2018 Ram 3500 Expedition Family Adventure Vehicle

Tex68w · Oct 29, 2024

Great pics and good times, thanks for coming!

Kingsize24 · Oct 29, 2024

Tex68w said:
Great pics and good times, thanks for coming!

Really was a great time! I appreciate the invite.

Kingsize24 · Nov 1, 2024

Well after the last few outings, and honestly after putting on the camper, it's become glaringly obvious it was time for a shock upgrade. While on the Big Bend trip, @Tex68w turned me on to giving Accutune a go. I talked to them, had a good long conversation. And after another 35 minutes on the phone today exchanging information, they will be building me a custom set of of Fox DSC 2.5 remote reservoirs. Custom piston, with my compression and extension lengths considered, as well as drive type and weight. I have a pretty heavy truck, and even my dry weight with nothing added, no water, no gear, just standard tools and equipment in the bed is nearly 11,800lbs. Once loaded I'm sitting just 180lbs shy of 6K steer axle, and 14lbs from 7K on the drive axle. So fully loaded with us 4 inside, and all gear we are just under 13k. These shocks will have both low and high speed adjustment, and I can make adjustments depending on what I carry, which can change around 1000lbs. Here is a pic of the dry weight on Cat scales near me. The shocks should be here sometime early December after they make all their custom changes and valving for my setup.

Todd780 · Nov 1, 2024

Kingsize24 said:
Well after the last few outings, and honestly after putting on the camper, it's become glaringly obvious it was time for a shock upgrade. While on the Big Bend trip, @Tex68w turned me on to giving Accutune a go. I talked to them, had a good long conversation. And after another 35 minutes on the phone today exchanging information, they will be building me a custom set of of Fox DSC 2.5 remote reservoirs. Custom piston, with my compression and extension lengths considered, as well as drive type and weight. I have a pretty heavy truck, and even my dry weight with nothing added, no water, no gear, just standard tools and equipment in the bed is nearly 11,800lbs. Once loaded I'm sitting just 180lbs shy of 6K steer axle, and 14lbs from 7K on the drive axle. So fully loaded with us 4 inside, and all gear we are just under 13k. These shocks will have both low and high speed adjustment, and I can make adjustments depending on what I carry, which can change around 1000lbs. Here is a pic of the dry weight on Cat scales near me. The shocks should be here sometime early December after they make all their custom changes and valving for my setup.

View attachment 858648

Oooooohh suuuuuure....... @Tex68w tells you to buy shocks, ya go and do it. But, i tell you get 40's and it's crickets....

Kingsize24 · Nov 1, 2024

Todd n Natalie said:
Oooooohh suuuuuure....... @Tex68w tells you to buy shocks, ya go and do it. But, i tell you get 40's and it's crickets....

View attachment 858649

40s will not happen on this truck unfortunately. But on the other, some plans are in the works. You can't lose with 4X's 😜

ITTOG · Nov 2, 2024

Where is acutune located. I already have those shocks and need them rebuilt and tuned.

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Kingsize24 · Nov 2, 2024

ITTOG said:
Where is acutune located. I already have those shocks and need them rebuilt and tuned.

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AccuTune Offroad
9448 Bond Ave,
El Cajon, CA 92021

I spoke to John Arriola. The guy was ABSOLUTELY professional in his approach. And the more information you can give him on weights, both steer and drive axle, as well as total shock length at ride height, drive type, etc; the more confidence he has on getting them tuned exactly as you want them.

UglyViking · Nov 4, 2024

I figured your truck was pretty heavy, but didn't realize it was at axel capacity heavy. That's pretty crazy. I don't know if I missed it but did you ever do a before and after measurement with the new bed? I'm imagining it added some weight but curious if you know roughly how much.

Kingsize24 · Nov 4, 2024

UglyViking said:
I figured your truck was pretty heavy, but didn't realize it was at axel capacity heavy. That's pretty crazy. I don't know if I missed it but did you ever do a before and after measurement with the new bed? I'm imagining it added some weight but curious if you know roughly how much.

Yes I did. I had the camper with all my same tools, just no usable bed space anymore, hence the move to this setup. The weight increased about 1200lbs. So not ridiculously more, it was always heavy, just more so now. And yes, fully loaded with everyone in and full of water, fuel, DEF topped off, everything. It's close to at axle capacity, but luckily still under. I've moved and shifted weight and how I carry things to distribute it evenly as possible. She rolls on good still however. No issues.

I think alot of half ton and mid size are actually overweight, and was one of the reasons I picked this platform, and a 3500. Future proofing the combinations. This with the kids will be the heaviest it will ever be. But hauling 4 people and everything they want to bring adds up quickly.

UglyViking · Nov 5, 2024

Kingsize24 said:
Yes I did. I had the camper with all my same tools, just no usable bed space anymore, hence the move to this setup. The weight increased about 1200lbs. So not ridiculously more, it was always heavy, just more so now. And yes, fully loaded with everyone in and full of water, fuel, DEF topped off, everything. It's close to at axle capacity, but luckily still under. I've moved and shifted weight and how I carry things to distribute it evenly as possible. She rolls on good still however. No issues.

I think alot of half ton and mid size are actually overweight, and was one of the reasons I picked this platform, and a 3500. Future proofing the combinations. This with the kids will be the heaviest it will ever be. But hauling 4 people and everything they want to bring adds up quickly.

I think basically every single "instagram worthy" midsize is at least 150% of axle capacity. I went with a 2500 for similar reasons, except wanting to create something that leaned a bit more crawler over hauler. I do often wonder if I should have gone with a 3500, lightened the leafs, and added bags for additional weight carrying, but overall I'm pretty happy with my choice since I plan to build a flatbed but never something quite as heavy as the camper you have. I'll prob be over payload all said and done, but under axle cap, and I'm more than happy with that.