About our HEMI parts installation difficulty chart.
The shopHEMI.com installation difficulty rating system was designed to help our customers make informed decisions on which parts they can install themselves and which parts installations they should leave to the professionals like the ones here at Arrington Performance. We try to rate products based on the reviews of both the manufacturer and end user. If you have had specific knowledge of the Hemi parts that we offer, please let us know, no matter where you purchased it from. If you have any questions about a specific product and its installation, contact the shophemi.com parts sales team. Please note that these ratings are guidelines only and may not reflect the actual difficulty of your particular installation. Although we are constantly updating the parts on our website, the installation difficulty may not be listed for all Hemi parts that we offer.
NOTE: Bolts and other connectors often seize or rust even on relatively new HEMI vehicles but especially if they have had a hard life. Salt and other atmospheric conditions can also cause plastic connectors to become brittle and other connectors and bolts to corrode. Please use caution during any installation and take care not to damage your HEMI or its components. The replacement or removal of these parts is not included in the difficulty ratings that we provide.
What does the number of gears mean for HEMI part installation?
The number of gears tells you the difficulty level of the install for the particular HEMI part from 0-5 in half gear increments. Zero gears requires no installation and five gears represents only professional installation requiring extensive fabrication and/or specialized tools.
A breakdown of the Hemi Gears Ratings and their Meanings
0 - This Hemi Part does not require installation.
Zero is reserved for items such as HEMI Manuals from Mopar, Dodge HEMI shirts, and Banners. HEMI T shirts do require installation on your body but if you have to have instructions for that you really shouldn’t be racing in the quarter mile.
0.5 - This HEMI part has a slip on or plug in fitment that requires no tools. Virtually no installation knowledge is required.
A rating of half a gear is for items such as Mopar seat covers or engine size stickers. According to our sales staff T-shirts and HEMI cozies should actually fall into this category but management refused to budge on that.
1 - Minor installation knowledge and general knowledge of your vehicle required. These HEMI parts plug or clip in, installing with no tools.
Replacement Headlight bulbs, New Shifter Knobs, and New HEMI Grills fall into this category. Typically if you can remove the old piece from your Charger, Challenger, 300c, or any other HEMI vehicle with your bare hands you can install these HEMI parts with your hands.
1.5 - Minor installation knowledge and general knowledge of your HEMI required. Standard hand tools required. Bolt-On fitment using all existing or included hardware. No drilling is required.
These parts are typically Mopar replacement parts. Other parts in this category consist of bolt on performance upgrades and other easily replaceable parts for your HEMI vehicle.
2 - Minor installation knowledge required. Standard hand tools required. Fabrication not required. Minor drilling may be required.
Bolt on modifications to the appearance or performance of your vehicle. These parts consist of HEMI replacement bumpers or High intensity headlights as well as mirror brackets, such as fire extinguisher brackets.
2.5 - Minor installation knowledge required. Standard hand tools required. Minor fabrication required.
New Body kits and HEMI halo lights designed for maximum road visibility often use some existing bolt holes and hardware while utilizing some additional drill holes and slight modifications to the body of your HEMI. These installations may be completed with only minor fabrication.
3 - Average installation knowledge required. Standard hand tools required. Minor fabrication required. Some drilling may be required.
Hood scoops or vents often require modification of your hood to work properly. These installations require some general fabrication knowledge and tools but can easily be completed in your driveway or garage.
3.5 - Moderate installation knowledge required. Specialized Tools not required. Minor fabrication required. Some Drilling May be required.
The average “Do-It-Yourself” HEMI Owner can complete these installations with little difficulty. Bolt on suspension upgrades or electrical mods for your HEMI, dual battery trays or even electrical distribution blocks for use of upgraded stereos and accessories all require minor modification to your vehicle. Lowering kits may also be bolted in with hand tools and moderate experience and know how.
4 - Moderate installation knowledge required. Specialized tools may be required. Minor fabrication required. Some Drilling May be required.
Installing custom gauges requires some specialized tooling such as wire crimpers and wire strippers. These also require general electrical knowledge such as wiring gauge requirements and the ability to select fuses based on electrical current draw. Running wires also requires wire ties and may require drilling holes into appropriate areas of your HEMI vehicle.
4.5 - Extensive installation knowledge required. Professional installation recommended. These installations require specialized tools including lifts and steering alignment tools. Fabrication required.
Full replacement of your suspension systems requires extensive knowledge of the working parts of your HEMI. If installed incorrectly these components pose more than an average danger to the driver and passenger of the vehicle. Spring compressors required for these installations as well as welders, cutting torches or tin snips are tools that only experienced fabricators should use on their HEMI due the dangers of permanently and irreparably damaging the vehicle. Steering alignment tools and lifts are required for any installation of this level.
5 - Professional installation by a performance shop is required. These installations require specialized tools including lifts and steering alignment tools. Fabrication required.
Engine modifications that require machine shop services or custom boring tools and extreme long arm lifts that require welding on tabs and steering components require a trained mechanic or fabricator. These installs are only recommended for experienced performance shops and cannot be completed in a driveway or simple home garage. Steering alignment tools and lifts are required for any installation of this level.
