Ram 2500 Rebel
- Thread starter jbaucom
- Start date
Todd780
OverCamper
Yup. I'm thinking it's a F250 Tremor competitor? Mixes a little of the off road chops from the Power Wagon with more payload?
I don't know if there will be a 3500 version of the Rebel HD for those that may want leaf springs and more payload vs what the coil sprung 2500 would offer.
COAKXterra
Well-known member
Reviving this as I debate a step forward in relation to the Rebel 2500s with our PW….
First things first…. My bro-in-law just picked up a 2025 rebel 2500 with the diesel and was shocked to see his payload at 1943lbs. Something something “why did you get a diesel?” Yeesh.
Meanwhile, I was tracking a gas version arriving in Anchorage and when it arrived, went and opened the door to check stickers and grab a VIN (more on that in a minute). A pretty respectable 2741lbs, all for the low low price of nearly $80k. Meanwhile, no front locker or winch.
Got to talking with a salesman about my “situation”, and of course he started wanting me to trade in my PW. But the push-button t-case and lack of winch/front locker were non-starters for me, let alone buying a new truck when mine hits almost all the marks perfect. Almost.
So onto my reason for grabbing a VIN from the rebel. Hear me out…. My PW has 90k on it and runs great and still checks almost all the right boxes. I don’t want another truck, plus no car payment. But I fully recognize the limiting factor/PITA of the PW is the payload (ours is 1369lbs).
But we are changing our “camping” set up. The better half wanted to be able to explore-lite up here in Alaska with our kiddo during the parts of summer while I’m away at work, with two caveats…. 1) no set-up, take down (see our habitat sale ad three years ago for details on that), and 2) heat.
That basically leads one direction. Slide in. So we shopped and looked and debated and read and looked some more. Down days at work were spent leafing through every forum thread etc I could find. We have several friends with the Cache Camper fishhook and after looking into it, comparing it against others in that category of “light weight and basic”, and visiting their shop here (each is built here in Alaska), we pulled the trigger. Their design lead even showed me a pic of one attached to a PW supposedly with no suspension mod for “salesman purposes”. Ha.
https://cachecamper.com/models/fishhook/
“Well, dumb dumb McOverGross… we see where you’re going with this, so what’s that weigh?” ~ExPo members
Estimated just shy of 1500lbs conservatively with 5gal of water and a full propane tank as we equipped (very basic, see wife’s list of needs above).
Yes. I see the hurdle. That alone is 100lbs over my payload. Add 750ish for us and our gear. So why the VIN on the gasser rebel? Well, that camper is 1200lbs UNDER the rebel, which minus the coils is effectively the same truck. I’ll just say I don’t want airbags for various reasons. Buuuutttt….
I have a thought. And hear me out. First, I recognize that all this does not change my door sticker number. Second, I have already bought and installed the Hellwig HD rear sway bar, and Thuren HD links were just dropped off at my door this morning to assist with sway due to the inboard coil mounting. While I was grabbing the VIN on the rebel, I threw a tape measure from center of hub cap to fender flare and that truck sits within 1/4 to 1/2 inch of my PW. I’ll still be within my axle and tire ratings (see another post where that one time I ended up being 900lbs over stickered GVWR and rolling across scales for reference).
“Dude… Get to it already, I’m reading this at work and have other threads to catch up on. You want to use Rebel 2500 coils using that VIN, put onto your PW to effectively increase your practical payload, right?” ~ ExPo members
Yep. That’s exactly it. I don’t need/want a lift since I’ll never put bigger than an 35” tire on, and I don’t want airbags. But I don’t mind spending a few grand to get set up better. Getting heavier-duty factory coils from the mopar gods that appear to match my truck’s profile/curb weight seems like a reasonable option, accepting the stiffer ride unloaded. So is it?? Is it even possible? From what I’ve seen and heard, the modern 2500 coils are effectively interchangeable, usually matched to a VIN for truck configuration right? So… Turn my PW into a “rebel with all the true PW toys” on a truck I love (and own)?
“You’re an idiot” ~people
Likely. Or am I? Haha
Math:
My PW: GVWR = 8565 / Payload = 1369 / est curb weight = 7196lbs
Rebel gas: GVWR = 10000 / Payload = 2741 / est curb weight = 7259lbs
Rebel diesel: GVWR = 10190 / Payload = 1943 / est curb weight = 8247lbs
First things first…. My bro-in-law just picked up a 2025 rebel 2500 with the diesel and was shocked to see his payload at 1943lbs. Something something “why did you get a diesel?” Yeesh.
Meanwhile, I was tracking a gas version arriving in Anchorage and when it arrived, went and opened the door to check stickers and grab a VIN (more on that in a minute). A pretty respectable 2741lbs, all for the low low price of nearly $80k. Meanwhile, no front locker or winch.
Got to talking with a salesman about my “situation”, and of course he started wanting me to trade in my PW. But the push-button t-case and lack of winch/front locker were non-starters for me, let alone buying a new truck when mine hits almost all the marks perfect. Almost.
So onto my reason for grabbing a VIN from the rebel. Hear me out…. My PW has 90k on it and runs great and still checks almost all the right boxes. I don’t want another truck, plus no car payment. But I fully recognize the limiting factor/PITA of the PW is the payload (ours is 1369lbs).
