Talk me out of a Power Wagon

Todd n Natalie

OverCamper
Well, time for my weekly PW build up. ?

Tradesman w PW package. Liking the mustard yellow.

View attachment 683689
Huh. I actually don't mind that yellow. I don't think that color shows up in Canada? I kinda like having colors no one else does.

That's how I ended up with a factory Tangier orange 2008 Sierra SLE.

nightshoot007.jpg

I still see that truck being driven around every now and then. Between the color and the way I modified it, it's pretty easy to tell it's my old truck, haha
 

jadmt

ignore button user
If we ignore cosmetics what exactly are the 285's not doing?

Serious question. I don't have any special love for Ram or any other brand, in fact I've owned more Fords than any other marque so this isn't coming from a brand loyalty position. I noticed Chevy's new ZR2 Silverado is on 33" tires not 35's.

The truck I drive today would fit 35's without a problem and the difference in purchase cost isn't prohibitive to me but I continue to just not have any problem with the 285's ... every time I've been bested by a trail it has been because my truck is too wide and that's something tires aren't going to fix.

I get the occasional chuckler advising me that 285's are "too small" ; so far none of them have offered to pay for the big tires or the gas they'd burn.

I'm not naive to the advantages of more rubber in some situations but those are situations we don't often put fullsize trucks through in the first place. To that point, when I have owned more trail-focused 4x4's in the past or hiked/biked those kind of trails I simply never see fullsize trucks at the scenic end of the trail. If people with fullsize trucks are driving those trails they sure are doing a good job of coordinating to do it when I'm not out there for decades now and I commend their dedication to this game of hide and seek.
ground clearance is my issue with the stock 31.6" tires. the lower control arms are only 8" and even he front pumpkin is only 9" with the stock tires. I offroad a fair amount and take good lines but stock tires if using a pw's capabilities is not cutting it. I loved 255/80-17's on my jkur but a tire that actually measures 31.6" is not going to cut it under many conditions. My tape measure and RAM's factory imput both shows 31.6 is the size of the tires. I use an AEV procal snap and that shows what Ram has the tires in the computer at. My mpg has changed very little if any from 285/70-17 to 35x12.5-17.
 

malibubts

Adventurer
not the greatest payload but I have been quite a bit over gvwr and you would never know it.

No issues with the weight of your GFC or bad handling when you're at or slightly above payload?

I'm toying with moving over to a 2500 and in the same spot with do I go PW or not. Biggest knock I have against the PW is that payload and worrying about a bad ride. I figured I've got 350# in my TreeHouse, 250# in my drawers, plus tools, fridge, water, dog, people, etc. I'm not worried overall as I don't plan on putting 2,500# of shingles or whatever back there but just want to make sure I wouldn't be pushing the limits and unhappy with the setup.
 

jadmt

ignore button user
No issues with the weight of your GFC or bad handling when you're at or slightly above payload?

I'm toying with moving over to a 2500 and in the same spot with do I go PW or not. Biggest knock I have against the PW is that payload and worrying about a bad ride. I figured I've got 350# in my TreeHouse, 250# in my drawers, plus tools, fridge, water, dog, people, etc. I'm not worried overall as I don't plan on putting 2,500# of shingles or whatever back there but just want to make sure I wouldn't be pushing the limits and unhappy with the setup.
no issues in handling whatsoever with total weight 9000lbs. I am selling my GFC and hope to get a fwc and have zero concerns. I have E rated Toyos and that probably helps over the d rated duratracs. This is how I would typically pack when camping. I have an ARB 50 that i carry in the cab. me and my wife and my dog. I carry a 20lb and 5lb propane tank, fire pit and blackstone grill. it does not sag much at all and handles like it is empty. I will get airbags if I get a FWC and call it good.
 

