Ram 2500 XL for overland / expedition trips

[ttengineer]

For what it's worth, just for a spray in bed liner of plain old classic LineX, I've seen prices differ as much as $500 just here in Atlanta alone.




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[Ravenmad]

For what it's worth, just for a spray in bed liner of plain old classic LineX, I've seen prices differ as much as $500 just here in Atlanta alone.




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Yeah, at first they told me the color match was $275 extra, per item, but that if I did it all at once there would only be a flat $275. fee. However, when they gave me the quote they wanted to charge me right at $1000. just for color match fees. Anyways, if the cost was $1200 I would not even hesitate. I will check around just like was suggested, seems like the wise thing to do. I guess it should not surprise me, I shop around for price and service on everything else, I should have expected to shop around on LineX also.

No big deal, guys have to pay their bills and some places are just more willing to be reasonable than others ( I guess I should not have rolled into their local in a track suit with gold chains and body guards, they simply thought I was rich, my bad )...

 

[Tex68w]

You might find a shop willing to eat some of the costs on the color match, but the base price of spraying certain items will stay relatively the same amongst most shops. There may be the rogue guy who goes low just to get the work just as there are some shops gouging people. I started a Line-X franchise back in 2014 and went to the week long training in Huntsville, you'd be surprised what the base costs on some of the materials are.

 

[Ravenmad]

You might find a shop willing to eat some of the costs on the color match, but the base price of spraying certain items will stay relatively the same amongst most shops. There may be the rogue guy who goes low just to get the work just as there are some shops gouging people. I started a Line-X franchise back in 2014 and went to the week long training in Huntsville, you'd be surprised what the base costs on some of the materials are.

Yeah, I think you are correct. I have a lot of respect for anyone who starts their own business, franchise or cold start, either way, they are still taking the risk. I spend a lot of time around vendors and manufactures of off-road products, I see the margins / points and I also see the difference between the small business and the large corporations when it comes to how they position themselves with the customer. Im absolutely not apposed to traveling to get good service and I don't mind spending money on a good product, but I sure don't like the thought of anyone looking at me and thinking they can make a sales pitch. Educate me, YES, gouge me, NO.

Funny, normally I shop around for everything and what I look for is always the same.
1. Knowledgable on a Tech. basis
2. Polite and willing to talk but not a story teller
3. Good customer service reviews
4. A clean orderly shop / workspace
5. competitive price ( depends on if they are a vendor or a manufacture of a product ) if your a vendor, it better be competitive. If your providing a service or a custom part, then I weigh the first 4 points higher than the price and expect that the higher the first 4 points are, the more something is worth.

The LineX shop is a great example, if I knew several people who told me they had used other shops, but the quality of the work and attention to detail at this particular shop was amazing compared to others. Well then, I would be willing to spend extra money at that particular shop. Something about supporting a shop owner and employees that work hard and want to do the best that they can for each customer, causes me to say, yeah, Im not rewarding their hard work, Im just willing to pay extra to support that kind of a business and its employees. Quality, hard to find and worth supporting each and every time...

 

[Tex68w]

I agree with you on all points! It opened and sold inside of 15 months, but that was kind of the plan all along. I was in the midst of working for Uncle Sam at the time so most of my input and efforts were in start up and operations control. It's a hard business to get your feet wet in, but if you play your cards right it can be a very profitable venture.

In my experience bed liner has its rightful place, inside the bed of a pickup and on the interior tub of Jeeps and similarly setup trucks and SUV's. I am not a fan of it on any wear and tear areas such steps, bumpers, skid plates, boat hulls, exterior body parts, etc. I will say that Line-X does offer the best product on the market when you get down to the science of their polyurea. Most competitors use cartridge systems or cold applicators and they simply can't compete.

