Ravenmad
Observer
Well, I hesitate to say its another RAM 2500'er AEV prospector XL parts bin build... But it is.
Back on Jan 16th I purchased a 2018 Ram 2500 with a 6.4 diesel. Honestly I intended to buy a Power wagon, but my financial planner convinced me to basically build one instead. So after some research and negotiation I walked out with the keys to a 2018 ram 2500 CCSB tradesman instead. Funny enough, the motor suffered a catastrophic failure at 2652 miles. After that it sat in the Dodge dealership repair lot for the next 5 weeks waiting on a new motor from FCA. I do have to say, the dealership was very good to me, albeit frustrating, they provided me with a 4 door 4x4 truck the whole time. After 5 weeks I broke down and had a sit down with a management to see what could be done. In the end the dealership took the truck back as a trade( before it was repaired), gave what I paid for it and sold me a new (2017) ram 2500 diesel with a few more options for about $2800.00 more than the discounted 6.4 gas motor truck I started with (manual Tase shifter on the floor, clearance lights, aux switches on the dash 4x4 offload package). Im not here to advertise for the dealership, but they were very good to me. Anyways.... thats how we got to this place
The truck, like so many others on here needs to perform many functions, but most of all I need it to be able to haul my whole family, plus a soon to arrive grand child and my daughters Dog to whatever destination or event we want to go to. Understanding that everything has strengths and weaknesses I set out to compile a list of parts that would compliment the strengths and capability of the truck while mitigating and hopefully improving the weaknesses. Overland travel, adventure camping, far away destinations, tow rig for jeep jamborees and my daily driver. Its asking a lot of the platform for sure. A friend told me once "the hardest thing to do is be honest with yourself", with that in mind, I really had to look at the trucks limitations and look at the potential parts list in such a way as to bring balance to it. The truck has a great powertrain, very good capacity, a lot of weight, a long wheelbase, poor ground clearance and a lot of potential. I know I want to maintain its load capacity and although it rides horribly empty I also know that I will be adding about 1500 pounds of sprung weight to the back of the truck and close to 400 pounds of sprung weight to the front in accessories and fuel alone. The truck was made to carry a substantial amount of weight and no question the extra weight will soften up the ride a little bit (hopefully to a tolerable level).
First thing I did was purchase and install a BakFlip Revolver X2 to help secure items in the bed. This particular tonneau cover is the only one that will work with the Nemesis Industries Expedition rack I want to run as it sits flush with the bed rails and leaves the bed rails open for attachments as well. Next I took the truck up to RM window tint and graphics in Colorado Springs to get the front windows lightly tinted and the rears covered in a anti UV clear to reduce the nasty UV rays and inevitable heat inside the cab from the hot hot sun lolol (we will see if it actually works).
Today was a big day for the truck, I ordered most of the parts we will need and hopefully I will make up my mind on the rest of the core build parts this week.
AEV DS 3" lift with the 37-40 inch tire kit
AEV Highmark fender flares
AEV raised air intake
ARB lockers front and rear
40x12.5x18 Nittor trail grapplers (3950 load rating)
Black Rhino Armory wheels in Black 18x9.5 with -18mm offset. (AEV 17x10s are -15.6 offset)
I still need to make up my mind on gear ratio and brand, Im told most all 4.56 gear sets are noisy so that is out.
Waiting on a phone call tomorrow about the Expedition One rear dual swing out carrier bumper for the rear and close to making up my mind about a front bumper. I am a fan of the AEV front bumper, its clean, the lines are nice and it is made to work with the high mark fender flares. BUT, Im still entertaining a couple other options...
I have also not made up my mind concerning a winch yet.
Fuel capacity is a must and with the stock tank only being ruffly 30 gallons I will also need to make up my mind on a second fuel tank. I like the idea of the spare tire replacement tank by Titan fuel tanks, but I also like the transfer flow in bed tanks. I actually have no experience with either brand or second fuel tanks for that matter, so that will take some research and asking around for opinions before I make up my mind.
Well, thats were we are at, parts should start showing up in a few days and hopefully I can start installing the goodness next week. As far as the descriptions to be made on front bumper, gears and the second fuel tank, what do you think, whats your experience?
