods that are lighter yet stronger.Cylinder heads on the Viper V-10 are redesigned using semi-permanent mold (SPM) 356 T6 aluminum, with improved intake port, exhaust port and combustion chamber cooling. Lower-profile die-cast magnesium cylinder head covers with steel internal baffles and anti-slosh foam also are new for 2003.A single-piece, central dual-plenum, cast aluminum intake manifold is also new. It boasts shorter runners and a single, non-staged two-barrel throttle body for higher peak horsepower RPM. The intake manifold is an all-inclusive Integrated Air and Fuel Module (IAFM) with tubular fuel rails, injectors, sensors, wiring and throttle body - delivered assembled and pre-tested.A Ram Heavy Duty cooling system is modified to handle the needs of the new Viper engine. A custom dual exhaust system is mounted to new exhaust manifolds.The 2004 Dodge Ram SRT10 focuses its power through a new Hurst shift linkage and a modified version of the Viper SRT-10's Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission. The T56 is fully synchronized with electronic reverse lockout. A new driveshaft runs to the Viper-sourced transmission and a modified differential with a 4.10 rear axle delivers the torque to the road.SuspensionThe Ram SRT10 is more than just a big Viper motor in a bad-ass truck. The engineers at PVO modified the Ram Heavy Duty's rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension.Working with the fully hydroformed Dodge Ram frame, one of the stiffest in the industry, PVO added a custom tuned suspension, dropping the Ram SRT10 one inch at the front and two inches at the rear. New front and rear strut assemblies and a rear sway bar were added to handle the increased cornering loads.Next came Bilstein shock absorbers, performance-tuned springs, unique aerodynamic aids to enhance the Ram SRT10's higher speed performance, and 22-inch custom "Viper-style" wheels and 305/40 Pirelli Scorpion Tires.Big brakes, another Dodge Ram staple, are also part of the equation on the 2004 Ram SRT10. The standard ABS-equipped brakes are fitted with new 15-inch rotors on the front brakes. Rear brakes are modified Ram Heavy Duty 14-inch rotors. Front and rear brakes feature unique red calipers. The new front fascia features brake ducts to provide plenty of cooling for track sessions.