Another Enduro SuperTourer!

[Byrdseye]

Thank you for the compliments and I have to agree that Leif and crew put together an amazing camper! I’m beyond pleased with everything about this rig.The attention to detail is first rate and I can’t find a cut corner anywhere.
As far as mileage……….I was getting around 18mpg prior to the installation of the camper and 37’s but that was driving like the old man that I am and trying to conserve fuel and staying below 70. As the truck sits now I was able to get 14 traveling from Nevada to New Mexico. There again, I was driving very conservatively. My experience with the truck is that the mileage plummets at speeds above 70 and accelerating hard really sucks fuel and its easy to see dismal numbers. I’m curious to find out what kind of mileage and range I have at trail speed.
ymmv

 

[trabs00]

Thank you for the compliments and I have to agree that Leif and crew put together an amazing camper! I’m beyond pleased with everything about this rig.The attention to detail is first rate and I can’t find a cut corner anywhere.
As far as mileage……….I was getting around 18mpg prior to the installation of the camper and 37’s but that was driving like the old man that I am and trying to conserve fuel and staying below 70. As the truck sits now I was able to get 14 traveling from Nevada to New Mexico. There again, I was driving very conservatively. My experience with the truck is that the mileage plummets at speeds above 70 and accelerating hard really sucks fuel and its easy to see dismal numbers. I’m curious to find out what kind of mileage and range I have at trail speed.
ymmv

That's really good mpg. Yeah if I go above 65 it is an almost exponential drop in mpg. I somehow always "need" to get somewhere fast / late for something, so 65 mph never seems to happen on a trip.

I should hire you as my chauffeur, I might get 12-13 in my truck 🤣

 

[Byrdseye]

Yeah, I’m kind of obsessive about driving for the best mileage. If I drive this thing like a normal person, the mpg drops into single digits! Haha So far with my limited time on the trail with this rig I’ve found that it likes gas. It’s going to require carrying fuel on a lot of trips I have planned.

 

[trabs00]

I've seen the Super Tourer on other trucks, but it looks like it was designed to be perfect on the Power Wagon (you and @Hegear). Leif's F-150 looks good, but to me it just looks so much better on a PW.
How are you liking the suspension setup you have?
It seems like with PWs Carli and Thuren seem to be by far the most popular suspension upgrades, curious why you mixed and matched between the two; best of both worlds?
Also, did Leif and crew make the spare tire mount? When I first was talked to them (2021) they didn't want to get in the business of making a full sized spare mount. Just curious if that changed or you had another fab shop make one.

Thanks, and happy adventuring

 

[trabs00]

Yeah, I’m kind of obsessive about driving for the best mileage. If I drive this thing like a normal person, the mpg drops into single digits! Haha So far with my limited time on the trail with this rig I’ve found that it likes gas. It’s going to require carrying fuel on a lot of trips I have planned.

I carry 10 gallons of fuel between my swing out bumper (4 gallons) and my emergency spare tire location fuel container.
No affiliation, and I get nothing for sharing this, but I have two of these mounted in my spare tire location (1 gas, 1 water) for emergency use. I'm not sure with the ST if there is any space left where the factory spare was but I find it is a great use of the empty space left when using a full-sized spare. YMMV
TRAIL’D 6-GALLON SPARE TANK

 

[Byrdseye]

I've seen the Super Tourer on other trucks, but it looks like it was designed to be perfect on the Power Wagon (you and @Hegear). Leif's F-150 looks good, but to me it just looks so much better on a PW.
How are you liking the suspension setup you have?
It seems like with PWs Carli and Thuren seem to be by far the most popular suspension upgrades, curious why you mixed and matched between the two; best of both worlds?
Also, did Leif and crew make the spare tire mount? When I first was talked to them (2021) they didn't want to get in the business of making a full sized spare mount. Just curious if that changed or you had another fab shop make one.

Thanks, and happy adventuring

Thank you. I agree that the SuperTourer fits the Power Wagon like a glove. It has everything you need to be Uber comfortable on the trail and the truck is still plenty capable. It was a tough decision between the PW and a Cummins, but by the time you add 10k for the diesel and the cost of lockers etc. you’ve started with one expensive truck. Also, I considered going regular cab with an 8’ bed and I’m still wondering if I made the right choice. Haha
As far as the suspension goes, I went with Thuren because I’ve had great luck with his setup in the past on other Dodges and I like that the shocks are custom tuned for the application.. This build has Thuren shocks, front springs and f&r trackbars and the reason I have Carli R2 springs in the rear is that Thuren doesn’t make a stiff rear spring for the PW. Even so, I’m about to add airbags and decrease the spring preload as the bags will help with the bit of sway I have. ( I’m also running a hellwig big wig swaybar)
The rear tire carrier was designed and executed by Leif as I agreed to be the Guinea pig. lol It works exceptionally well. The tire is lifted by a tiny stainless and aluminum chain hoist which is clipped to a trolly in a track. You lift the weight off the studs and slide the wheel off using the ball bearing wheels in the track. Reverse to load. It works great!
Hope this helps

 

[Byrdseye]

I carry 10 gallons of fuel between my swing out bumper (4 gallons) and my emergency spare tire location fuel container.
No affiliation, and I get nothing for sharing this, but I have two of these mounted in my spare tire location (1 gas, 1 water) for emergency use. I'm not sure with the ST if there is any space left where the factory spare was but I find it is a great use of the empty space left when using a full-sized spare. YMMV
TRAIL’D 6-GALLON SPARE TANK

Great minds think alike Haha! I have two of those Traild containers mounted as well.

