2020 Ram 5500 DIY Composite Panel Camper Build Thread

[Darwin]

I've got other questions on why D5500 over F550 (Ford has axle traction options but Dodge has the 6.7... I'm at a crossroads)

Something to consider also. Many repairs on the Ford require the removal of the cab, It's not absolutely necessary, but apparently makes some repairs easier. I just drove by a Ford dealership the other day, and they had two cab and chassis with the cabs lifted off getting repairs.

 

[java]

Both platforms have their pros and cons, i strongly suggest driving both before making your decision based on paper specs.



No, i used the stock track bar, and the buckstop bracket. Yes, their lower mount looks janky, which is exactly what i didnt go with it. I am confident a friend can build a better, beefier one at the proper angle. Theirs is designed for 3.5" lift. I am only doing 2"



Thats what i am going to do



This can easily be done with the stock bags that come with the kit too. They have a total of 9" of adjustment.



I've beat this to death with a stick in both this thread and others. Chest fridges are far superior than any other style when the vehicle is used offroad, and mine will be alot.

Myself, and several other friends have had their standard door style fridges open up (even when latched) and dump the contents onto the floor offroading more than once. They suck.

I know someone will chime in with they have X or Y model and it works great, and thats all fine and dandy. I think they suck and will standby my opinion. For each is own

I've used ARB chest fridges for close to 20 years now and never once had stuff fly out of the top offroad. Soooooo

Also, generally speaking, the chest style is more efficient.

As an internetoverlander I like my isotherm fridge, yes not quite as efficient as a chest style, but fit much better in my build. Same compressor as the ARB's

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[MotoAG]

Something to consider also. Many repairs on the Ford require the removal of the cab, It's not absolutely necessary, but apparently makes some repairs easier. I just drove by a Ford dealership the other day, and they had two cab and chassis with the cabs lifted off getting repairs.

This is a huge consideration.

I think I'm still having trouble letting go of my youth where selectable lockers front and rear fell like "a must". There isn't much I can find for the Dodge axles. Custom is an option and way cheaper than before with the dropped pricing of CNC machining.

The reality of the situation is:

After I wake up, wipe the sweat from my brow and affectively deal with my morning wood, any situation that requires lockers front and rear would have my girlfriend and our girls in hysterics. And coming to the reality that this isn't just about me is the reason I'm thinking a new crew cab chassis instead of a Unimog.

 

[java]

This is a huge consideration.

I think I'm still having trouble letting go of my youth where selectable lockers front and rear fell like "a must". There isn't much I can find for the Dodge axles. Custom is an option and way cheaper than before with the dropped pricing of CNC machining.

The reality of the situation is:

After I wake up, wipe the sweat from my brow and affectively deal with my morning wood, any situation that requires lockers front and rear would have my girlfriend and our girls in hysterics. And coming to the reality that this isn't just about me is the reason I'm thinking a new crew cab chassis instead of a Unimog.

Yes.... Realize your driving a heavy pig, not a pickup/suv. Gravity takes over fast

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[MotoAG]

Both platforms have their pros and cons, i strongly suggest driving both before making your decision based on paper specs.



No, i used the stock track bar, and the buckstop bracket. Yes, their lower mount looks janky, which is exactly what i didnt go with it. I am confident a friend can build a better, beefier one at the proper angle. Theirs is designed for 3.5" lift. I am only doing 2"



Thats what i am going to do



This can easily be done with the stock bags that come with the kit too. They have a total of 9" of adjustment.



I've beat this to death with a stick in both this thread and others. Chest fridges are far superior than any other style when the vehicle is used offroad, and mine will be alot.

Myself, and several other friends have had their standard door style fridges open up (even when latched) and dump the contents onto the floor offroading more than once. They suck.

I know someone will chime in with they have X or Y model and it works great, and thats all fine and dandy. I think they suck and will standby my opinion. For each is own

I've used ARB chest fridges for close to 20 years now and never once had stuff fly out of the top offroad. Soooooo

Also, generally speaking, the chest style is more efficient.

I was really searching for the suspension and Total Composites portions of your posts and didn't see the fridge dialog. That's my bad. It's irritating when people bring up ******** you've covered at nauseum.

Thank you for the info on the air bags. I didn't see the 9" figure on their site. Probably the same "due diligence" that lead to my ARB fridge question...

Very cool build. I think I speak for everyone when I share my appreciation for someone who spends this much time posting about a One-Off Build.

 

[IdaSHO]

any situation that requires lockers front and rear would have my girlfriend and our girls in hysterics.