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phsycle

Adventurer
ground clearance is my issue with the stock 31.6" tires. the lower control arms are only 8" and even he front pumpkin is only 9" with the stock tires. I offroad a fair amount and take good lines but stock tires if using a pw's capabilities is not cutting it. I loved 255/80-17's on my jkur but a tire that actually measures 31.6" is not going to cut it under many conditions. My tape measure and RAM's factory imput both shows 31.6 is the size of the tires. I use an AEV procal snap and that shows what Ram has the tires in the computer at. My mpg has changed very little if any from 285/70-17 to 35x12.5-17.

Two factors for me. For the places I go (which are not rock crawling trails), roll over angle difference between 31 to 33 was very noticeable. Second was the extra sidewalk. Even airing down minimally to 25psi, I could tell a huge difference in ride comfort. Especially on washboard roads.

And this was on a midsize truck. For a full-size HD truck, 35’s would be almost mandatory for me. Actually, if I got a PW or Tremor, I’d probably go 37’s.

Yes, I could do with 33’s. Or 31’s. But not as comfortably. But whatever. I saw a freaking VW coming down the same trail I did last week. What do I know ?
 

phsycle

Adventurer
Fixed it.

I always thought this 2500 with 37’s looked right.

AEV-Prospector-34-View.jpg


But I wouldn’t complain about 40’s either!
They’d both be fun trucks.

adventure-ready-pickup-truck-aev-ram-prospector-xl_6.jpg
 

Todd n Natalie

OverCamper
I always thought this 2500 with 37’s looked right.

AEV-Prospector-34-View.jpg


But I wouldn’t complain about 40’s either!
They’d both be fun trucks.

adventure-ready-pickup-truck-aev-ram-prospector-xl_6.jpg
They would!
003-AEV-Prospector-XL-First-Drive.jpg

If I were to get a Power Wagon, 35 would probably be the biggest I'd go realistically. I've read going to 37's requires a few modifications.
 

billiebob

Well-known member
I'm in "need" of a new truck. Let me give a quick back story:

Owned a 2005 F150, took great care of it and stayed on top of maintenance. Spark plug ceramic cracked and fell in to the cylinder on a trip (known design flaw) ruining the motor. Truck went from being worth $13k to $1k in a few seconds.

Needed something quick after that happened, so bought a used 2013 ecoboost with 6.5 bed, max tow package, FX4, etc. I love the truck, and it tows great. Apparently, though, the manifolds can't handle it. After a year of minor towing (3k camper), one manifold warped and cost me about $1k to replace. About a year and a half later, after doing some more towing and hauling a truck camper the both sides have warped, both will need replaced at about $1k/ea (everywhere I've talked to locally has given me the same estimate).

I don't want to keep replacing them so I want to upgrade, these are my needs:

- Reliability. I want to buy something new and own if for the next decade at least without constant fixes or horrible "known issues" that the manufacturer doesn't address.
- I need to be able to tow 8k-9k lbs (travel trailer) on shorter (<250 mile) trips and the occasional long trip.
- I need a crew cab as it is me, wife, 2 kids, dog
- No plans for a truck camper, so don't need a super high payload
- Would really like at least a rear locker, have used mine on the FX4 a fair number of times and it's invaluable when it is needed.
- Gas. This will be my DD and I don't really care about mileage. For reference my 05 F150 average about 12mpg everywhere and this "eco" boost is around 15mpg avg.
- My wife said "no more Fords", so there's that.

The PW seems to have everything I want/need. The 6.4 seems to be reliable with minimal issues. On here and elsewhere I've seen many praise their PW reliability.

My other, and probably more favored, choice would be an F250 FX4 package with 6.2, but my track record with Fords has my wife and I slightly jaded.
The only negative to the Power Wagon might be its half ton payload rating... altho they base it on the 2500 pickup thanks to its off road capability and articulation ability it is not rated to carry 2500 series loads. But since to say payload is not an issue and your previous trucks are half ton..... this would be an incredible option.

I'd definitely do it.

ps, the Power Wagon is the Rubicon of pickups and comparing it to a Honda Ridgeline is plain retarded...... like see how far the Ridgeline can follow a Power Wagon off road. Like comparing any Lexus to a Wrangler Rubicon lol.

The Power Wagon is the most capable, bullet proof full size pickup Made In America.
 
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