 

[wfv56]

Thank you. I agree that the SuperTourer fits the Power Wagon like a glove. It has everything you need to be Uber comfortable on the trail and the truck is still plenty capable. It was a tough decision between the PW and a Cummins, but by the time you add 10k for the diesel and the cost of lockers etc. you’ve started with one expensive truck. Also, I considered going regular cab with an 8’ bed and I’m still wondering if I made the right choice. Haha
As far as the suspension goes, I went with Thuren because I’ve had great luck with his setup in the past on other Dodges and I like that the shocks are custom tuned for the application.. This build has Thuren shocks, front springs and f&r trackbars and the reason I have Carli R2 springs in the rear is that Thuren doesn’t make a stiff rear spring for the PW. Even so, I’m about to add airbags and decrease the spring preload as the bags will help with the bit of sway I have. ( I’m also running a hellwig big wig swaybar)
The rear tire carrier was designed and executed by Leif as I agreed to be the Guinea pig. lol It works exceptionally well. The tire is lifted by a tiny stainless and aluminum chain hoist which is clipped to a trolly in a track. You lift the weight off the studs and slide the wheel off using the ball bearing wheels in the track. Reverse to load. It works great!
Hope this helps

The BigWig sway bar will really improve the handling on paved roads. I have a Ram 3500 flatbed camper setup and regret not doing it sooner.

 

[Byrdseye]

The BigWig sway bar will really improve the handling on paved roads. I have a Ram 3500 flatbed camper setup and regret not doing it sooner.

Thank you! I installed the Big Wig prior to mounting the camper so I don’t really have a frame of reference. I’m sure it helps a lot though. I’m currently running Carli R2 heavy springs in the rear along with 1 3/8” of preload in the form of Thuren’s spacers. It’s a bit harsh and I still have more sway than I’d like so I’m installing the airbags which sit outboard of the coils and help mitigate side to side roll. Also, I’m pulling out 1’ of the Thuren spacers to reduce preload and let the air make up the difference in search of a softer ride. That’s today’s scheme anyway. I’ll report on the results, good or bad. Lol
Im of the opinion that Power Wagons are going to sway more than a regular Dodge no matter what you do. The radius arms have an articulated link in order for the axle to flex off-road. The design allows the the front end to “roll” a bit and I think it contributes to sway. The handling is actually pretty good as is and I could safely live with it no problem. We’ll see how my experiment changes things!

 

[trabs00]

Thank you! I installed the Big Wig prior to mounting the camper so I don’t really have a frame of reference. I’m sure it helps a lot though. I’m currently running Carli R2 heavy springs in the rear along with 1 3/8” of preload in the form of Thuren’s spacers. It’s a bit harsh and I still have more sway than I’d like so I’m installing the airbags which sit outboard of the coils and help mitigate side to side roll. Also, I’m pulling out 1’ of the Thuren spacers to reduce preload and let the air make up the difference in search of a softer ride. That’s today’s scheme anyway. I’ll report on the results, good or bad. Lol
Im of the opinion that Power Wagons are going to sway more than a regular Dodge no matter what you do. The radius arms have an articulated link in order for the axle to flex off-road. The design allows the the front end to “roll” a bit and I think it contributes to sway. The handling is actually pretty good as is and I could safely live with it no problem. We’ll see how my experiment changes things!

Did you keep the OEM PW sway bar?

 

[Byrdseye]

Did you keep the OEM PW sway bar?

I’m sure it’s still in the scrap pile! Lol

 

[trabs00]

Are you running any aftermarket front bar or nothing in the front?

 

[Byrdseye]

Are you running any aftermarket front bar or nothing in the front?

I’m running the stock electric disconnecting swaybar in the front.

 

[trabs00]

I’m running the stock electric disconnecting swaybar in the front.

Cool thanks.
I'm getting overwhelmed researching PW suspension options while trying to see how much $ to budget. I really love the idea of keeping the stock bar to be disconnect once off a main road, I can't see removing that as an option for me.

Your build (truck and camper) is an inspiration for someone thinking hard about changing my overlanding platform.

 

[Byrdseye]

Cool thanks.
I'm getting overwhelmed researching PW suspension options while trying to see how much $ to budget. I really love the idea of keeping the stock bar to be disconnect once off a main road, I can't see removing that as an option for me.

Your build (truck and camper) is an inspiration for someone thinking hard about changing my overlanding platform.

Thank you for your kind words. I’m loving this thing and headed to Big Bend next week!
i see no reason change the front swaybar as it’s pretty beefy and the ability to fully disconnect is nice. Also, the aftermarket bars Im aware of are all softer.