 

[g man]

Thank you for the compliments. I agree with others about shopping around. The premium and the color matched both are an up charge but those prices do not sound correct. As far as sun fading, I have had mine done for 2 or 3 years now (front and rear bumpers) and I’ve had no sun fade. I also have the bed done in the premium black (sun resistant) and it hasn’t faded. The top was a craigslist find and I had it painted to match. It’s only been on for about 6 months now. Regarding price, the shop I dealt with did discount some because I was having so much done at once. It surprised me when the shop you got a quote from was not willing to do that.

For me, LineX was the best option. I didn’t want automotive paint or powder coating as a method to match the paint. I live in the rust belt of KY and neither of those seem to work long term here. If I were doing a stainless or aluminum bumper, I’d probably use one of powder coating or auto paint. That’s what we did on my wife’s aluminum poison spyder JK steps/rock rails. Painted the body armor to match and powder coated the steps/rails.


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[Ravenmad]

I did a little more work to the truck today. Routed and plumbed an Air chuck into the rear passenger side corner of the bed. I ordered a better air fitting with a plastic cover for inside the bed, but the standard issue NAPA air fitting will do for now. All HD nylon braided hoses and crimped ends from Wisler bearing. I had them build me an exact replica as a spare just in case I damage the air lines running under the bed somehow. I could not get a clear picture of the air line routing or the stainless insulted C clamps I used to secure the air line under the truck. Everything is up and out of the way as well as run in a protective conduit for extra abrasion protection.

Here are a couple of pics of were I located the air fitting inside the truck bed. The air fitting sits recessed behind the main support post in the rear corner. Basically means it does not protrude out past the surface were the tailgate seals against. I think I may build a small shield for it also, just to give it a little extra protection.

I ordered a nice all weather switch and a air pressure gauge and mount that I am going to locate next to the air fitting. I am thinking I will wire the switch in as an override so I can turn the compressors on from the rear corner as well as from inside the cab at the Aux. switch.

 

[Ravenmad]

I purchased 6 Pelecan 1660 cases ( 31.59 x 22.99 x 19.48" ) this week. I am going to use them for Bed storage. They clear the BakFlip X2 on the truck by about 1/2 inch (tight fit). They do have handles and rollers, but the real question in my mind is how to secure them to the truck. I don't want them to bounce around, not sure what kind of tie downs to use. I don't want a bunch of ratchet straps, I would prefer something clean... IDEAS???

Cases 1. Maintenance specific case ( all fluids, filters and wear items )
2. Medical case with full trauma kit ( yes I know how to use it )
3. Survival case ( more to come on that )
4. Tool case ( will include a suitcase welder, air tools, tool sets )

Im also thinking we will build a molly system that will bolt to the inside of the truck bud were I can mount quick fists for stuff I don't want bouncing around (axe -shovel - misc)

 

[g man]

I purchased 6 Pelecan 1660 cases ( 31.59 x 22.99 x 19.48" ) this week. I am going to use them for Bed storage. They clear the BakFlip X2 on the truck by about 1/2 inch (tight fit). They do have handles and rollers, but the real question in my mind is how to secure them to the truck. I don't want them to bounce around, not sure what kind of tie downs to use. I don't want a bunch of ratchet straps, I would prefer something clean... IDEAS???

Cases 1. Maintenance specific case ( all fluids, filters and wear items )
2. Medical case with full trauma kit ( yes I know how to use it )
3. Survival case ( more to come on that )
4. Tool case ( will include a suitcase welder, air tools, tool sets )

Im also thinking we will build a molly system that will bolt to the inside of the truck bud were I can mount quick fists for stuff I don't want bouncing around (axe -shovel - misc)


View attachment 450044

YESSS! ^^THIS^^ is very good stuff!


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[live2travel photography]

I ran pelican cases in the back of my Tacoma for years. In the end it was always a pain to get into them when I needed stuff and they weigh a ton when filled with gear. My biggest recommendation would be to buy a bedslide to attach them all to. Had I added that to my truck the cases wouldn't have caused so many headaches over the years. Additionally you can add mounting points onto the bedslide to attach the case handles to for that cleaner setup look you are going for.

