i am looking for help!

i am 16 and have my first truck, a 2004 dodge ram 2500 with a hemi and a sports pack and towing kit, but i would like to turn it into an off road rig any suggestions?  

33's probably won't need a lift, with 4" you could probably run 37's.  Either way, regear, and maybe lock the rear if you have the money (a 16 year old w/ an '04 3/4 ton, i'm guessing that $ isn't much of a problem).  

The best improvements youcan make right away (with warranty concerns in mind) are more aggressive tires.  If you don't already have a traction aid in the rear, (limited slip, etc) that will be a big advantage, although could affect your warranty. A k&N filter, a chip, and exhaust will free up about 10-15 Hp.  If warranty is not your concern, I recommend a lift kit with the longest control arms you can find. Skyjacker makes some of the best kits around for Dodges, longer control arms, coil-over shocks, rod ends for better articulation.  Unless you plan on swapping in lower gears ($$$) don't go more than 10% bigger with your new tires. I would try 33's with out a lift or a 4" lift with 35's. Without swapping lower gears, the 35's will decrease your acceleration, decrease gas mileage, and your top gear will be all but useless.

Best of luck to you!

My first piece of advice is don't take the toy your parent's bought you off-road, get something you can beat up. I just ripped the bumper off my 87 toyota pickup and i don't care. Gonna throw a $25 dollar tube bumper on it i'm buying from a friend and call it good. your 20k truck that you didn't have to pay for is not a good canidadte for real off-roading, get something you can pay for and beat up and then you can really relaxe and have fun. (umnless you got it from winning the lottery in which case 12 inch suspension life with king coil-overs, 40-45" super-swamper boggers on two rockwell axels with pinion brakes.)  

Get a new Dodge with Cummins! Hemi can't get it up! Read Four Wheeler January 2005 about the power wagon great truck but lacked the power!  

whats wrong with a hemi? mine works just fine.

sell the hemi and get a v10

how can you go wrong with 330 hp and 500 ftlb/trq and when you have a 5 spd then you can smoke a mustang and any rice rocket on the road

Hmmmm... I have not seen many Mustangs & rice rockets out in the off-road world to race. You must be in LA where four wheeling is done over the abandoned and wreck cars on the streets while dodging bullets.  

Everyone has some great ideas for your truck but the one thing they have all left out is get a winch along with the related recovery equipment. It is cheap insurance if you ever get stuck. An never go alone it is nice to have someone to talk to as you consider your plight. Enjoy the world of 4Xwheeling an have respect for the land while we still have it.   

i know i need that stuff. i live in canada where we can get like 6 feet of snow in one storm.

well it doesn't seem like money is a problem so if it were me i'd use that truck for a daily driver and go find an old jeep, chevy, dodge, toy, or early bronco and put about half the money you'd put into that 04 into it and wheel the piss out of it, no warranty to void no "oh craps" when you run into stuff just plain insane wheelin  

good advise. thanks