2011 Ram Build

[t4rFL]

Past couple of years i've been building my 4runner for overland travel. i have a 2011 Ram 1500 i use daily and towing. I've done a few mods to it and after taking it on a trip for 1600 miles i am now wanting to build this up too for overlanding. for the past year I've been planning a trip to explore Maine. i need a lot of work to get my 4runner ready for it, so i decided to take the more comfortable and better fuel range truck. so since i am starting to buy more mods for the Ram, i decided to begin a build thread for it, just to keep track of everything.

Here it is after i bought it, almost a year ago....September 2016.
DSC_8075 by Mike, on Flickr
DSC_8090 by Mike, on Flickr
DSC_8071 by Mike, on Flickr

2011 Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4
5.7L Hemi V8
3.55 gears
265/70/17 BFG KO tires
112k miles Sep. 2016 (126k miles Aug. 2017)

So far I installed an Access Tonnuea cover, shorty antenna, Swingcase tool box, windows deflectors, tinted front windows, interior LEDs, factory tow hooks, Kenwood radio w/ GPS, full Husky liners, battery replaced July 2017.

2017-05-27 13.44.21 by Mike, on Flickr

2017-05-22 11.49.36 by Mike, on Flickr

2016-10-15 15.53.48 by Mike, on Flickr

2016-10-15 15.53.24 by Mike, on Flickr

Most recent pic, i painted the front bumper to get rid of some of that chrome, i plan on doing the rear soon.
DSC_9060 by Mike, on Flickr

 

[t4rFL]

So my next trip is coming up in a month, i already have some things in the garage waiting to be installed and some more things that haven't been delivered yet.

I upgraded my dim headlights to LED's from Headlight Revolution, i have new headlight housings that are black. i also have flood lights i want to flush mount to the rear bumper. Just ordered the Bilstein Level Kit, Powerstop brake kit (i think my rotors are warped), rubber bed mat as i do not have a bedliner. i plan on getting a topper for the bed and adding a winch. a bumper isn't in the budget right now, so i purchased a winch brush guard for now.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Man, that is one good looking truck! :drool:

What did you do to get the paint to stick over the chrome?
I've got some chrome I'd like to paint as well. But I've never had good luck with longevity.
Thanks for the insight. Will look forward to following along on this build. :beer:

 

[t4rFL]

Thanks Scott. All i did was clean it with acetone, scuff the chrome up a bit with sand paper, applied a few coats of primer and a few coats of paint. i did a real quick job on it but when i took it on my last trip for 3 days it held up great, no chips in the paint. when it comes to DIY work i am not a perfectionist, if i need to touch it up in the future, that's fine for me.

Today i decided to check out a bed cap I've been looking at on craigslist, in great condition and a perfect color match. it was used, so affordable.
2017-08-28 14.10.43 by Mike, on Flickr

2017-08-28 14.29.19 by Mike, on Flickr

2017-08-28 14.35.38 by Mike, on Flickr

2017-08-28 14.44.10 by Mike, on Flickr

2017-08-28 16.42.05 by Mike, on Flickr

 

[Comanche Scott]

Thanks for the insight on the paint work. :beer:

I like the way the cap follows the cab line. Looks really clean. Also like those big side windows!

 

[t4rFL]

cleaned the bed up and installed a rubber bed mat. i bought a cheap cot to test out camping in the back. have a few days off this week to go camping.

 

[malibubts]

Nice looking Ram!

How do you like the KO2? Looks like you stuck with the stock size, are you at stock ride height as well?

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk

 

[D45]

Cheaper, used caps are the only way to go

I can't see spending $1500-$3000 on a cap

Good job

 

[t4rFL]

The tires came with the truck when i bought it. 3 of them are KO and one is a KO2 (don't notice a different tread). so far they are good enough for what i was using it for, pretty much the only off-road I've done up until now is some sugar sand. when i upgrade the tires i will get a more aggressive A/T possibly the Cooper ST Maxx I have on my 4runner.

Just today I had the 2.1 Bilstein level installed. when it came off the lift the front was 1/4" higher then the rear, i guess the weight of the cap lowered it from when i last measured. i'm not too worried about it because i'll be adding almost 200lbs to the front soon with a winch and grille guard, so it should settle.

 

[t4rFL]

September 4-5, 2017

Went camping Labor Day into the next day. as soon as i got to the woods a heavy rain storm rolled in. but later cleared up....i wanted to test out my new setup and see what i need and don't need.
2017-09-04 16.19.33 by Mike, on Flickr

DSC_9062 by Mike, on Flickr

DSC_9061 by Mike, on Flickr

DSC_9064 by Mike, on Flickr

2017-09-04 19.26.56 by Mike, on Flickr

2017-09-05 07.54.21 by Mike, on Flickr

once i got to camp i found 2 wet areas inside the bed. one was right where the tailgate is, this would probably be fixed by a weatherstrip for the tailgate. the other wet areas were in the front corners of the bed, not sure how it leaked in there, except the truck bed has a bunch of holes only some with drain plugs in them. my cot wasn't wet except right at the foot end where the tailgate is. i will also need to repair the screens on the sliding windows. they both have very small holes in them. i had a mosquito as a guest that night. other then that everything was good with the setup for now. early on i did get attacked by red ants gathering firewood.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Sounds like a fun trip, minus the red ants

I saw this tailgate weather strip kit, and am considering it as well.
https://www.genosgarage.com/product/agri-30946/tailgate

Did you get any scuff marks from the Trasharoo?

That cap looks excellent! :beer:

 

[O.R.T.]

*Subscribed* So I catch the updates either way, here or over in RF.

 

[t4rFL]

Sounds like a fun trip, minus the red ants

I saw this tailgate weather strip kit, and am considering it as well.
https://www.genosgarage.com/product/agri-30946/tailgate

Did you get any scuff marks from the Trasharoo?

That cap looks excellent! :beer:

Thanks....no scuff marks

*Subscribed* So I catch the updates either way, here or over in RF.

Thanks!

 

[Comanche Scott]

Thanks....no scuff marks

Excellent! :victory:

 

[t4rFL]

The day before Hurricane Irma hit I installed a Go Rhino Winch Guard. By the time i finished the 2 local places to buy a winch were closing, so no winch yet. And i'll get better pics once i put a winch on.