For a heavy full-size, YES.

Truthfully, it is utterly nuts the places a heavy full size on good tires can go.
And some of our recent trips has provided comments from the passenger seat (the wife)

"Id hate to be in a place we actually need the rear locker or the winch!!)

And I agree. Completely. So we play it safe, and reserve the locker (and the winch) for last ditch efforts to get OUT of a situation.

 

[danneskjold]

Something to consider also. Many repairs on the Ford require the removal of the cab, It's not absolutely necessary, but apparently makes some repairs easier. I just drove by a Ford dealership the other day, and they had two cab and chassis with the cabs lifted off getting repairs.

The cab doesn’t actually need to be pulled, but like you said it makes things easier. Most shops should be able to get the cab off in under an hour...would take way more time to remove the fenders and all of the front end body panels so they actually did it to make it easier and cheaper to service (at a shop of course).
Of course, if you have a cab over (like an Earthroamer) I can imagine you can expect your bill to be significantly higher due to the increased labor hours.

I have been told that pulling the cabs is becoming increasingly more common on the Rams but I don’t know that to be true or not.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

I think I'm still having trouble letting go of my youth where selectable lockers front and rear fell like "a must". There isn't much I can find for the Dodge axles. Custom is an option and way cheaper than before with the dropped pricing of CNC machining.

As of now, there are NO locker options for the 2019+ Ram 4500/5500. It’s a non issue for me on this build really. I’ve had front snd rear lockers on all my other rigs and can count the time Ive actually needed/used them on one hand

On another note, with the 5500 “limited slip” option (I think it may even be standard) it’s so tight that it’s basically a full spool once you shut the traction control off.

I put the truck through the paces in UT/AZ recently and put it places most sane folks wouldn’t. With the traction control off, it was quite amazing and absolutely zero tire slippage in the rough stuff

After that trip, even if lockers were available, I honestly wouldn’t even bother

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Very cool build. I think I speak for everyone when I share my appreciation for someone who spends this much time posting about a One-Off Build.

Thanks, and my pleasure

Half the reason I do it is to share what I’m doing to give others ideas

The other half is... none of us know it all, regardless how long we’ve been doing things. So when certain folks speak up and tell me I’m doing something wrong (totally possible) I listen and everyone learns.

However, the folks that actually know what they’re talking about seem few and far between nowadays since the magic “overland” word has skyrocketed in popularity and every 20 something with a new Tacoma and bolt on bits think he’s Ivan Stewart and filling the internet with regurgitated inexperienced ramblings they saw on Instagram.

Right before he posts it for sale for $70k because it’s “one of a kind” ?

 

[Jenzz]

However, the folks that actually know what they’re talking about seem few and far between nowadays since the magic “overland” word has skyrocketed in popularity and every 20 something with a new Tacoma and bolt on bits think he’s Ivan Stewart and filling the internet with regurgitated inexperienced ramblings, right before he posts it for sale for $70k because it’s “one of a kind” ?

Haha, so true! Seems to be a global thing, same here in Europe.

 

[Dust999]

As of now, there are NO locker options for the 2019+ Ram 4500/5500. It’s a non issue for me on this build really. I’ve had front snd rear lockers on all my other rigs and can count the time Ive actually needed/used them on one hand

On another note, with the 5500 “limited slip” option (I think it may even be standard) it’s so tight that it’s basically a full spool once you shut the traction control off.

I put the truck through the paces in UT/AZ recently and put it places most sane folks wouldn’t. With the traction control off, it was quite amazing and absolutely zero tire slippage in the rough stuff

After that trip, even if lockers were available, I honestly wouldn’t even bother

The 'lockers yes/no...needed or not' decision is one that I am struggling with. Expecially with regards to the RAM 5500 and the Ford F550....they don't have them and, as you say, they are currently not available. (DBL designs do have a front locker for the F550, but you need to go with their upgraded front axle and the $ mount up quickly).

I have a fair amount of 'overland' experience, having traversed Southern Africa for many years in a Landcruiser '79 series with ARB lockers front and rear. I have found that I used them frequently, not so much in extreme terrain, but with gravel inclines that had loose surfaces. Yes, one can get up them with power and momentum, but lockers made it so much more stress free, and in my case, it supports the tread lightly aspect of traveling off the beaten path....lockers reduce wheel spin and churning up of tracks in many cases. This is MY experience, and just adding some context to the discussion.

