The 2011 Mopar Ram Runner
Written by: Patrick Rall
The original Mopar Ram Runner debuted at the 2010 Easter Jeep Safari
in Moab, Utah along with making a stop at events like the 2010 SEMA Show
but at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, the Mopar Ram Runner made its debut
as a post-title package available from Chrysler’s Mopar division.
The 2011 Mopar Ram Runner begins life as a standard production 2011
Ram 1500 Quad Cab, adding a cat-back exhaust system and a Mopar cold air
intake kit for some added performance. Next, the metal fenders and
bedsides are removed in favor of a set of flared fiberglass
fenders/bedsides and the stock front bumper is removed in favor of a
tubular off-road style bumper clad with 4 fog lights for added
visibility. A Mopar hood replaces the standard hood of the 2011 Ram
1500 and the tailgate is removed to make room for the race-style bed
mounted tire rack. Finally, the biggest change as the 2011 Ram 1500
Quad Cab becomes the Mopar Ram Runner is a purpose-built off-road
suspension with help from BDS and Fox Racing that gives this street
legal trophy truck more off-road capabilities than any truck on the road
– including Ford’s SVT Raptor F150. The only items shown in the
picture not included in the Mopar Ram Runner package are the wheels and
tires and the interior roll cage.
I had a chance to speak with Keith Montone, Off Road Engineering
Manager for Mopar Performance and he explained to me that when they
designed the Ram Runner, their goal was to create something that a Ram
owner with a handful of mechanical experience could build in his
driveway. No portion of the Ram Runner takes any special tools,
although some body-work experience will be helpful when removing the
metal fenders/bedsides and installing he fiberglass units. Everything
else is literally bolt on and once the package components are installed
and the owner selects the wheels and tires that best fit his or her
need, you will have a Ram that is capable of doing anything that any
Raptor can do…and the Ram Runner can do it better.
One nice thing with the Ram Runner is that you can purchase it
altogether or as individual components. Say that you already have a
massive suspension package on your Ram Quad Cab but you want the look of
the Ram Runner – you can purchase just the hood, bumper, fenders,
bedsides and tire rack and have the look of the Ram Runner “show truck”
with your own suspension setup. Or, if you don’t need the incredible
capabilities of the $13,000 suspension package but you do some
offroading and you want the extra wheelwelll room for a big set up mud
tires to avoid local laws that prevent tires from extending past the
fender edges.
The Mopar Ram Runner package will be available from Mopar.com soon
and with any luck, this package will see incredible success; leading to a
more production friendly version to help the Ram keep up with Ford’s
SVT Raptor.