2018 TrailWhale Powerwagon Ram 2500

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

2018 Powerwagon TrailWhalePowerwagon

For those who dont know- this means:
Ram 2500 CrewCab-Short Bed-SRW-6.4 Hemi-6 Speed-AT
Electric Lockers front and rear
electric Disco Sway Bar
Warn 12k Winch


This is my third overland style build, first two were JKUs
My Daily Driver in Flat South Florida.
Minimal Towing
I am an Aggressive driver and The Trailwhale will be beat on, and whatever breaks will get upgraded

COMPLETED-

Thuren tuned suspension-
King 3.0 stage 3 in the front
King 2.5 stage 2 in the rear
Front and Rear Trackbars
Front and Rear Boogie Bumps
King Stabilizer

ABS/Traction control NANNY kill switch
Front and Rear locker bypasses(any gear/range, any speed)

Evo On demand swaybar disconnect with ARB solenoid

Dodge Offroad Steering Brace

Method NV 17x8.5
Toyo RT E 35x12.5

S&B intake
Mufflex magnaflow replacement with resonator delete-High tuck tip

SPOD Bantam

On-Board-Air ARB CKMTA12 with 2.5 gallon tank in spare location

Thuren Front Bumper

Baja Designs and Rigid Industries

Purple Cranium Spider Dif covers

Bayou Goat Mount for dash organization

Pedal Commander

Wilco universal spare Mount

High lift bed mount

Edge/Diablo Pulsar piggyback tuner

BAK MX4 Trifold cover

Rear Sway Bar spacers-to clear dif cover


ON ORDER OR PENDING-

Front end Beef- Truss, Ball joints, Drag Link, Tie Rod

White Knuckle Sliders

Dethloff engine-trans skid

THUREN Rear Bumper with high clearance chop

Dual Battery

 

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

 

[Regcabguy]

Nice truck indeed. Love the Thuren bumper on the dark colored body.

 

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

Nice truck indeed. Love the Thuren bumper on the dark colored body.

thuren just released his Rear bumper as well.
it will get the same finish, and i will also do a high clearance chop on the fender panels.

baja truck one we get some bypass options on these 4th gens

 

[Marine]

Nice looking truck. Congrats

 

[Explorerinil]

What ball joints, tie rod and drag link are you going with?

 

[MedicWill]

Nice truck! I love my 2016

 

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

Ball joints seem to be top three
Carli
EMF
Dynatrac

Looking for the tightest most heavy duty product there is.
I would rather a yearly rebuild on extremely tough ball joints that provide 100% year over year strength. Over cheaper ball joints that are loose within a year and need to be replaced once they get worn within that quick time frame.

Steering linkage seems to be synergy and dodge off-road. I have found no other options, and tough is tough.

I would rather feel more of the feedback from the pavement or dirt, then have loose steering and wobbly wheels

 

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

If you guys offroad your trucks and haven’t addressed abs/nanny kill switches and locker bypasses for 2 hi or 4hi.... you have not lived.

4th gen HD ram owners who want to talk through it, we have the Resources. Some seriously nice harnesses available for our trucks that I will review here.

The powerwagon crew is not the typical forum crowd. Wiz kids over there.

 

[Explorerinil]

Ball joints seem to be top three
Carli
EMF
Dynatrac

Looking for the tightest most heavy duty product there is.
I would rather a yearly rebuild on extremely tough ball joints that provide 100% year over year strength. Over cheaper ball joints that are loose within a year and need to be replaced once they get worn within that quick time frame.

Steering linkage seems to be synergy and dodge off-road. I have found no other options, and tough is tough.

I would rather feel more of the feedback from the pavement or dirt, then have loose steering and wobbly wheels

CJC off-road did a good comparison of the 3, you can find the video on YouTube if u need help deciding.

 

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

Saw the video. Came to no conclusive decision... I just wish there was more first hand data on some forums.
I’ve seen many complaints about the carlis which has me second guessing. Even though I know it happens with every product, it’s just the descrepency in price that has me thinking about it.

I would pay more to have rebuildable/replaceable over lifetime joints , If it meant more 100% performance after a simple rebuild.

 

[Tex68w]

Congrats on the new truck, it's one heck of a build. I can't wait to see this thing loaded down and off-road. The more I look at Power Wagons and Super Duty's the more I miss both of mine :/.

 

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

the edge pulsar is a seriously great product to add to an otherwise stock truck.

Piggyback and spark/timing tunes are making huge headway from German to Domestic.

these can seriously wake up an HD tuned 6.4 Hemi.
no lie, on tow mode, on the same Fort lauderdale to Loxahatchee and back reading is 3 MPG higher.

went from an end of trip average of 11 to 14-15 while utilizing the tow mode.

 

[bknudtsen]

What do you think of your spare tire mount?

 

[TrailWhalePowerwagon]

i think its doing what its meant too.

it will fit 37s, and its sturdy and doesnt make a ruckus.
bed sheet metal doesn't seem stressed, and i dont need all my bed space.

best location for a spare, sometimes could be needed as an anchor when your submerged or sunk in sand.