Am I being ridiculous?

[Kevin108]

I'm seriously considering a Ram 2500 for my next build as well. Few trails I've been on in my area have really required a vehicle smaller than full-size. Being able to tow generally whatever would be awesome. Having plenty of payload capacity for an Alucab/Four Wheel Camper might make a difference as well.

Do your homework on your forest roads though. Many states require vehicles using them to be licensed and street legal, and often a side by side won't meet those requirements.

 

[SDDiver5]

Don't fret about the fire road comments as they literally do not make sense. A fire road is made/built for a fire vehicle and 99% of the time they are a 3/4 ton or bigger. Sure you might get some pin stirpes but that's part of it. My brother works for Adams county fire in Denver and I asked him if they have any vehicles that are smaller than a 3/4 ton and his response was "lol no".

The only ridiculous part of your idea is the current prices... If you have no issue with the higher price then there is no ridiculousness going on. I bet the trade in value for your ZR2 would be awesome too. Trade or private sale it and you'd have a fairly small monthly payment for a brand new truck.

Be sure to post your new truck when you get it!

 

[calicamper]

Economical and diesel do not belong in the same sentence. Fuel is 20-25% higher- maintenance is more, it weighs a lot more…I’ve owned a ton of diesels and I’d never have one unless I needed to tow heavy and often over 10k lbs.

The new reality of modern power.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I wanted a 2500 Ram for the better part of a year.

Then I started poking around pricing maintenance stuff. Spark plugs, wheel bearings, brakes etc. Kinda put me on the fence vs a half ton. It's a huge jump.

Then I drove one, way high ride height, difficult bed access, can't see out Etc.

Coming from a 20yo half ton I just ended up going to a newer half ton.

No way I would say a 3/4 ton is anywhere close to the same size a midsize. My Ranger looks a 19+ Ranger in the eye, my coworkers stock power wagon towers over it. Way longer and wider too.

Power wagon is taller yet than what I drove and is the only real option if you want one with articulation. A dime a dozen lumber wagon will articulate like a lumberwagon.

 

[jmodz]

I’d say keep the Colorado ZR2. I don’t have experience with 2500hd trucks but I have a hard time thinking that they’d be better at crawling than a ZR2, even with some expensive suspension upgrades. They are heavier, wider, and much longer. The ZR2 is paid off, why not put some money into upgrades? Taxes, title, and fees on a new 2500hd alone would pay for some nice modifications.

As for size, maybe get some more compact and lighter gear? There are plenty of people traveling with 2+ people and a dog in their midsized trucks.

If you really want a truck that’s better at crawling, what about a Gladiator? Optioned correctly, it would have more towing and payload capacity. The bed isn’t any larger but I believe the cabin is, so more room for the dog that way? Plus solid axles and tons of modifications available.

 

[skrypj]

Have you tried sway bar disconnects on the ZR2? I havent driven an IFS vehicle through rocky, slow trails that didnt suck with the sway bar connected. My F150 might as well not even have front suspension.

Other than that, i would agree that an full sized truck is superior in almost every way unless your trails are very tight.

 

[Dark0ctane]

update, I'm gonna make my zr2 work at the end of the day it's paid off and every option of getting a different vehicle is going to put me in the hole another 300 bucks at least again and I hate car payments. It's still very capable offroad not as much as a jeep but on the road it drives well and I'm gonna put some money into storage solutions and suspension to open up the cab a little bit and be happy with it at the end of the day there's a ton of guys on expedition overland running ifs setups so if it can work for them it can for sure work for me. thank you everyone for your input!

 

[SDDiver5]

update, I'm gonna make my zr2 work at the end of the day it's paid off and every option of getting a different vehicle is going to put me in the hole another 300 bucks at least again and I hate car payments. It's still very capable offroad not as much as a jeep but on the road it drives well and I'm gonna put some money into storage solutions and suspension to open up the cab a little bit and be happy with it at the end of the day there's a ton of guys on expedition overland running ifs setups so if it can work for them it can for sure work for me. thank you everyone for your input!

Good choice. Probably the best decision financially.

 

[tacollie]

Money in your pocket's money for gas. A Colorado that goes places is more fun than a power wagon that sits in the driveway. Better to save up cash for your next vehicle.. We have a backpacking background so packing lights not an issue. Learn to pack your Colorado efficiently and if you ever do move up to a full size you feel like you have unlimited possibilities. We moved up to a full size to get more payload and a bigger camper.

On board areas so you can air down your tires and technique will get your truck a lot of places.

 

[TwinStick]

I went from a Power Wagon to a ZR2 diesel. It was a 2008 w/G-56 manual 6-speed & 4.56 axle gears. It got 6-10 mpg & as low as 2 mpg once, pulling our 30' toyhauler up a long steep grade. ZR2 gets 22-28 mpg & 13-16 mpg towing our 18' camper. Power Wagon got 6 mpg towing the same 18' camper. So I am getting 2-3x the mpg as our Power Wagon did.

