Installing Headers on a 2009+ Ram 1500 Hemi: A Step-by-Step Survival Guide

3 min read
Installing Headers on a 2009+ Ram 1500 Hemi: A Step-by-Step Survival Guide

Upgrading the exhaust on your Hemi Ram with a fresh set of shorty headers, like the beautifully made ones from PerformanceChipTuning, is a fantastic way to improve the look and sound of your truck. However, if you are tackling this on a 2009+ Ram 1500, be prepared: it is not an easy installation.

If you happen to have a 3-inch body lift, you will be thankful for the extra room, but a stock height or 4-wheel-drive truck will be incredibly tight.

Here is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to installing headers on your Ram based on hard-earned lessons from the garage.

Essential Prep & Pro-Tips Before You Begin

  • Don't break the studs: If your factory manifold bolts break, this job becomes significantly harder and you might have to scrap the project, so be extremely careful.
  • Invest in stubby wrenches: Do not attempt this job without a full set of stubby wrenches and stubby ratchets. The clearance is incredibly tight, and standard wrenches will cost you hours of frustration.
  • Remove the front wheels: Taking the wheels off allows you to access the wheel wells safely and easily.

Step 1: Clear the Engine Bay

Before touching the exhaust, get everything out of your way to maximize your working space.

  1. Remove the heat shields from the factory manifolds.
  2. Take out the dipstick bolt and shift the dipstick out of the way.
  3. Remove the steering shaft bolt to give yourself clearance on the driver's side.

Step 2: Tackle the Passenger Side (The "Easy" Side)

The passenger side is generally a straight shot with far fewer obstacles.

  1. Unbolt and drop the factory exhaust, then remove the stock manifold out through the bottom.
  2. Set your new gasket in place and begin hand-threading the new header bolts.
  3. The bottom bolts are tedious: While the top bolts are straightforward, the underneath ones are rough. Use a wrench from underneath the truck, making small turns until they are all fully tightened.

Step 3: Battle the Driver's Side (The "Hard" Side)

Because aftermarket headers are much bulkier than the stock manifolds, the driver's side, which angles down, is a massive challenge on the 2009 (4th gen) Ram.

  1. Remove the Starter: Don't try to work around it! Unbolt the starter by removing its two bolts, which takes less than a minute. Move any block sensors out of the way as well. This single step opens up massive amounts of room for a regular wrench.
  2. Loosen the Engine Mount: Even with the starter gone, clearance is a nightmare. You will need to remove the engine mount completely and carefully support the engine with a jack to slide the bulky new header in. Note: On the 2009 model, clearance is so tight against the mount that you might even have to slightly dent the header tubes to make it fit without rubbing! Feed the header in from above the frame.
  3. Pre-install the "Impossible" Bolt: There is one bolt on the driver's side that is extremely difficult to access once the header is in place. Thread this bolt into the header before you fully seat the assembly onto the engine block.

Step 4: Button Up the Y-Pipe

Reconnecting the Y-pipe to your newly installed headers can be frustrating if things don't line up perfectly right away.

  1. If the holes are off-center, run the top bolt in as far as you can.
  2. Tap the pipe to shift it, and tighten the top bolt a bit more. As that top bolt tightens down, it will naturally center the pipe, allowing the bottom hole to line up perfectly.
  3. Important: Use the provided short bolt for the bottom hole of the Y-pipe flange. If you use a longer one, it will hit the exhaust pipe as you tighten it.

Step 5: Final Reassembly & The Payoff

Once all exhaust bolts are fully tightened with your stubby wrenches, it's time to put the truck back together. Lower the engine back onto the mount and bolt it down. Reinstall the starter and plug the sensors back in. Reconnect the steering shaft extension and reinstall your dipstick.

While this installation requires immense patience, maneuvering, and the right tools, the glossy finish of the headers looks incredible peeking through the wheel well. Start the truck up, check for any exhaust leaks, and enjoy the aggressive new sound of your Hemi!