2009 Dodge Ram - Considering Building - Searching for Answers

[Gohere]

Like the title says, it is a 2009 Dodge Ram Laramie with the 5.7L HEMI, 4x4, QCSB (correct nomenclature there? Quad Cab Short Bed). I have one picture from when we went camping on Tybee Island in Savannah, GA. (Won't let me upload.)

My mom drove it from the day it drove off the lot, to now, and it only has 73k on the clock, which is not an extremely low mileage, but it's a clean truck. She had the headunit replaced (Pioneer AVIC-5201NEX w/ backup camera) as well as the seats recovered with katzkin leather, the drivers seat had a fairly large rip in the bolster. Front weather tech mats, she put the rears in her 2017 Ram, couldn't take the fronts due to the '17 having a center console, rather than the bench in the 2009. Lastly it has a bakflip tri fold tonneau cover. All this was done in the last two years. Maintenance has been done regularly, and often by me. I've also driven this truck on multiple 1000 miles trips, one was very close to 2000 miles.

My list for a basic expedition vehicle:

1. Armor
- Front Bumper
- Rear Bumper (With rear tire carrier possibly)
- Sliders
- Skid plates
2. Recovery
- Winch
- Winch Accessories
- Traction Aids
3. Camping Gear
- Tent
- Camp Chairs
- Some way to cook food
- Igloo Sportsman 50 (DONE)
4. Tires
5. Lights
- Camp lights
- Small light bar
- Projector housings for head lights
6. Storage system

"Wish List items"

7. Lift
- Some form of leveling kit that upgrades to coilovers up front, and a nice riding shock in the rear
8. RTT (with bed rack)
9. Outdoor shower
- Fiance considers this a necessity
10. Fridge
11. On board air
12. Rear locker


With this in mind, I've been looking at the aftermarket support for these trucks. Seems limited, considering I've been thinking about buying a 3rd gen 4runner, 2nd gen Xterra, and a GX470. I've searched through the forums here, but I can really only find build threads when I'm looking for product information from real users. Also, I know there has to be a dedicated forum for 4th gen Rams for offroading.

So my questions are:

1. Any forum recommendations?
2. Gear recommendations? (Anything on that list above that is specific to a 4th Gen Ram)
3. Has anyone had experience with black horse bumpers? They seem too good to be true, they look great AND they are priced fairly cheap. Looking for real reviews.
4. Any good projector headlights for this truck?
5. Is there a rear tire carrier on the market for these trucks?
6. For those of you that own and explore with these trucks, what is your one must have item specific to the truck?

 

[Regcabguy]

Contact Thuren or Carli regarding your suspension.
You already have a four link coil suspension up front. They can dial it in.
Keep your bumper as light as possible. Lots of aftermarket support for your truck.

 

[Gohere]

Contact Thuren or Carli regarding your suspension.
You already have a four link coil suspension up front. They can dial it in.
Keep your bumper as light as possible. Lots of aftermarket support for your truck.

I'll keep them in mind for suspension! Thanks.

Any recommendations at what brands are good for bumpers?

 

[warrpath4x4]

i dont have any name brand recommendations for bumpers for the simple fact that anything for a full-size is way to expensive for me to buy. I build my own, but if you dont have the tools and know how i recommend finding a fab shop that builds flatbeds, most of them around here build bumpers too. Before i had the tools i had a bed lined winch bumper with wrap around brush guard, for my 98 dodge built and it was $600

a lot of people are buying the "move" brand bumpers but to my knowledge it is a weld it yourself kit.

 

[Gohere]

i dont have any name brand recommendations for bumpers for the simple fact that anything for a full-size is way to expensive for me to buy. I build my own, but if you dont have the tools and know how i recommend finding a fab shop that builds flatbeds, most of them around here build bumpers too. Before i had the tools i had a bed lined winch bumper with wrap around brush guard, for my 98 dodge built and it was $600

a lot of people are buying the "move" brand bumpers but to my knowledge it is a weld it yourself kit.

THIS is the kind of recommendation I am looking for. Wow, MOVE bumpers look great and I have a great local welder!

 

[Ducky's Dad]