But we are changing our “camping” set up. The better half wanted to be able to explore-lite up here in Alaska with our kiddo during the parts of summer while I’m away at work, with two caveats…. 1) no set-up, take down (see our habitat sale ad three years ago for details on that), and 2) heat.
That basically leads one direction. Slide in. So we shopped and looked and debated and read and looked some more. Down days at work were spent leafing through every forum thread etc I could find. We have several friends with the Cache Camper fishhook and after looking into it, comparing it against others in that category of “light weight and basic”, and visiting their shop here (each is built here in Alaska), we pulled the trigger. Their design lead even showed me a pic of one attached to a PW supposedly with no suspension mod for “salesman purposes”. Ha.
https://cachecamper.com/models/fishhook/
“Well, dumb dumb McOverGross… we see where you’re going with this, so what’s that weigh?” ~ExPo members
Estimated just shy of 1500lbs conservatively with 5gal of water and a full propane tank as we equipped (very basic, see wife’s list of needs above).
Yes. I see the hurdle. That alone is 100lbs over my payload. Add 750ish for us and our gear. So why the VIN on the gasser rebel? Well, that camper is 1200lbs UNDER the rebel, which minus the coils is effectively the same truck. I’ll just say I don’t want airbags for various reasons. Buuuutttt….
I have a thought. And hear me out. First, I recognize that all this does not change my door sticker number. Second, I have already bought and installed the Hellwig HD rear sway bar, and Thuren HD links were just dropped off at my door this morning to assist with sway due to the inboard coil mounting. While I was grabbing the VIN on the rebel, I threw a tape measure from center of hub cap to fender flare and that truck sits within 1/4 to 1/2 inch of my PW. I’ll still be within my axle and tire ratings (see another post where that one time I ended up being 900lbs over stickered GVWR and rolling across scales for reference).
“Dude… Get to it already, I’m reading this at work and have other threads to catch up on. You want to use Rebel 2500 coils using that VIN, put onto your PW to effectively increase your practical payload, right?” ~ ExPo members
Yep. That’s exactly it. I don’t need/want a lift since I’ll never put bigger than an 35” tire on, and I don’t want airbags. But I don’t mind spending a few grand to get set up better. Getting heavier-duty factory coils from the mopar gods that appear to match my truck’s profile/curb weight seems like a reasonable option, accepting the stiffer ride unloaded. So is it?? Is it even possible? From what I’ve seen and heard, the modern 2500 coils are effectively interchangeable, usually matched to a VIN for truck configuration right? So… Turn my PW into a “rebel with all the true PW toys” on a truck I love (and own)?
“You’re an idiot” ~people
Likely. Or am I? Haha
Math:
My PW: GVWR = 8565 / Payload = 1369 / est curb weight = 7196lbs
Rebel gas: GVWR = 10000 / Payload = 2741 / est curb weight = 7259lbs
Rebel diesel: GVWR = 10190 / Payload = 1943 / est curb weight = 8247lbs
Last edited:
tacollie
Glamper
I say get the heavier coils and install the the heavier rear sway bar. The biggest issue the RAM 2500s have when carrying a camper is the where the coils are located on the truck. While the Rebel might solve your payload issue, it's not going to solve the engineering issue. If anything a Tremor is probably a better compromise than the Rebel.
COAKXterra
Well-known member
Yep. Got the sway bar and links in first since I knew that was in play. Quite a difference in roll even empty.
Yeah, figured worth playing with. Appreciate the vote.
@COAKXterra I have a 22’ Ram 2500 Big horn with the CTD. May door jam payload was 2200lbs. I have a flatbed hardside camper on it and I’m scared to weigh it but I’d estimate it weighs 1800lbs or so. My flatbed is aluminum is was only a 40lb penalty over stock. I too was worried about payload as we all should be but already had the truck so it was what I kept. I took my truck to Offgrid4x4 who specializes in big HD truck builds. We ended up doing custom tuned ADS shocks with the AEV lift, Hellwig swaybar, Dayton HD CargoMax rear coil upgrade (35% upgrade in load capacity over stock), and air bags. Yes the truck sways a bit and feels a little more bouncy but I’d say it’s handling my camper just fine. I will have to weigh it one of these days. We don’t take the truck on too technical of stuff, I have a Land Cruiser 200 for that, but on the minimal gravel forest road trails it does great. I just gotta get used to going a lot slower over obstacles to prevent the camper and all the stuff in it from flying around. With my 200 on Kings I just kinda fly and ramble through things 
If I ever get to the point where I don’t feel the 2500 is safe then I’ll upgrade to a 3500 but for now the setup works for us. I never had a camper previously but knowing my wife I knew it had to be hardsided for ease and simplicity. True 4 season camping was the key for us and we’ve taken it down to -20F and were warm/cozy inside he camper at 60F. We don’t regret it one bit.
If I ever get to the point where I don’t feel the 2500 is safe then I’ll upgrade to a 3500 but for now the setup works for us. I never had a camper previously but knowing my wife I knew it had to be hardsided for ease and simplicity. True 4 season camping was the key for us and we’ve taken it down to -20F and were warm/cozy inside he camper at 60F. We don’t regret it one bit.