1984 Dodge W350 Crew Cab

[Kmehr]

Thinking ahead, wanted to get some opinions on my camper setup. First, I love what this guy did: http://expeditionportal.com/build-of-the-month-camper-in-a-box/ I'm definitely a weekend warrior and maybe a couple of week long trips a year kind of guy. Would love to someday do a long trip to Alaska. Mountain biking, hiking and backpacking are the main activities, with myself, the lady, and two big dogs (well one is still growing). Were all excited about the upcoming move to Colorado in the fall.

I'd love a FWC or similar slide in, but just don't know where I'd keep it or where I would put all my gear if there is a camper in the bed, and those don't have a ton of storage inside. Not to mention they are way out of my price range.

I don't do much targeted off roading, but need to be able to do some fairly nasty fire roads and similar stuff for hunting and getting to cool spots, so a popup camper isn't really going to fit the bill. The offroad capable ones are way too expensive, and something like a military trailer is also really pricey and frankly I just don't get real excited about having two more tires and a third axle to maintain. Plus i like the idea of being self contained.

My initial plan was to buy a softtopper for the bed, and build a "cage" so to speak around and over top of it for a rooftop tent and to hold bikes. I had a softopper for my old truck and really liked it- easy to remove and really easy to store since it folds up. Now that I have two trucks, and seeing the awesome setup above, I'm revisiting this plan. I might be best suited to just use my chevy for truck duties and then do a hard sided topper to keep on my dodge permanently with the sleeping platform inside. There's really not much difference in price between the softtopper and a hard shell anyways, plus if it's more permanent, the hard side would be lockable and thus much more secure than the soft. I could still do a roll out canopy from the back of the truck and a rack for bikes over either, it would just save the cost of an RTT and raising the center of gravity. however RTTS are super cool and i don't do any crazy off roading so maybe that's not a big concern.

I guess the simplest and cheapest plan would be to just get some water proof bags for my stuff and pitch a tent on the ground.

I don't know, so many ideas! Thoughts/opinions?

 

[amgvr4]

I went through the same thing you are. After considering all the same options I decided on an RTT. I am buying a CVT Mt Raineir next week and building a rack to mount it above the bed rails but below the roof line.

 

[Kmehr]

I went through the same thing you are. After considering all the same options I decided on an RTT. I am buying a CVT Mt Raineir next week and building a rack to mount it above the bed rails but below the roof line.

That would be the one I got if i go the RTT route....

 

[Kmehr]

So I need someone to school me on wheels, particularly the hummer take offs. I've got some life left in my current tires, but i've already been planning on what my next tire move will be. I'd like to go bigger than the 285s (32.8 inches) currently on the truck, and They are my third set of BFG altered TKOs, and I haven't been a big fan. They are pricey, and on the two separate trucks I've had them on, had poor tread life and have worn really uneven along the edges. I've been reading tons of reviews and it seems like they are just an ancient design and there are much better options out there. Originally I was thinking 35s (or 315/75/16s) to fit my current wheels. I love the look of big tires on trucks that don't have tons of lift, like the AEV trucks - http://www.aev-conversions.com/vehicles/ram

Anyways so i got to then looking into 37s. Were way out of my price range until i stumbled upon trail worthy fab- they have wheel tire combos with 37in radials and the beadlocks for $350!. Thats about only $150 more than I'd pay to just replace the tires I have now! They supposedly are pretty good road tires and have fantastic tread wear, plus they would look so BadA$$. I've got 2.5in lift springs in the front, and matching shackle flip in the rear- I understand there will be some trimming involved on the fenders, but what all do I need to make this work? Trailworthyfab can do all the work to recenter and get the correct back spacing- but I have no idea where to begin with figuring out what to measure- Help!

 

[Darwin]

what gears are in the truck? I would think you would want at least 4.30 or higher for those 37's, I also hear they are heavy, and don't balance well. I don't have experience with them, but would consider trying them if my 2nd gen Dodge did not have 3.55 gears, and I am too cheap to change them.

 

[Mtntravo]

The humvee take offs have 7 inch back spacing. I believe to run them stock on my ford king pin 60 i figured I would need around a 2 inch wheel spacer. I have some stock 12 bolt rims I can mock up for you later if you need. Probably just go with the pressed center on the 8 bolt rims they have and you should be golden. Had them on my tundra with a dana 44 front axle with cross over sterring arm and had plenty of clearance. Pretty sure the centers I had were close to centered in the rims. will see if I can find a pic of them.

 

[Mtntravo]

Just realized They are on my truck in my profile pic. Mine came from trail worthy. They were just a bit slow getting me my tires and rims was my only real gripe.

 

[Kmehr]

what gears are in the truck? I would think you would want at least 4.30 or higher for those 37's, I also hear they are heavy, and don't balance well. I don't have experience with them, but would consider trying them if my 2nd gen Dodge did not have 3.55 gears, and I am too cheap to change them.

