My wheel base is so long...
- Thread starter Josh41
- Start date
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
The '07 Ram 2500 4x4 CC-SB (140" wheel base) has a better break-over angle than my '14 Rubicon did stock.
I tried this same obstical in the '14 Rubicon when it was stock, and hit the fuel tank skid plate several times. Where the truck didn't hit anything, until the end of the return trip down the obstical at the bottom, when the differential hit a large rock due to my poor line choice.
If you watch this video fast forward 46 seconds, and the truck will show up. The "action" stops at 4:13... (if you can really call this "action"
).
I tried this same obstical in the '14 Rubicon when it was stock, and hit the fuel tank skid plate several times. Where the truck didn't hit anything, until the end of the return trip down the obstical at the bottom, when the differential hit a large rock due to my poor line choice.
If you watch this video fast forward 46 seconds, and the truck will show up. The "action" stops at 4:13... (if you can really call this "action"
).
Hey Diggitydog, I just bought a very similar truck!
2017 Reg. Cab F350 FX4, locking diff., 17" aluminum rims, XL (love not having the carpet inside), 6.2L gas engine.
I've ALWAYS wanted a regular cab, full size 4x4 truck - this one was almost impossible to locate in southern California - but I found one!
I've only had it a couple of days and I really like it. Pulling full seamless U-turns is one advantage and being able to swing right into a parking spot is another. I think that this truck might make into some of the tight campsite approaches at Canon Guadalupe (the hotsprings) in Baja.
I'm taking the bed off of mine and having an aluminum flatbed made for it - then putting a FWC flatbed Hawk camper on it. Love the big gas tank on these things. Getting ride-rite airgbags and daystar cups for it in a couple of days - I don't think I'll need them too much but had them on my previous truck and liked the airbags.
Would love to hear what you're doing with yours (suspension, tires, etc.) Did you put a leveling kit on yours?
2017 Reg. Cab F350 FX4, locking diff., 17" aluminum rims, XL (love not having the carpet inside), 6.2L gas engine.
I've ALWAYS wanted a regular cab, full size 4x4 truck - this one was almost impossible to locate in southern California - but I found one!
I've only had it a couple of days and I really like it. Pulling full seamless U-turns is one advantage and being able to swing right into a parking spot is another. I think that this truck might make into some of the tight campsite approaches at Canon Guadalupe (the hotsprings) in Baja.
I'm taking the bed off of mine and having an aluminum flatbed made for it - then putting a FWC flatbed Hawk camper on it. Love the big gas tank on these things. Getting ride-rite airgbags and daystar cups for it in a couple of days - I don't think I'll need them too much but had them on my previous truck and liked the airbags.
Would love to hear what you're doing with yours (suspension, tires, etc.) Did you put a leveling kit on yours?
Hey con kso, I’m running the 6.2l gasser also. So, my off-road exploration vehicles in the past have been two-door wranglers, a Tacoma, and more recently a 4 runner. I liked all of those vehicles, but I was always running up against some type of issue that I didn’t want to deal with through lots of aftermarket adjustments and spending (i.e., weak axles, clearance, payload limitations, reliability issues, storage space issues, needs at work and the home front,etc.). I started thinking hard about my needs and decided that a “shorter” wheelbase 3/4 ton truck would be the best answer. From all accounts the Ford 6.2l is a bullet proof engine. I have the 10,000 lb GVWR springs on mine with the camper certification. Without swing the truck, people have tried to poo poo my clearance and breakover angles. However, with my spring and tire package, I have at least 10 inches under the diffs, and an unbelievable amount under the belly of the truck. I haven’t measured under the belly, but i swear that my wife could lay on top of me under the truck and we’d still have clearance! I have taken a couple of trips through the eastern us “mountains” and averaged just over 17 mpg, which is acceptable to me. My future plans, are relatively tame - off-road bumper for the front, winch, and either a topper or FWC pop up camper to make camping the truck more desirable for my wife! I will probably end up with a topper.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Cool we'll have to stay in touch.