You probably don't need "armor", except for a place to mount the winch. You probably don't need much of a lift, if any. You can probably get a set of skid plates off a wrecked Power Wagon, should bolt right on if yours is a 2500. If it's a 1500, you can probably adapt the plates. If you want a winch and a fridge, you will need a Group 31 battery in the engine compartment as a minimum, and a dual/triple battery would be better. If you are planning to mount the fridge on the folding rear seat platform in the Quad Cab, the best physical fits there are the Indel B 51, the ARB 50, or the Dometic CFX50. Think about possibly adding a solar panel down the line. See which alternator that truck has, and think about upgrading to a bigger OEM or aftermarket alternator. For traction aids, get a pair of MaxTrax. If this truck does have a limited slip differential, you may decide you don't need a rear locker, but OBA is nice to have anyway. Get a Hi-Lift. Your factory headlights suck. My projector HIDs came from RetroShop and are much better than stock, but there have been some irritating failures (dead ballast and fried connectors). If your truck has factory fog lights, they are probably Hella. Best upgrade there is to pop in a pair of halogen infrared (HIR) capsules. For tires, Toyos are hard to beat, but everybody has their own opinion. Even if yours is a 1500, get Load Range E tires, and avoid all BFGs if it's a 2500. If you have 8-bolt hubs, look for a set of used PW wheels to get the inner bead retainer. An 8-bolt budget alternative is the Hummer H2 wheel with the bead retainer, but you'll have to get the center holes professionally machined to fit the Dodge hubs. Sliders are nice, but not necessary unless you are doing rocks and tree stumps. Consider a set of nerf steps like N-Fab. For the shower, plan a water tank on the rack that carries the RTT.

 

[Gohere]

You probably don't need "armor", except for a place to mount the winch. You probably don't need much of a lift, if any. You can probably get a set of skid plates off a wrecked Power Wagon, should bolt right on if yours is a 2500. If it's a 1500, you can probably adapt the plates. If you want a winch and a fridge, you will need a Group 31 battery in the engine compartment as a minimum, and a dual/triple battery would be better. If you are planning to mount the fridge on the folding rear seat platform in the Quad Cab, the best physical fits there are the Indel B 51, the ARB 50, or the Dometic CFX50. Think about possibly adding a solar panel down the line. See which alternator that truck has, and think about upgrading to a bigger OEM or aftermarket alternator. For traction aids, get a pair of MaxTrax. If this truck does have a limited slip differential, you may decide you don't need a rear locker, but OBA is nice to have anyway. Get a Hi-Lift. Your factory headlights suck. My projector HIDs came from RetroShop and are much better than stock, but there have been some irritating failures (dead ballast and fried connectors). If your truck has factory fog lights, they are probably Hella. Best upgrade there is to pop in a pair of halogen infrared (HIR) capsules. For tires, Toyos are hard to beat, but everybody has their own opinion. Even if yours is a 1500, get Load Range E tires, and avoid all BFGs if it's a 2500. If you have 8-bolt hubs, look for a set of used PW wheels to get the inner bead retainer. An 8-bolt budget alternative is the Hummer H2 wheel with the bead retainer, but you'll have to get the center holes professionally machined to fit the Dodge hubs. Sliders are nice, but not necessary unless you are doing rocks and tree stumps. Consider a set of nerf steps like N-Fab. For the shower, plan a water tank on the rack that carries the RTT.

Thanks for your input! I'll have to agree and disagree on the armor, and protection comment. I did not state the full intent with this build, which is an oversight considering what I was asking for. I live in the southeast, so rocks, trees, and other hazards are plentiful. I'd like some protection on mild-moderate trails, as well as a place for a winch, and the option for storage on the rear bumper. That being said, this will be a test and decide kind of vehicle, and I may decide where I want to go, may not require armor.

My truck is a 1500, so if I can find some PW skids cheap, I'll take a shot at modifying.

No LSD, and as I said, rear locker is a wishful item, but not required. We will see with time.

As for the rest of your recommendations, thank you! I appreciate it all.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well, when it comes to mods my belief is strongly "less is more." IOW, don't modify just because somebody (or some web board ) says you should. Every modification should have a justification.

Rear tire carrier? Why? What is it that your factory tire carrier can't do that a rear tire carrier would? Are you certain that your desired tire size WON'T fit in the stock location?

Ditto for the armor. What is it that you CAN'T do now that you think armor will enable you to do?

Same question on the projector beam lights: Is this a "cool factor" thing or is there some genuine capability that you don't have that a projector beam will give you?

I know big light bars are a cheap way to make vehicles look "salty" but do you do that much off roading at night? I can understand wanting to have some auxiliary lights for camping during Spring, Winter and Fall when it gets dark at 5:00, or if there's an emergency and you have to leave in the middle of the night, but I think it's easy to go overboard on lighting just because there are so many low cost options out there - again I'd ask, what is necessary for YOUR intended use?

Personally, I don't get the RTT + bed rack thing on a full size pickup. Seems to me a used fiberglass shell will get you a roomier, more comfortable, and more durable sleeping area at a fraction of the price of a RTT + bed rack combo, but maybe that's just me.

WRT the lift, I'd choose a tire size and then match the lift to that tire size. No need to put 6" of lift (and all the negatives that comes with including increased CV joint wear) if you're only going to be running 33's. And IMO there's no need to run 35's if 33's will do what you need to do - again, less is more. The closer to stock you keep your truck the longer it will last. Since you're in the Southeast I presume you'll be running MT's rather than AT tires?

To sum up, rather than starting with the truck and saying "what do I need to modify?" I'd say a better move would be to just start using your truck and then when you run into a limitation imposed by the current setup, look to modifying based on your actual needs, not what someone else thinks you should do with your truck.