 

[Ravenmad]

I took a long hard look at bed slides. Actually, I was going to have a full drawer system built, but the overall cost was absolutely stupid. I know there are several "low cost" options for pull out bed drawer systems, but I'm not into molded plastic unless its a cooler, Pelican case, or a nalgene bottle. The bed slides are nice and deff. run the spectrum cost wise and weight wise as well. The best systems seem to use up about 3" of space height wise. With a limited amount of space between the floor and the bottom of the Tonneau cover (i.e. app. 20" height wise from the floor to the cover) I just could not see myself sacrificing the 3". I also don't like the idea of wasting the space on the sides of the slide, entanglement with the runners would be a concern of mine as well. I could build an enclosure if you will around the bed slide and make the sides into individual compartments. If anything, I might just build a center compartment that the pelican cases fit in to and then also compartmentalize the remaining space in the bed (the front two pelican cases are utilized for service and repair). If it all bolted in I could have it LineX'ed and wallaa. I deff. need to put some more thought into this. The overall weight does not scare me so much, its a 3/4 ton diesel truck that I've built to carry weight, heck, I bought it because I was tired of the first consideration before a trip being how far over the max load capacity I was willing to go. Now, if its in question and I have room, Im bringing it... Walllaaaa. Anyways... Bed slides are cool, handy, expensive and heavy. If I was running a canopy/topper I think a good bed slide would be a must though.

 

[live2travel photography]

I took a long hard look at bed slides. Actually, I was going to have a full drawer system built, but the overall cost was absolutely stupid. I know there are several "low cost" options for pull out bed drawer systems, but I'm not into molded plastic unless its a cooler, Pelican case, or a nalgene bottle. The bed slides are nice and deff. run the spectrum cost wise and weight wise as well. The best systems seem to use up about 3" of space height wise. With a limited amount of space between the floor and the bottom of the Tonneau cover (i.e. app. 20" height wise from the floor to the cover) I just could not see myself sacrificing the 3". I also don't like the idea of wasting the space on the sides of the slide, entanglement with the runners would be a concern of mine as well. I could build an enclosure if you will around the bed slide and make the sides into individual compartments. If anything, I might just build a center compartment that the pelican cases fit in to and then also compartmentalize the remaining space in the bed (the front two pelican cases are utilized for service and repair). If it all bolted in I could have it LineX'ed and wallaa. I deff. need to put some more thought into this. The overall weight does not scare me so much, its a 3/4 ton diesel truck that I've built to carry weight, heck, I bought it because I was tired of the first consideration before a trip being how far over the max load capacity I was willing to go. Now, if its in question and I have room, Im bringing it... Walllaaaa. Anyways... Bed slides are cool, handy, expensive and heavy. If I was running a canopy/topper I think a good bed slide would be a must though.

The weight of the pelican cases is more of a loading and unloading problem. When you get a 1660 that weighs 150-200 lbs it gets tough to get in and out of the truck due to the size of the case, if it's just one person. If they are under a cover and rarely get removed then that is no longer an issue. I would recommend ordering a bunch of combination locks for the cases. This way you can have the cases locked up even if someone gets under the cover, and you wont have to worry about all your gear. I would recommend trying to get the cases you use the most faced towards the rear of the truck so they open with the lid towards the front. I'm not sure if you can put them side by side in a 2500 but if so that would make it super easy to access them when needed. To attach the cases to the truck bed you could use airline tracks to attach the cases, and when you have them out the tracks wont stick up to catch on anything else you may be carrying.

Just another recommendation, I wouldn't put a first aid kit in the case. If it is a life and death situation and you need to get to the kit quickly then it might take more time with it in the case vs in the cab of the truck. Just my .02 though.

 

[silvrzuki77]

Off subject, how do you like the continentals and gear combo so far?


