2020 Ram 5500 DIY Composite Panel Camper Build Thread

[180out]

Well...

Again, shut off your Overland Marketing Machine sir...

When traveling solo (which most of mine is) if you get stuck, chances are awfully dang high you dont want to continue forward. So a front winch would just be a cool bumper decoration at that point.

In my 20 years of off road shenanigans, i have ONLY used my front winch to extract others, almost always backwards. The handful of times i did get stuck and needed extraction, i also had to go backwards.

I almost look at a rear winch as more important than a front for my needs (dont ask why i didnt do that first, hahahaha).

I primarily see the front winch as a tool to extract others, falling trees on the trail, etc... But rear winch is for extracting myself, so i can get to the Taco shop.

A rear winch would be nice on your truck, but unfortunately, you've have a bunch of cut down melted rubber down there instead [inset kissy face]

Maybe the snow legend @java will chime in about times hes had to extract from snow, i am guessing he went backwards.

100% agreed

 

[ITTOG]

No, but thats pretty dang cool.

But those duties will be handled by my Espar

Just to be clear I was talking about heating your battteries. If that was understood, then you are going to use the espar 24x7, obviously only in cold weather camping, just to ensure the batteries are warm enough to take a charge?

Well...

Again, shut off your Overland Marketing Machine sir...

When traveling solo (which most of mine is) if you get stuck, chances are awfully dang high you dont want to continue forward. So a front winch would just be a cool bumper decoration at that point.

In my 20 years of off road shenanigans, i have ONLY used my front winch to extract others, almost always backwards. The handful of times i did get stuck and needed extraction, i also had to go backwards.

I almost look at a rear winch as more important than a front for my needs (dont ask why i didnt do that first, hahahaha).

I primarily see the front winch as a tool to extract others, falling trees on the trail, etc... But rear winch is for extracting myself, so i can get to the Taco shop.

A rear winch would be nice on your truck, but unfortunately, you'll have a bunch of cut down melted rubber down there instead [inset kissy face]

Maybe the snow legend @java will chime in about times hes had to extract from snow, i am guessing he went backwards.

Amen on the winch placement!!!!!

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Just to be clear I was talking about heating your battteries. If that was understood, then you are going to use the espar 24x7, obviously only in cold weather camping, just to ensure the batteries are warm enough to take a charge?

Yeah. Honestly, i dont ever see the inside of my camper (where batteries are located) getting below freezing. Its extremely well insulated, and i move daily when traveling.

However, i will probably get one of those 12v heating mats just in case at some point. I am in San Diego, so although i love cold weather and camping in the snow, its not very often.

Amen on the winch placement!!!!!

Its that whole well thought out logic stuff.

 

[mk216v]

Well...

Again, shut off your Overland Marketing Machine sir...

When traveling solo (which most of mine is) if you get stuck, chances are awfully dang high you dont want to continue forward. So a front winch would just be a cool bumper decoration at that point.

In my 20 years of off road shenanigans, i have ONLY used my front winch to extract others, almost always backwards. The handful of times i did get stuck and needed extraction, i also had to go backwards.

I almost look at a rear winch as more important than a front for my needs (dont ask why i didnt do that first, hahahaha).

I primarily see the front winch as a tool to extract others, falling trees on the trail, etc... But rear winch is for extracting myself, so i can get to the Taco shop.

A rear winch would be nice on your truck, but unfortunately, you'll have a bunch of cut down melted rubber down there instead [inset kissy face]

Maybe the snow legend @java will chime in about times hes had to extract from snow, i am guessing he went backwards.

Well, this all makes sense. You're often going backwards anyways, so just continue the trajectory. Zing!

But I hear you sir. I look forward to your rear winch provisions, meanwhile I'm set up with a rear winch as well as the front (which I mainly use for pulling sagebrush out of the ground here in the high desert). Always 1step ahead of ya.

#tacoz4lyfe

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Well, this all makes sense. You're often going backwards anyways, so just continue the trajectory. Zing!

Your wit is slipping homie

 

[mk216v]

Your wit is slipping homie

I am getting old.

So...what is your plan for the rear winch provision, and for your adventures to find the best tacos, why wasn't the rear winch implemented earlier?

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

I am getting old.

So...what is your plan for the rear winch provision, and for your adventures to find the best tacos, why wasn't the rear winch implemented earlier?

Rear winch provision is basically all done and just need to plop one in.

Haven’t done it yet because it’s lower priority as I’m not planning any real back country stuff at the moment.

Still in testing / tweaking phase

 

[java]

Well...

Again, shut off your Overland Marketing Machine sir...

When traveling solo (which most of mine is) if you get stuck, chances are awfully dang high you dont want to continue forward. So a front winch would just be a cool bumper decoration at that point.

In my 20 years of off road shenanigans, i have ONLY used my front winch to extract others, almost always backwards. The handful of times i did get stuck and needed extraction, i also had to go backwards.

I almost look at a rear winch as more important than a front for my needs (dont ask why i didnt do that first, hahahaha).

I primarily see the front winch as a tool to extract others, falling trees on the trail, etc... But rear winch is for extracting myself, so i can get to the Taco shop.

A rear winch would be nice on your truck, but unfortunately, you'll have a bunch of cut down melted rubber down there instead [inset kissy face]

Maybe the snow legend @java will chime in about times hes had to extract from snow, i am guessing he went backwards.

I too have rear winch provisions almost done.

Zero use for a front winch. If I get this pig stuck, it doesn't need to go further forward.

I am looking at a 25k sherpa.

At the moment I have cash for excavator fund.... And made some bomber ass tow points on the back.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

I too have rear winch provisions almost done.

Zero use for a front winch. If I get this pig stuck, it doesn't need to go further forward.

I am looking at a 25k sherpa.

At the moment I have cash for excavator fund.... And made some bomber ass tow points on the back.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Nice!

The Sherpas are the yellow ones right? Hopefully same shade as your cables ??

 

[java]

Nice!

The Sherpas are the yellow ones right? Hopefully same shade as your cables

Yep yellow ones. #YELLOWFTW

But in reality, if I am stuck I am not sure a winch will even do it at 15k+ lbs. I have had good luck with Maxtrax and chains so far.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Yep yellow ones. #YELLOWFTW

But in reality, if I am stuck I am not sure a winch will even do it at 15k+ lbs. I have had good luck with Maxtrax and chains so far.

Pretty much. I have a snatch block to help, but…

??‍♂️

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Fun Fact

A pallet with 2 huge lithium server rack batteries can safely be loaded in a Prius.

Now you know.. #yourewelcome

 

[1000arms]

Fun Fact ... A pallet with 2 huge lithium server rack batteries can safely be loaded in a Prius.

Now you know.. #yourewelcome

View attachment 709221

I hope you "got a charge" out of posting that.

Please keep us posted on how they work for you!

 

[Korey H]

I too have rear winch provisions almost done.

Zero use for a front winch. If I get this pig stuck, it doesn't need to go further forward.

I am looking at a 25k sherpa.

At the moment I have cash for excavator fund.... And made some bomber ass tow points on the back.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Just a note I have the Sherpa winch and their big air compressor. The compressor has been crap and their customer service sucks beyond belief. If I had to do over again I’d have not purchased their products. Having said that I did recently use the winch to pull a friends 15ton bus out of a muddy mess.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Just a note I have the Sherpa winch and their big air compressor. The compressor has been crap and their customer service sucks beyond belief. If I had to do over again I’d have not purchased their products. Having said that I did recently use the winch to pull a friends 15ton bus out of a muddy mess.

Did you pull him forward or backwards? ?

Good to know about Sherpa. I haven’t heard anything good or bad about them.