 

[Gohere]

Well, when it comes to mods my belief is strongly "less is more." IOW, don't modify just because somebody (or some web board ) says you should. Every modification should have a justification.

Rear tire carrier? Why? What is it that your factory tire carrier can't do that a rear tire carrier would? Are you certain that your desired tire size WON'T fit in the stock location?

Ditto for the armor. What is it that you CAN'T do now that you think armor will enable you to do?

Same question on the projector beam lights: Is this a "cool factor" thing or is there some genuine capability that you don't have that a projector beam will give you?

I know big light bars are a cheap way to make vehicles look "salty" but do you do that much off roading at night? I can understand wanting to have some auxiliary lights for camping during Spring, Winter and Fall when it gets dark at 5:00, or if there's an emergency and you have to leave in the middle of the night, but I think it's easy to go overboard on lighting just because there are so many low cost options out there - again I'd ask, what is necessary for YOUR intended use?

Personally, I don't get the RTT + bed rack thing on a full size pickup. Seems to me a used fiberglass shell will get you a roomier, more comfortable, and more durable sleeping area at a fraction of the price of a RTT + bed rack combo, but maybe that's just me.

WRT the lift, I'd choose a tire size and then match the lift to that tire size. No need to put 6" of lift (and all the negatives that comes with including increased CV joint wear) if you're only going to be running 33's. And IMO there's no need to run 35's if 33's will do what you need to do - again, less is more. The closer to stock you keep your truck the longer it will last. Since you're in the Southeast I presume you'll be running MT's rather than AT tires?

To sum up, rather than starting with the truck and saying "what do I need to modify?" I'd say a better move would be to just start using your truck and then when you run into a limitation imposed by the current setup, look to modifying based on your actual needs, not what someone else thinks you should do with your truck.

I agree with most of what you said. I stand strong on the belief that it is better to have armor and not need it, rather than need armor and not have it. I may be wrong, but I'll be happy. Also, trails are very tight where I am, Alabama is in the mid 70% range for forested land, so we have a lot of trees. I've wheeled stock vehicles and taken body damage. That may be due to my driving, but still, armor is a necessity IMHO. Though I will likely take it out and try it, before I buy too much.

I'm not a form over function kind of guy, but I will choose products based on how they look, after evaluating how they perform. I will say I am reevaluating the rear tire carrier, based on the length of the truck, and our tight trails around here. Something to think about, and swing back to in the future.

Light bars are not very cool to me. I do a lot of work outside, and have needed a bunch of light. You can almost always catch me with my overpowered flashlight and/or a headlamp, working outside in the dark. I'm thinking light bars or pods would be beneficial, and if not, they can be removed and sold. But to answer your question, no, not likely to be used for offroading at night, and if I was going to be doing that, rock lights/flood lights that shine close to the truck would be more useful, again, tight trails, slow moving, no need to throw light 100 yards away.

RTT vs fiberglass shell: My thoughts on the matter generally revolve around storage and planning for extended stays. Dogs play an important role in this, and I'm still figuring it out. Thank you for giving me another point of view. Also, my fiance hates the looks of shells, small factor, not a deciding factor, but a factor none the less.

Missed projector headlights: Simple answer, stock headlights of these trucks suck. I was driving home last night and it was overcast and rainy and I couldn't see my beam on the road. My fiance asked the same question as you, "why do you need them?" Well last night, she didn't even hesitate when she saw how bad they are. More over I WILL NOT put HIDs in reflector housings. Alabama has too many high-schoolers driving with HIDs in their stock housings and its blinding to be in front of them. I promised myself I would be responsible when modifying my truck, as to avoid that. Meaning no HIDs in reflector housings and properly adjusting my headlights after a lift/level. So maybe a decent set of projectors + a swap to LEDs would be beneficial.

100% agree on the lift. Lift would be a leveling kit, with coilovers in the front and comfy shocks and upgraded load springs in the rear (if there are any upgraded load springs for this truck).

Tires would be 32-33in. Probably mud terrain, based on my area. This is our 3rd week of rain almost everyday. Can't really avoid the mud.

Thank you for your input, definitely gave me somethings to think about.

 

[ttengineer]

So I used to have a 2009 1500 and drove it for 8 years until I upgraded to a 3500.

Here are some of my thoughts:

Lift - do not go over a 35” tire. The rear end is just not large enough to handle anything bigger. Look into Carli’s new offering for the 1500 with king shocks. It will completely change the way you look at suspension. Also look into AEVs 1500 kit.

If you want to level the truck, I’d go look at kings website and buy a set of their stock replacement units. You can fit 35s in a leveled ram but you won’t have a lot of room. I’d stay below a 34 if leveled.

Armor and bumpers - check out Randy Ellis Sleekster rails. They mount to the rocker panel and will support the weight of the truck.
As for a bumper it’s hard to beat the form and function of the AEV bumper or the new expedition one bumper (also available in a rear with tire carrier)

Tires - stick with Tokyo and Nitto






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