I've got 3.55s as well. I had 4.10s in it when the truck was gas, and it maxed out at 60-65mph with the 285/75r16s that are on it now. With the 37in tires it puts me at 1680 rpm at 70 mph according to the ole' crawlopedia. that sounds like a great cruising rpm, cause with wind resistance and the load of the truck i would guess the actual rpms would be more like 1700. My cummins makes peak torque at 1600 rpm which seems to be the sweet spot for mpgs, and 100 rpm over gives me a little room when going up hill in 5th gear. Also, I've got the NV4500 with a really low first gear to get things started. That being said, I've never driven anything on bigger tires than I've got now so I have no idea how it'll feel. Is there any rhyme to my reasoning?

 

[kojackJKU]

Extremely Jealous. Anything like that here is swiss cheese at this point. That is an awesome truck brother!

 

[Kmehr]

The humvee take offs have 7 inch back spacing. I believe to run them stock on my ford king pin 60 i figured I would need around a 2 inch wheel spacer. I have some stock 12 bolt rims I can mock up for you later if you need. Probably just go with the pressed center on the 8 bolt rims they have and you should be golden. Had them on my tundra with a dana 44 front axle with cross over sterring arm and had plenty of clearance. Pretty sure the centers I had were close to centered in the rims. will see if I can find a pic of them.

So I guess I'm not exactly sure the difference between pressed and flat centers- is the pressed center just ********** dab in the middle of the wheel? I've been reading that the early Dodges should run these with 3-3.5 in backspacing. I'm guessing the ford and dodge 60 king pins would pretty much have the same steering/clearance issue? How much lift were you running on the Ford? I'm not running cross over steering at this point, do you think that added clearance?

I'm thinking Ill definitely go with the 12 bolts, i read they are much lighter than the 8 bolts, especially with the lighter PVC inserts.

 

[Mtntravo]

If I remember correctly the pressed center on the 8 bolts is only off set a few mm one way or the other. Not sure how it works with the 12 bolt wheels because of the difference in wheel construction between the two. My crew cab has a 6 inch lift on it with 37s and I get some rub on the frame at full lock. I will pull one of my wheels off the truck today and mock up a 12 bolt and see what I think. I know I said I would do it days ago, had some stuff come up. And as far as the 8 bolts being heavier than 12 bolts I'm not really sure i have picked them both up and they are both damn heavy. My 8 bolts were quicker to assemble and torque than my buddies 12s and I think mine used a more common o ring, or maybe it was a standard valve stem. Need some more coffee in my system. Those are the only real differences I can think of at the moment.

 

[Kmehr]

If I remember correctly the pressed center on the 8 bolts is only off set a few mm one way or the other. Not sure how it works with the 12 bolt wheels because of the difference in wheel construction between the two. My crew cab has a 6 inch lift on it with 37s and I get some rub on the frame at full lock. I will pull one of my wheels off the truck today and mock up a 12 bolt and see what I think. I know I said I would do it days ago, had some stuff come up. And as far as the 8 bolts being heavier than 12 bolts I'm not really sure i have picked them both up and they are both damn heavy. My 8 bolts were quicker to assemble and torque than my buddies 12s and I think mine used a more common o ring, or maybe it was a standard valve stem. Need some more coffee in my system. Those are the only real differences I can think of at the moment.

Thanks man, that'd be awesome to get some info on the 12 bolts. Doesn't look like TWF even sells the 8 bolts anymore anyways.

 

[Metcalf]

I'd use the pressed centers if you can. They make for a much better wheel in the end.

For backspacing, anything close to 4" should be fine. If you run too much the rear tire will rub the inside of the rear wheel tub ( with the narrower rear axle ).

 

[Kmehr]

I'd use the pressed centers if you can. They make for a much better wheel in the end.

For backspacing, anything close to 4" should be fine. If you run too much the rear tire will rub the inside of the rear wheel tub ( with the narrower rear axle ).

Thanks. TWF has the pressed in centers in 3.5in backspacing only. I feel comfortable with my skills that I could probably cut and weld a set of centers in myself and save some cash.

Metcalf- I just read through your thread, those XML's look insane on your truck, I love it, but seeing those, I think I need to limit it to 315s, It looks like you have a ton of work in your fenders! I've got 2.5 in leafs upfront and maybe 6in shackle lift in the back with no factory lift block, so I'm thinking 37s really aren't going to fit...

 

[amgvr4]

37" tires really aren't that big. My military take offs fit my '96 f250 at stock ride height. You should be fine with just a slight lift. Also decent aluminum 16.5 wheels with good offset are so cheap on Craigslist that it makes more sense to go that route unless you really need bead locks.