Looking at a new Dodge, help me decide!!! (Power Wagon vs Cummins)

[Power Wagon Family]

What we ended up with...

2012 Dodge 2500 Megacab Laramie Cummins and a few months later got the fifth wheel, a 2013 Winnebago BH model :Wow1: We are loving it
View attachment 153912View attachment 153913
and when we want to go expo style

 

[Power Wagon Family]

Dont think the first two pic's worked so here they are...

 

[87GMCJimmy]

Sorry it's been a while since I have been on here y'all! My internet is down at my house. : (

Rock-eater: Nice rigs!!!

Crismateski: That Mercenary offroad truck is SICK! I'd really like a bumper like that for my truck!!!3

n2dfire: Thanks for the pics of how you had to modify your skids! I'm hoping I can get away with no mods or maybe just a little notch to clear mine since only 1" lift, we'll see!

Inline6: Thanks for the tire size comparo! Looks like they measure up closer than I would have guessed!

ripperj: They said I will lose 1" of downtravel using the stock shock since I will be gaining 1" lift. I think it'll be worth it to run with 1" less travel for a little while to let my poor credit card have a while to cool off! LOL!

boostednelson: I don't TECHNICALLY "need" the lockers and winch BUT, I have been making good use of them! I just enjoy hobbies that involve the use of them (I don't have a job where I need the truck for work)- I've used the winch twice (once pulling a downed tree and once pulling fence posts (both were helping with trail maintenance)) and I have used the lockers this weekend and last weekend riding around on the trail! (Spent about 3 hours today in four low with the rear diff locked most of the time and the front locked some of the time, could have made it without them but, they made the difference between romping through and driving elegantly, LOL!)


So, I think I am going to just go ahead and run my 37's for now and save the 40's idea for when I have more $$$ to do it right. It's a cool idea, IMO (after all, I thought of it, LOL!) but, for now it's just not in the cards.

Here's the plan for now:
37x12.50R17 MTRKs (they've been sitting in my garage for quite some time now!) on stock wheels
3" Carli coils for 1" lift
Thuren control arms, trackbar, and rear shackles
stock shocks for now, to save money for:
modifying my Aluminess sliders to be frame mount instead of body mount (they mount to the rockers now, and though they have saved me from major damage many a time, being body mounted, they are causing minor damage. (preventing visible major damage while allowing minor hard to see damage) They saved my door today!
A custom front bumper, for better clearance- the stock cowcatcher is driving me crazy, LOL!

I got a nice flex pic at Uwharrie today and I have been trying like crazy to load it but, the computer I am on here at school has crap for photo editing on it so, looks like no pics until my internet at my house works. : (
Had some minor damage last weekend when I wheeled the backside of Daniel trail at Uwharrie:
Cracked my passenger side mirror (narrow spot)
Destroyed my passenger side front hub cap (odd rock, been meaning to take off my hubcaps, guess I should have!)
Mangled my exhaust tip (didn't see just how much of a drop off a rock)
Backed into a tree and dented my bumper (was getting off the trail into a turnoff so a big group that was coming up hill could get by me)
A good bit of pin striping (wide truck, narrow trail)
Some extra scrapes and dents on my skidplates! And some extra scrapes on my sliders! LOL!

The Power Wagon is a ************ wheeler in stock form and I have been enjoying the heck out of it on the trails! (This month for example: After this coming weekend, I will have wheeled it 3 out of 4 weekends!) It has surprised some people (including me!), it now has a nickname from a Jeeper friend- "the Trail Whale", LOL!

To my original question in this thread: Sometimes when driving around town, I bemoan the fact that I didn't buy the stickshift Cummins Ram but, I wouldn't be having near this amount of out of the box offroading fun if I had! IMHO, I made the right choice!

 

[87GMCJimmy]

Figured it was time for a little bit of an update:
I am waiting on my new suspension to arrive, decided to go as all out as I could afford:
Carli 2.5 performance suspension system:
2.5" body remote reservoir custom valved King shocks with stainless shafts for front and rear
Carli fabricated shock towers (to run normal shocks instead of stock style pintops)
Carli control arms
Carli (Deaver) rear replacement springs
Carli track bar
Carli front diff guard
DTProfab steering box brace
Dodge Offroad rear diff cover
Thuren rear leaf spring shackles

Can't wait 'til everything comes in and I get it bolted on!!!!!!!

