Five years ago, the Direct Connection program introduced the first warranty-safe, power-adding stage kits for the Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat. Since then, there have been rumors that the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and Ram 1500 TRX would benefit from similar power-adding upgrade packages from Direct Connection, but those were just rumors until SEMA 2026.
As part of its long list of introductions at the 2026 SEMA Show, Direct Connection unveiled the first stage kits for the supercharged truck and SUV. While the kits for the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and Ram 1500 TRX are sold a bit differently than those for the Dodge muscle cars, the results are the same – 40 extra horsepower at the push of a button without voiding the factory warranty.
How Direct Connection Stage Kits Add Power
The Direct Connection Stage 1 kits for the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and Ram 1500 TRX come with a handful of components, but the most crucial are a 3.17-inch supercharger pulley and a touchscreen tuning device. Once installed, the pulley adds two extra pounds of boost, while the tuning device makes the necessary adjustments to fuel delivery to take advantage of the extra air being forced into the engine.
The added air and fuel lead to an increase of 40 horsepower. Once the pulley and the other components of the kit are installed, you simply plug the tuning device into your OBD2 port, load the performance tune and bam – 40 extra horsepower.
If you want to go back to stock power for some reason, you don’t need to remove the pulley. You just load the stock power tune using the touchscreen tuning device.
The company has not stated an official torque gain for the Durango SRT Hellcat and Ram TRX, but the same components on the same engine in the Hellcat-powered Challenger and Charger also yielded a gain of 40 lb-ft of torque. We are working to confirm whether the Durango and TRX receive the same torque gains.
Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Direct Connection Stage 1 Kit
The Direct Connection Stage 1 kit for the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat applies to 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025 model-year vehicles, with a part number of 77073032AA and an MSRP of $2,195.
The package includes the Hellephant Pulley (80.5 mm / 3.17 inches in diameter), the Direct Connection Tuner Kit with a factory-tuned high-performance calibration, a performance air filter, a 180-degree thermostat and a Direct Connection keychain with calibration key code. This package is 50-state legal, but it is designed specifically for vehicles in the United States market.
Those of you who purchased a stage kit or two for a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat or Charger SRT Hellcat might notice that the kit for the Durango SRT Hellcat is slightly different.
Challenger and Charger owners have to buy the Pre-Stage kit and the Stage 1 kit separately. The Pre-Stage kit comes with the Direct Connection Tuner Kit, the performance air filter, the 180-degree thermostat and a tune that adds five horsepower. The Stage 1 kit then adds the 3.17-inch pulley and the tune to get the extra 40 horsepower.
Ram 1500 TRX Direct Connection Stage 1 Kit
The Direct Connection Stage 1 kit for the Ram 1500 TRX applies only to 2021-2024 model-year trucks. These kits do not apply to the newer SRT TRX with 777 stock horsepower.
The TRX Stage 1 kit carries part number 77073033AA and has an MSRP of $2,195. Just like the Durango kit, the TRX package comes with the 3.17-inch Hellephant Pulley, the Direct Connection Tuner Kit with the high-performance calibration, a performance air filter, a 180-degree thermostat and a Direct Connection keychain with calibration key code.
Again, this package is 50-state legal, but it is designed specifically for vehicles in the United States market.
Watch: Direct Connection Ram With a 900+ HP Target
For more Direct Connection coverage from SEMA, watch our walkaround of the black-and-yellow Ram display truck with a 900+ horsepower target. This separate build showcases additional Direct Connection parts beyond the 40-horsepower Stage 1 kits discussed above.
More Power With Full Factory Warranty Protection
There are many performance shops around the country that offer upgrade packages for the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and Ram 1500 TRX. To be honest, many of those aftermarket upgrade packages will offer more power, possibly for less money, but they can also put some of your factory warranty protection at risk.
When you change the supercharger pulley and add a custom engine tune through a performance shop, the manufacturer may deny warranty coverage for engine, transmission or other drivetrain damage that it determines was caused by those modifications.
Say that your local shop changes your supercharger pulley and, a week later, your transmission fails, even without any hard pulls with the extra power. The manufacturer could argue that the additional power contributed to the failure, potentially leaving you responsible for an expensive repair.
However, when you have the Direct Connection stage kits installed by your Dodge or Ram dealership, you maintain full factory warranty coverage. We confirmed this directly with company representatives, making these kits an appealing option for owners who want more horsepower without sacrificing their factory warranty protection.
