2019 Powerwagon build thread - Bones (warning lots of pics)

[garrettjmu]

I've been meaning to document our build better, so here goes!

Bones, affectionately named by my fiancé, started it's life as a great deal from a Cadillac dealer that didn't know what they had. We purchased it during the pandemic in the winter of 2020 with ~8k miles basically fully loaded.

Current setup:



From the factory extras:
- PowerWagon Level 2 Equipment Group
- Towing Technology Group
- Bed Utility Group

Exterior
- Gofast Camper (GFC) V2 with 2x solar panels + trays, maxtrax mounted up top, side openings, ladder, front and rear windows, lighting, etc
- Air bag hoses routes to license plate
- AEV mudflaps
- Baja designs fog light kit (need to install)
- Baja Designs lp9
- Baja Designs lp6 ambers

Suspension & Wheels/Tires
- Thuren front .5” coil
- Thuren fox 2.0 all the way around
- Daystar cradle
- Thuren rear track bar
- Thuren front track bar
- Airlift load lift 5000
- 35x12.5 AT3Ws
- AEV Salta wheels with full size spare

Interior
- Bulletpoint two ball mounting solution
- Switch pros
- Arb compressor on custom OGE mount
- OEM weather mats




we then went on to explore around San Diego, while we were still out there to get some miles on her (him?).



We were about to drive cross country and honestly storage was a painpoint. I quickly found a Decked drawer setup to put in since we didn't have a camper shell for our various recovery/camping gear.


and then we were off across the US back to Virginia!



we made it out east and hit some of the trails in Virginia to just see how it did on an icy Flagpole Knob trail and saw some snow that year. It made it up fine, but I was ready to get to the itch of building more.



Now, part of the reason (long story short), that we got the PW was to tow an Airstream. The whole plan was to buy that and work remotely while traveling. I ended up starting my own company the week after we bought it (LOL) and that dream quickly died, so we've since bought a house. BUT that meant that we "needed" some work to be done on the Ram to make towing a bit better. So we linked up with an old friend of mine, @Basil., where at the time he was working with Boulder Vehicle Outfitters. They went on to install a bunch of goodies:
- ARB compressor with OGE kit under rear seat
- 2x LP9 and 2x LP6
- New AEV mud flaps so we could get those dealer ones off
- New Fox/Thuren 2.0 shocks all around and Thuren .5" coil up front
- Daystar cradles + Airlift load lift 5000 + nicely routed to license plate to fill the bags
- SwitchPros 9100
- Thuren front and rear track bars
(maybe more? I can't remember ) and boom she looked like a totally different truck and we were off to pickup the Airstream in the same trip (yes we drove from VA to CO and back!)

 

[garrettjmu]

Forgot we saw this baller vehicle while we were in Boulder too:


Right when we got back the AEV saltas came in and were outfitted with some 35" AT3Ws - and she was looking good much better now!
View attachment 835029View attachment 835030

I then saw a good deal on a GFC (1st gen) so off to Tennessee we drove, meeting in a Bass Pro parking lot (where we had to recruit 3 more guys to help move) and went camping right away:

And then a few weeks later the PW/GFC made a drive up to NYC to visit some family. That 360 camera came in mighty helpful:



Then we hit the OBX later on to go have some camping (this is when we put the offer in on our house! We literally viewed it on the way down).


We did get stuck in some soft sand (I'll spare the pics ) - and had to pull out the trusty maxtrax to get us out and find a more firm exit path. Laster on we went on the 4x4 beach and saw some horses:

and then we sold the Airstream - thus leaving us with a big truck without any true purpose:

 

[garrettjmu]

We debated just selling the truck altogether, but we ended up holding on that but we did sell the GFC and the Decked drawers as we were doing more house projects and needed the extra bed space.


I wanted to move the recovery bag from the backseat and into the bed so I got this Retrax to lock things in safely.

and then I sold that and found another GFC (V2) that was a good deal and went down to the Asheville to go pick it up/install it.

and that is how she's sitting today (almost)



We then took it for a spin not too long ago to try to see the Northern Lights:




Lastly - I did finally get around to installing the maxtrax up top:

 

[garrettjmu]

And now, in June, I should have some more fun things coming in:
- AEV front bumper with guard
- AEV rear bumper
- Amp steps
- Some new lighting

and then before I head off to NC to go camping next week it's my goal to finish installing the wiring from the Matt Gecko LEDs kit for the GFC

 

[garrettjmu]

Okay this Matt Gecko kit is turning out to be a huge pain in the ass LOL. I've wired everything up but the wiring diagram is pretty confusing. To be fair, I'm not the best with electronic stuff, but the diagram has proven somewhat confusing.

I have 5 separate three wire splits (power, red light, white light), 2 three way switches (off/white/red) and I'm trying to figure out if/how I could wire this into my Switchpros instead.

I'm also going to potentially try sneaking in the BD fog light kit, but I'm not sure I'll have time before I head out 😭

 

[SDDiver5]

What an awesome ADHD build. I dig it. Absolutely keep it. I think every home owner should have a truck.

 

[garrettjmu]

What an awesome ADHD build. I dig it. Absolutely keep it. I think every home owner should have a truck.

Yeah we're pretty set on keeping it at this point. Especially after ordering all of the AEV goodies, this truck will likely stay forever.

 

[Roam.Wild]

Hell yeah! Great rig, but I'm a little biased lol

 

[Tex68w]

I miss mine at times, they are great trucks. Crazy you went back to the GFC again, guess you missed having one?

 

[garrettjmu]

Hell yeah! Great rig, but I'm a little biased lol

Yours looks great too. What hood is that? The snorkel I keep going back and forth on, but you're rocking it!

We're at 40k miles now and zero complaints (outside of our thermostat going out last week, but that's the first CEL we've had)

 

[garrettjmu]

I miss mine at times, they are great trucks. Crazy you went back to the GFC again, guess you missed having one?

Yeah I feel we would miss this if we did ever get rid of it. I enjoyed the GFC - it has its flaws like any other platform, but overall, I feel it's best for our needs. I can fit 4 FS mtbs in the bed, load an entire load of house supplies and go camping all with the same setup. That's hard to beat.

 

[garrettjmu]

Lol side note but I guess I needed some more projects around the house so I picked this up today 😂

 

[garrettjmu]

Well I have completed nothing I wanted to get done before we head out and it's looking like it'll be raining the entire trip so here goes nothing 😂

Fingers crossed some of the rain holds out

 

[garrettjmu]

I had a blast -

I'm trying to see if I can update my order to move from AMP to some White knuckle sliders after hitting my step bars and grab a snorkel this past weekend - pro tip: don't let your fiancée spot for you

 

[Roam.Wild]

Yours looks great too. What hood is that? The snorkel I keep going back and forth on, but you're rocking it!

We're at 40k miles now and zero complaints (outside of our thermostat going out last week, but that's the first CEL we've had)

Its the sport hood for the 2023+ models. I love the snorkel, helps the intake a ton with all the dusty ass trails we do. The install was a lot though!