With that being said, what and how does the RAM 5500 4x4 system work? I have tried to research it on their website, but info is sparse....Is it the normal traction control system that uses braking to stop excessive wheelspin to regain traction? You mention in a previous post that the system did not work as expected? Are the bigger tires and the kelderman suspension a contributing factor to your zero tire slippage in the rough stuff?

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

I have a fair amount of 'overland' experience, having traversed Southern Africa for many years in a Landcruiser '79 series with ARB lockers front and rear. I have found that I used them frequently, not so much in extreme terrain, but with gravel inclines that had loose surfaces. Yes, one can get up them with power and momentum, but lockers made it so much more stress free, and in my case, it supports the tread lightly aspect of traveling off the beaten path....lockers reduce wheel spin and churning up of tracks in many cases. This is MY experience, and just adding some context to the discussion.

With that being said, what and how does the RAM 5500 4x4 system work? I have tried to research it on their website, but info is sparse....Is it the normal traction control system that uses braking to stop excessive wheelspin to regain traction? You mention in a previous post that the system did not work as expected? Are the bigger tires and the kelderman suspension a contributing factor to your zero tire slippage in the rough stuff?

Its really apples to oranges really... Ive had (2)FJ40, (1)FJ60, (3)FZJ80, and (1) UZJ100 Land Cruisers. All 7 of them were locked front and rear. Mainly just "because"

I've done the Rubicon in both the 40 and the 80, and engaged the front locker once on the 40 and never once on any of the 80s. Done the entire Baja Pennisula 2x and never engaged any lockers. Proper tire pressure and suspension setup will eliminate the needs for lockers 95% of the time.

But... Although i never weighed any of those rigs above, simply because i didnt care, i'd ballpark them to be around 7-8k pounds.

A built 5500 or F550 camper setup will easily weigh almost TRIPLE that.

Weight = Traction. Its simple physics

As for how the 5500 4x4 system works. The embarrasingly honest answer is, "I dont quite know" You say the info on it is sparse. Id go as far as saying its NON EXISTENT really, i searched for weeks. I am GUESSING it is the normal system that uses the brakes, but i havent had enough time to confirm this really. What i have confirmed with a bunch of trial and error, is with the traction control OFF, the thing is freaking unstoppable.

As for why no slippage... Again, weight is a big factor here. Tire "size" doesnt really matter. I aired the MPTs down to 30psi, and they acted like superglue over rocks and roots and conformed to the terrain much better than i was expecting.

Suspension comes into play as well, and the bags help the axle conform to the terrain a lot more than leaf springs, but i am currently still on stock shocks and the rebound is still a bit too fast. It will only get better once i slow the rebound down a bit.

 

[svinyard]

How did you end up mounting and venting the toilet? I'm interested in the location you chose for the vent (up high or off to the side etc). Seems like a lot of hose to run everything out the top but I'm not sure I want the toilet (I have an Airhead on order) vented out the side where we walk...tho I've heard they don't smell like a normal toilet.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

How did you end up mounting and venting the toilet? I'm interested in the location you chose for the vent (up high or off to the side etc). Seems like a lot of hose to run everything out the top but I'm not sure I want the toilet (I have an Airhead on order) vented out the side where we walk...tho I've heard they don't smell like a normal toilet.

I mounted it using the included brackets, and bolted it right to the floor, and then sealed around the bolts.

As for the fan/venting. I havent even touched that yet, or even spent any time trying to figure it out. I have too many other things going on at the moment.

 

[mk216v]

I've beat this to death with a stick in both this thread and others. Chest fridges are far superior than any other style when the vehicle is used offroad, and mine will be alot.
I've used ARB chest fridges for close to 20 years now and never once had stuff fly out of the top offroad. Soooooo
Also, generally speaking, the chest style is more efficient.

If you were a real internet overlanding hero, you'd be using a more Instagramworthy different brand chest fridge.

when certain folks speak up and tell me I’m doing something wrong (totally possible) I listen and everyone learns.

Since whenever do you listen to others????? Besides listening to them finish so you can then barrage them with snarky comments?

What i have confirmed with a bunch of trial and error, is with the traction control OFF, the thing is freaking unstoppable.
As for why no slippage... Again, weight is a big factor here. Tire "size" doesnt really matter. I aired the MPTs down to 30psi, and they acted like superglue over rocks and roots and conformed to the terrain much better than i was expecting.
Weight = Traction. Its simple physics

Rad, but mass could be a problem depending on the terrain, ie snotty UT mud. But you don't go to UT often, you go to Baja instead, so NVM.

-Mr. Razzmatazz

PS--I didn't realize you were such a hardcore Toyota guy. Explains it all now LOL.