I loved the Power Wagon but maintenance was putting us in the poor house. Final straw was, nobody, not even the dealer I bought it from, would replace the manifold bolts on the passenger side. Truck had 26k miles & the manifold bolts were rusted so bad, there was nothing to even weld to. I ordered that truck and it was my Holy Grail truck but we had to let it go.

Love the ZR2, love the diesel so far, love the mpg, miss the winch on the PW. But you have to do what is right for you. Lockers are the most important thing in my mind. Worth their weight in gold when you need them and let you go places & climb things without being so dependent on momentum, which can easily break things.

I would feel confident towing 5k with our Colorado ZR2 diesel. A Silverado ZR2 or a Power Wagon would not even know that it was towing 5k, except for a highway speed panic stop.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[givemethewillys]

I loved the Power Wagon but maintenance was putting us in the poor house. Final straw was, nobody, not even the dealer I bought it from, would replace the manifold bolts on the passenger side. Truck had 26k miles & the manifold bolts were rusted so bad, there was nothing to even weld to. I ordered that truck and it was my Holy Grail truck but we had to let it go.

This is why I'll never own a Ram, no matter how many people say they've outclassed the other brands, especially in the interior. My uncle had one (admittedlya Dodge not a Fiat), and it rusted out within a few short years, and everything else rattled and faded

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I loved the Power Wagon but maintenance was putting us in the poor house. Final straw was, nobody, not even the dealer I bought it from, would replace the manifold bolts on the passenger side. Truck had 26k miles & the manifold bolts were rusted so bad, there was nothing to even weld to. I ordered that truck and it was my Holy Grail truck but we had to let it go.

I have worked at a Ram dealer for 8mo, we haven't turned away an exhaust stud/bolt job yet.

If you can't weld you gain access to the bad bolt/stud and drill it out with a reverse drill bit. See also every other engine with aluminum heads, steel bolts and cast iron manifolds. My brother (shop foreman at the local Ford dealer) just had to pull the head out of a Ecoboost transit to drill out a broken stud not that long ago.

 

[redthies]

update, I'm gonna make my zr2 work at the end of the day it's paid off and every option of getting a different vehicle is going to put me in the hole another 300 bucks at least again and I hate car payments. It's still very capable offroad not as much as a jeep but on the road it drives well and I'm gonna put some money into storage solutions and suspension to open up the cab a little bit and be happy with it at the end of the day there's a ton of guys on expedition overland running ifs setups so if it can work for them it can for sure work for me. thank you everyone for your input!

Sounds like you’ve come to a good decision. Having a 2019 paid for is a great place to be.

Dont get caught up in the “everyone is doing this” game, although in this case, it seems like “everyone“ is steering you in the right direction. You didn’t give us much info on your Colorado, like cab size, engine etc, but just getting a cap with a simple rack and putting some drawers in the bed can open up a ton of options for organization. Unless you are doing some incredibly challenging trails, you should be able to get where you need to with the truck you have.

I have run a wide variety of full size trucks, and all have their issues. My current one (an ‘08 Chev 2500HD with 6.0) is super comfy, and tows really well, but it’s no fun off pavement. Being an extended cab short bed, it’s way more maneuverable than my previous Dodge 3500 CCLB with Cummins, but it gets crap fuel economy. At least reading about people getting 6 mpg out of their Power Wagons makes me feel good about the 9 mpg I’m getting when towing! I would run a midsize if it worked for me, but I tow big trailers regularly, so it just doesn’t.

 

[nickw]

I went from a Power Wagon to a ZR2 diesel. It was a 2008 w/G-56 manual 6-speed & 4.56 axle gears. It got 6-10 mpg & as low as 2 mpg once, pulling our 30' toyhauler up a long steep grade. ZR2 gets 22-28 mpg & 13-16 mpg towing our 18' camper. Power Wagon got 6 mpg towing the same 18' camper. So I am getting 2-3x the mpg as our Power Wagon did.

I loved the Power Wagon but maintenance was putting us in the poor house. Final straw was, nobody, not even the dealer I bought it from, would replace the manifold bolts on the passenger side. Truck had 26k miles & the manifold bolts were rusted so bad, there was nothing to even weld to. I ordered that truck and it was my Holy Grail truck but we had to let it go.

Love the ZR2, love the diesel so far, love the mpg, miss the winch on the PW. But you have to do what is right for you. Lockers are the most important thing in my mind. Worth their weight in gold when you need them and let you go places & climb things without being so dependent on momentum, which can easily break things.

I would feel confident towing 5k with our Colorado ZR2 diesel. A Silverado ZR2 or a Power Wagon would not even know that it was towing 5k, except for a highway speed panic stop.

Good luck with your choice.

My 2021 2500 gets 15-18 on the highway, 13-15 mixed, never seen it below 13, and 10-13 towing our 20' airstream. My 2019 Ranger got the exact same while towing. I'm sure the modern 10 spd trans are a big help there!

Do you live in the rust belt?

 

[jadmt]

I just got back from Moab and my average for complete trip which included off roading was 14.5 mpg hand figured. The stretch from Pocatello to Moab was 18mpg. This with 35's and topper. Going I filled in Missoula, Pocatello and again in Moab and coming back same just in reverse. 758 miles one way. Not the greatest but not terrible either.