In the mean time, I bought a matching spare Power Wagon wheel and test fit one of my 37s with everything stock so, here's a couple pics:


Looks like a bad photoshop, LOL!:


Stock tire (metric 33) vs 37:


Tread vs tread:


It's a bit tight:


But DANG, it looks mean!:

 

[Inline6]

Lookin sweet

Thinking your control arms will help with the close fit, as I recall they are a bit longer.

To make my 37s fit I did some minor fender mods, not sure if the underlying fenders are the same. Basically I opened up a couple of the lower fender mounting holes and pulled the fender back as far as I could without hitting the door. Then bent over the pinch weld.

Not noticeable at all once done. But your control arms should remove the need for this type of mod.

 

[87GMCJimmy]

Inline6- thanks for the pics!!!
Yes, the Carli control arms are 1/2" longer than stock so that should help some. Also, I will be keeping my stock wheels so, that should alleviate a LOT of potential fender contact issues! I am also glad that the Carli arms give some extra tire clearance in regards to the arms themselves, as this is full lock steering with 37s and the stock arms! (notice the arms are in the voids of the tread!)
Upper:

Lower:

 

[Inline6]

No prob

I went away from the stock wheels to the H2 to help in this area as well. I need to build some new arms for the dodge one of these days.

I presume the carli arms are 1/2 longer upper and lowers, but never asked. Otherwise alignment issues would arise.

 

[crismateski]

The thuren arms are also a half inch longer (like the carli) but the Thurens have a bend to them to help give a little extra clearance

 

[87GMCJimmy]

No prob

I went away from the stock wheels to the H2 to help in this area as well. I need to build some new arms for the dodge one of these days.

I presume the carli arms are 1/2 longer upper and lowers, but never asked. Otherwise alignment issues would arise.

I presume that as well! I never thought to ask!

The thuren arms are also a half inch longer (like the carli) but the Thurens have a bend to them to help give a little extra clearance

View attachment 186146

Funny you should mention Thurens, as I was debating heavily between going all Thuren and all Carli! I was just thinking about this today- I decided to go all Carli since their turnaround time on orders seemed possibly quicker, well.... I have been waiting over a month thus far! : (

 

[crismateski]

you can mix them. I am planning on doing the carli setup with the Thuren arms and rear shackles. It will be a bit down the road as I have to do it in pieces to make it "affordable"

 

[87GMCJimmy]

you can mix them. I am planning on doing the carli setup with the Thuren arms and rear shackles. It will be a bit down the road as I have to do it in pieces to make it "affordable"

I got Thuren shackles as well, they are BEEFY!!! They look to be well worth the $$$, definitely well made!!! :beer:

I kinda jumped in with both feet on my suspension, ended up spending dang near double what I had originally intended!

 

[crismateski]

not to hijack the thread too much, but my plan at this point is to start with the track bar and probably the thuren overland shocks, then carli control arms and springs, by then the overland shocks will probably be worn out and ready to upgrade

I am looking forward to your thoughts on the system and what if anything you would do differently once you get it installed

 

[Inline6]

Rokmen makes arms for the dodge as well. They are adjustable as well. For what it's worth.

 

[87GMCJimmy]

not to hijack the thread too much, but my plan at this point is to start with the track bar and probably the thuren overland shocks, then carli control arms and springs, by then the overland shocks will probably be worn out and ready to upgrade

I am looking forward to your thoughts on the system and what if anything you would do differently once you get it installed

Sounds like a plan to me!!! I was contemplating going Thuren for everything except for the coils, Don himself recommended that I use Carli's coils for my truck. That's an awesome guy right there- if he feels there's something that will work better for you, he'll recommend it, even if it is his competitor's part!!! I'd say you truly cannot go wrong between Carli and Thuren! Great products and great customer service with both! Now I just wish my Carli stuff would hurry up and get here! (my Thuren shackles have been here for weeks, and I ordered them after my Carli stuff!)

I'll definitely keep this thread updated with info about the suspension install and on/off road performance!!! It's looking like I may be installing on the first or second weekend of October.

Rokmen makes arms for the dodge as well. They are adjustable as well. For what it's worth.

Thanks for the heads up! Those look BEEFY!!!

 

[87GMCJimmy]

Just checked my email, my Carli parts just shipped out yesterday!!!!!!
Carli 2.5 performance with a couple add-ons:
MIG/mild steel control arms, fabbed towers, full rear leaf springs, stainless shock shafts
Can't wait for them to get here! Coming from Cali via Brown Santa!!!