Back on Jan 16th I purchased a 2018 Ram 2500 with a 6.4 diesel. Honestly I intended to buy a Power wagon, but my financial planner convinced me to basically build one instead. So after some research and negotiation I walked out with the keys to a 2018 ram 2500 CCSB tradesman instead. Funny enough, the motor suffered a catastrophic failure at 2652 miles. After that it sat in the Dodge dealership repair lot for the next 5 weeks waiting on a new motor from FCA. I do have to say, the dealership was very good to me, albeit frustrating, they provided me with a 4 door 4x4 truck the whole time. After 5 weeks I broke down and had a sit down with a management to see what could be done. In the end the dealership took the truck back as a trade( before it was repaired), gave what I paid for it and sold me a new (2017) ram 2500 diesel with a few more options for about $2800.00 more than the discounted 6.4 gas motor truck I started with (manual Tase shifter on the floor, clearance lights, aux switches on the dash 4x4 offload package). Im not here to advertise for the dealership, but they were very good to me. Anyways.... thats how we got to this place
The truck, like so many others on here needs to perform many functions, but most of all I need it to be able to haul my whole family, plus a soon to arrive grand child and my daughters Dog to whatever destination or event we want to go to. Understanding that everything has strengths and weaknesses I set out to compile a list of parts that would compliment the strengths and capability of the truck while mitigating and hopefully improving the weaknesses. Overland travel, adventure camping, far away destinations, tow rig for jeep jamborees and my daily driver. Its asking a lot of the platform for sure. A friend told me once "the hardest thing to do is be honest with yourself", with that in mind, I really had to look at the trucks limitations and look at the potential parts list in such a way as to bring balance to it. The truck has a great powertrain, very good capacity, a lot of weight, a long wheelbase, poor ground clearance and a lot of potential. I know I want to maintain its load capacity and although it rides horribly empty I also know that I will be adding about 1500 pounds of sprung weight to the back of the truck and close to 400 pounds of sprung weight to the front in accessories and fuel alone. The truck was made to carry a substantial amount of weight and no question the extra weight will soften up the ride a little bit (hopefully to a tolerable level).
First thing I did was purchase and install a BakFlip Revolver X2 to help secure items in the bed. This particular tonneau cover is the only one that will work with the Nemesis Industries Expedition rack I want to run as it sits flush with the bed rails and leaves the bed rails open for attachments as well. Next I took the truck up to RM window tint and graphics in Colorado Springs to get the front windows lightly tinted and the rears covered in a anti UV clear to reduce the nasty UV rays and inevitable heat inside the cab from the hot hot sun lolol (we will see if it actually works).
Today was a big day for the truck, I ordered most of the parts we will need and hopefully I will make up my mind on the rest of the core build parts this week.
AEV DS 3" lift with the 37-40 inch tire kit
AEV Highmark fender flares
AEV raised air intake
ARB lockers front and rear
40x12.5x18 Nittor trail grapplers (3950 load rating)
Black Rhino Armory wheels in Black 18x9.5 with -18mm offset. (AEV 17x10s are -15.6 offset)
I still need to make up my mind on gear ratio and brand, Im told most all 4.56 gear sets are noisy so that is out.
Waiting on a phone call tomorrow about the Expedition One rear dual swing out carrier bumper for the rear and close to making up my mind about a front bumper. I am a fan of the AEV front bumper, its clean, the lines are nice and it is made to work with the high mark fender flares. BUT, Im still entertaining a couple other options...
I have also not made up my mind concerning a winch yet.
Fuel capacity is a must and with the stock tank only being ruffly 30 gallons I will also need to make up my mind on a second fuel tank. I like the idea of the spare tire replacement tank by Titan fuel tanks, but I also like the transfer flow in bed tanks. I actually have no experience with either brand or second fuel tanks for that matter, so that will take some research and asking around for opinions before I make up my mind.
Well, thats were we are at, parts should start showing up in a few days and hopefully I can start installing the goodness next week. As far as the descriptions to be made on front bumper, gears and the second fuel tank, what do you think, whats your experience?