I decided on the gasser because I had a brand new '03 7.3 diesel before and I had reliability issues with it (had to drive a brand new truck with spare parts in the glove box - CPS and a 10mm wrench - something wrong right there). I went to an '07 Tundra and put tens of thousands of Baja miles on it - great truck. I'm now off on this wild adventure with the flatbed and by all accounts it will be much heavier than claimed or expected. So I'm back with Ford (the Ford cab was always my favorite layout - hated the Tundra dash tunnels) and after asking my mechanic buddies am satisfied that the 6.2 gasser is a tried and true engine. Another benefit, in Baja, ULSD is a guessing game at the gas stations and good luck finding DEF - Ford gassers are everywhere and so are the mechanics to fix them if there are problems.
I drove it back from the dealer (3 hour drive) and according to my calculations I got almost 14 mpg. My tundra with tires and small Callen camper (steel framed topper) got an honest 10 mpg. I expect that after I get the FWC on it the Ford will get around 10 mpg too. I'm fine with that. If I was towing big 5th wheels or car carriers I'd consider the diesel but for just driving down to the beach to check the surf or for my camping/surfing/fishing trips into Baja I'll go with the gasser.
I agree with you there's a lot of daylight under my truck too. With the Tundra I put leveling Bilstein shocks on the front - I don't think I'm going to do that this time with this truck. In fact, I think I'm going to keep the suspension almost completely stock. It's an ugly stinkbug right now but I think when I put the camper and gear into it (I also am having a 30 gallon water tank built into the flatbed behind the cab of the truck - for a total water capacity of 50 gallons!) that the truck will level out somewhat. I'm going for reliability over looks - so no lift, no 37" tires (I may go from 265 to 285... but maybe not).
I will most likely add better shocks after a couple of round trips to Cabo, once they're trashed. To be honest, "offroad" for me is being able to not get stuck on sandy beaches, dirt roads and some very mild ascents and descents over rocks and loose scrabble. In Baja reliability trumps everything else.
Having a nimble full size truck that with a tighter turning radius is more important to me for what I do than having articulation - or tons of clearance. There are a couple of dirt roads in Baja that have these fairly tight switchbacks clinging to the side of a mountain (Agua Verde Road - prime example) I think the short wheelbase will definitely make for a less stressful trip down the mountain.
I decided on the gasser because I had a brand new '03 7.3 diesel before and I had reliability issues with it (had to drive a brand new truck with spare parts in the glove box - CPS and a 10mm wrench - something wrong right there). I went to an '07 Tundra and put tens of thousands of Baja miles on it - great truck. I'm now off on this wild adventure with the flatbed and by all accounts it will be much heavier than claimed or expected. So I'm back with Ford (the Ford cab was always my favorite layout - hated the Tundra dash tunnels) and after asking my mechanic buddies am satisfied that the 6.2 gasser is a tried and true engine. Another benefit, in Baja, ULSD is a guessing game at the gas stations and good luck finding DEF - Ford gassers are everywhere and so are the mechanics to fix them if there are problems.
I drove it back from the dealer (3 hour drive) and according to my calculations I got almost 14 mpg. My tundra with tires and small Callen camper (steel framed topper) got an honest 10 mpg. I expect that after I get the FWC on it the Ford will get around 10 mpg too. I'm fine with that. If I was towing big 5th wheels or car carriers I'd consider the diesel but for just driving down to the beach to check the surf or for my camping/surfing/fishing trips into Baja I'll go with the gasser.
I agree with you there's a lot of daylight under my truck too. With the Tundra I put leveling Bilstein shocks on the front - I don't think I'm going to do that this time with this truck. In fact, I think I'm going to keep the suspension almost completely stock. It's an ugly stinkbug right now but I think when I put the camper and gear into it (I also am having a 30 gallon water tank built into the flatbed behind the cab of the truck - for a total water capacity of 50 gallons!) that the truck will level out somewhat. I'm going for reliability over looks - so no lift, no 37" tires (I may go from 265 to 285... but maybe not).
I will most likely add better shocks after a couple of round trips to Cabo, once they're trashed. To be honest, "offroad" for me is being able to not get stuck on sandy beaches, dirt roads and some very mild ascents and descents over rocks and loose scrabble. In Baja reliability trumps everything else.
Having a nimble full size truck that with a tighter turning radius is more important to me for what I do than having articulation - or tons of clearance. There are a couple of dirt roads in Baja that have these fairly tight switchbacks clinging to the side of a mountain (Agua Verde Road - prime example) I think the short wheelbase will definitely make for a less stressful trip down the mountain.
