Ram 3500 Crew Cab Diesel/ Knapheide service body/ Camper install

[gun45boat]

Hope everyone is well. This is my new project

2012 Ram 3500HD 4x4 6.7l Diesel w/ the upgraded Aisin Transmission. Crew Cab/ Fully Deleted running a VERY clean tune ( i deleted because I go to Baja a lot and they don't sell ULSD diesel fuel) I have always wanted a service body (for the EPIC amounts of storage) with a camper on the back.. The truck has a 3" lift with Bilstien Piggies all around running 35" tires with the factory rear locker.

I had to notch the rear of the bed in order to make the bathroom and shower slide in the truck.

I installed a 64 gallon water tank into one of the cabinets in the service body with its own pump to have more water than the 30 gallon that the camper holds.

I also installed a Honda 2000eu Genny with the extended run fuel tank and piped out the cooling/exhaust to the outside of the cabinet, so that you can run the genny in a closed/locked cabinet. I hope you all like it.

 

[TooTall'sTruck]

How is your genny breathing? I am mounting an older gen in my service truck and am fabbing the exhaust out but the engine still dies when I shut the cabinet door. I have seen alot of the phone company trucks with some louvers but I am curious how your gen gets it's air with the door shut?

Every useful truck should have a service body bed!!

 

[gun45boat]

Hi,, thanks for the good words. I bought this kit from here http://www.generator-line.com/ that vents the cooling AND the exhaust from Honda Specific generators. I drilled (2) 1.5" holes in front of the generator to allow the genny to suck in the cooling air from the outside. I tested the unit while running the camper roof AC system, and had the door closed for over an hour with NO issues. It was nice and cool inside the compartment when I opened the door.

I vented it out by using a hole saw, and cut a 4" hole behind the generator in the service body, and vented it out inside the wheel well, and behind the rear tire, not noticeable at all from outside of the truck. Really worked like a dream.

 

[gun45boat]

better pic

This truck is mainly going to be towing my rock crawler rig (on a trailer) from Florida to out west (moab, TRT, Baja,Mx etc etc) Save on Hotels, and be able to go on the big surf trips to Scorpion Bay, Baja, Mx I do a ton of traveling, and am gone for over 2 months a year, figured this would be the best way to travel

With the full delete and the camper on the truck, I average 12.6 (hand calculated) doing an average of 76mph (would be WAY better if I kept it slow, but who the hell wants to travel at 65mph

With the camper and towing the rock crawler on the trailer, I average 11.4mpg @ 75mph

 

[peneumbra]

Very nice truck! Hope you have an overdose of fun with it. Maybe we'll see you in Moab, etc...

 

[wild1]

Tire capacity

Great looking rig, I have run a similar setup for the last 10 years and I think that it is one of the
best combo for for overlanding vehicles in the US that will see extensive travel on pavement as well as offroad. I would caution you to check your total rear axle weight and also the per tire weight. It is very easy to exceed the tire capacity with this type of setup and especially when adding additional rear hitch weight to the equation. High speed for extended time really amplifies this problem,especially with aggressive offroad tires. I flat tow my jeep but loaded up I am pushing the limits of my 3750 lb rated tires on the back axle.

 

[ripperj]

Nice clean rig, the camper and work box are a great match, enjoy

 

[Regcabguy]

Good job bud! Are you running EFI Live with your delete? The Aisin can certainly handle more power.

 

[Rickybobby12]

What brand is the winch mount. Really clean! I've looked at the Warn Transformer, but that looks like a cleaner mounting system. I assume it's strong enough to do the job?

 

[gun45boat]

Thanks for the thumbs up.. The winch mount is the Westin Winch tray and it is STOUT!!!! I like the way it bolts to the frame, I also welded it to the frame also just to make sure it is strong enough Here is the link http://www.ebay.com/itm/46-23555-We...y-Dodge-Ram-2500-3500-2010-2015-/291073005037 Can't beat the price either.

The camper weighs 1780 pounds (which is light considering the size) I will def. keep an eye on the tires, although they have been holding up very well considering the abuse of towing VERY heavy trailers with over 3500 pounds on the tongue (total trailer weight well over 20K) Thanks for the safety reminder, as it would really suck to have a tire let loose at 75mph with a camper and a Krawler on the trailer.

I am running the Torque Tech Programmer, that can reprogram the Cab and Chassis models with the Urea system. It allowed me to do the full delete (running straight pipes) and to disconnect the Urea system, and remove the DPF. It also worked with the Aisin Transmission specific to the C and C trucks. I keep it at Performance tune, and I love the programmer,,,, it is a VERY clean tune with very little smoke.. It will smoke a little when under a heavy foot, but barely noticeable.

Thanks again for the thumbs up, I have always wanted to do this to a Service body with the camper install. Very excited.

Wild1,,, Do you have a link or pictures to your Camper/service body. I would like to see others.

 

[gun45boat]

Future mods (within the month) GOing to be installing a Renogy solar system on the roof with 3 Monocrystalin panels @ 150w each for a total of 450 watts of power for keeping the batteries topped off.

Mounting a rack system on the roof of the Ram to carry surfboards.

Fabbing up a Swing away tire carrier for the rear of the truck to be able to carry the spare.

and then she will be ready for her first trip to Moab for 3 weeks (I will be in Moab from April 27th to May 18th) Going to make another run at Pritchett's Canyon, and area BFE.

Thanks again for the advise..

 

[wild1]

Your right it does suck to blow a tire at 70 all loaded up,on a trip to Moab I had two new rear tires fail at speed. It will definitely get your attention. I have posted several pictures over the years that should be available. I'll see if I can attach a couple.

 

[Darwin]

gun, was this truck originally a dually?

 

[Regcabguy]

Your right it does suck to blow a tire at 70 all loaded up,on a trip to Moab I had two new rear tires fail at speed. It will definitely get your attention. I have posted several pictures over the years that should be available. I'll see if I can attach a couple.

Great setup,the Ford,utility bed and Alaskan. I was invited into an Alaskan at a desolate Baja area probably 30 yrs ago for a beer. Dang,was that nice. My wife and were suffering in a North Face dome tent and driving a Toyota pickup. Several yrs later we upgraded to a full size truck and Northstar.

 

[freedomrider]

I have always wanted a service body (for the EPIC amounts of storage) with a camper on the back.

Yeah, me too. Just curious; since I don't see any obvious tie downs, how is the camper attached to the truck?

Nice set up btw.