4x4JeepCamper
Observer
Con Kso,
I'm doing about the same thing as you, just with a much longer truck, a 17 F350 CC long bed, 6.2 gas. Man, is it long. Going to be doing a flat bed too. I'm actually thinking of making it myself. I'm not sure if I will go with a flatbed camper. I may just use a regular fleet bed camper, and put top-side boxes along the sides, and underside boxes below. I have the rubber floor too. For a truck, used off-road, often in muddy conditions, the XL rubber floor is the way to go.
I'm doing about the same thing as you, just with a much longer truck, a 17 F350 CC long bed, 6.2 gas. Man, is it long. Going to be doing a flat bed too. I'm actually thinking of making it myself. I'm not sure if I will go with a flatbed camper. I may just use a regular fleet bed camper, and put top-side boxes along the sides, and underside boxes below. I have the rubber floor too. For a truck, used off-road, often in muddy conditions, the XL rubber floor is the way to go.
WangosTango
New member
2016 F350 CC. 9ft custom flatbed. ATC camper, and hitch mounted spare tire carrier. Have personally found width a bigger issue offroad than length. No issues so far in UT, MT, WY and Baja. Not a hard core wheeler, but pretty damn capable so far.
"Ernie"
"Ernie"
Wow! That is an awesomely cool looking rig - let's see some more pics... I'm drooling.
You are a wildman! I known your rig, I've been in your rig... that thing's awesome but it would scare the crap out of me driving down into Agua Verde in it. I can't believe you went for that road - did you run into anybody on the way down and have to back up to let them by?
BTW: I was down at Dave's place a couple of years ago when I was on a dirtbike ride - he pointed out where your spot is.. very stealthy.
Hope you are well - I need another tour of your skunkworks- that place is rad.
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Can't wait to see it - I like the idea of the extra outside storage that using something like a utility box would provide - it's all about storage, I don't want anything lying around loose inside the camper or in the truck with me.
Let's make a deal, you post pics of yours - and I'll post pics of mine. Okay, that sounds kinda creepy but you know what I mean.
WangosTango
New member
Thanks, mostly done with it (for now at least) do plan to add a bumper and possible airbags/on-board compressor.
Truck is an XL, with some factory uprgrades, offroad package, heavier front springs. Leveled, fox 2.0, hellwig helper springs and sway bar.
35 inch Nittos on Fuel "beast" wheels. 65 gal tank, 6.7 diesel that has had some weight loss. Camper was custom ATC, very affordable. Bed was custom length, aluminum, with two storage boxes in front of wheels, and a custom box in the back. All of bed was sprayed with bed liner.
With you guys on the rubber floor, carpet in a truck? Have not taken it easy on in at all, if I fits I try to make it go. Funny someone mentioned Agua Verde, was on my way there at beginning of month but ran out of time. Its long, and wide, but feel like it hits our sweet spot.
A few more from Baja.
Truck is an XL, with some factory uprgrades, offroad package, heavier front springs. Leveled, fox 2.0, hellwig helper springs and sway bar.
35 inch Nittos on Fuel "beast" wheels. 65 gal tank, 6.7 diesel that has had some weight loss. Camper was custom ATC, very affordable. Bed was custom length, aluminum, with two storage boxes in front of wheels, and a custom box in the back. All of bed was sprayed with bed liner.
With you guys on the rubber floor, carpet in a truck? Have not taken it easy on in at all, if I fits I try to make it go. Funny someone mentioned Agua Verde, was on my way there at beginning of month but ran out of time. Its long, and wide, but feel like it hits our sweet spot.
A few more from Baja.
4x4JeepCamper
Observer
LOL!
It is all about storage. I had a popup years ago, on a single cab 1-ton. It's either in the cab with you (no room in a single cab), or it's in the back, usually loose and flying around. I always hated having to unload all the stuff before you could even get in the door. I will probably do a swing away on the back too. I will definitely post some pictures. Right now I'm in the flatbed design stage. It will be a couple more weeks before I have the pulse mig unit to handle aluminum. Should be an interesting project.
4x4JeepCamper
Observer
That a nice rig. I'd really like a flatbed camper. Not sure if it will happen, but I'm going with a flatbed platform for sure. I had already snagged your photos from another thread. I have a huge collection of "idea" photos from all over the net.