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[Ravenmad]

The weight of the pelican cases is more of a loading and unloading problem. When you get a 1660 that weighs 150-200 lbs it gets tough to get in and out of the truck due to the size of the case, if it's just one person. If they are under a cover and rarely get removed then that is no longer an issue. I would recommend ordering a bunch of combination locks for the cases. This way you can have the cases locked up even if someone gets under the cover, and you wont have to worry about all your gear. I would recommend trying to get the cases you use the most faced towards the rear of the truck so they open with the lid towards the front. I'm not sure if you can put them side by side in a 2500 but if so that would make it super easy to access them when needed. To attach the cases to the truck bed you could use airline tracks to attach the cases, and when you have them out the tracks wont stick up to catch on anything else you may be carrying.

Just another recommendation, I wouldn't put a first aid kit in the case. If it is a life and death situation and you need to get to the kit quickly then it might take more time with it in the case vs in the cab of the truck. Just my .02 though.

No question about that, my 1660 with my tools in it easily weighs 150 pounds. I like the idea of having locks on each case with a common key for sure. looking at the bed, I think I will need to put the cases in and move them around to see how to best use the space. I also agree, the cases should be located as per importance. It may be that I attach my aid and trauma bags to a molly system attached to the inside of the bed for quick access. Fluids / long term maintenance case and major repair tools will be up front (if I need them, well, unloading the truck will be the least of my worries), that should leave me with 2 maybe 3 more cases. 1 case for major trauma (i.e. longer term care, dental, sutures, etc. ). I think another case should be for long term food storage and the last case for survival, food prep.

Looking at the rack design and RTT placement, I think I can put the tent on the back of the truck and have it open up over the tail gate. If I do that, then I will have room for 2 - 120 qtr Alu-Boxes to be mounted between the tent and the cab. Im assuming I will put light items in the Alu-Boxes (i.e. sleeping bags, clothing items and such).

 

[Ravenmad]

Off subject, how do you like the continentals and gear combo so far?


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I really like the Continentals. I bought them understanding their limitations. I absolutely think if a person wants to have a daily driver that looks good but you fancy driving 90 mph on the interstate, well, deff. the wrong tire to have.

A few things I have observed now that I put 3200 miles on the tires.
1. They are sensitive to air Pressure (deff. need to make sure you get the correct PSI for your use)
2. They are a little noisy (a little worse than my old MTR-Ks)
3. They are heavy and effect the breaking at speeds over 45 mph.
4. They are very round and I get almost no shake or vibration (best tire took 4.5 ounces and worst was 12 ounces. to balance)

I am a fan of the tire size / gear ratio combo. Now that Im settled in the truck is averaging 16.2mpg ( I do not drive aggressively) and towing 9K I am averaging 15.1 on the interstate over 400 plus mile trips. For me its a near perfect combo. I looked at the tire I wanted, its max speed rating, the speed I will cruise at, Cummins reported RPM for efficiency and what RPM I want to be at when towing. I drive 65-70 mph on the interstate and the motor runs out at 1750 rpm at 70 mph. When Im towing I step down to 60-65 mph on the interstate, turn on some good music and the truck just cruises along no worries. I will say, I have noticed fuel mileage has proved to be more consistent with the 4:88 gears. I get significantly better mileage around town and in mixed low speed (up to 45-50 mph) than I did before. My off-road milage has improved as well as throttle response off-road. The typical lag at very low speeds (crawl) is gone and the truck will almost idle up the trail with next to no input on the throttle. Obviously my Highway Milage has decreased as the motor is turning about 350 rpm higher at highway speeds and I have increased my rolling resistance and wind resistance with the lift and tires.

Would I do it again knowing what I know now, YES, do I wish I could consistently get 17-18 mpg, YES, but I also live in the mountains of Colorado ( it may do better on flat ground at sea level). I will gladly accept the 1-2 mpg loss on the interstate for the gains Ive received elsewhere.

side note. I think the 40 inch Toyo is a really good tire, Ive never run them but I think if a guy was just building a highway cruiser / light off-road truck then they would be great. I personally wanted a tire that gave me better / more specific benefits off-road / over-landing / exploring. I don't like the thought of puncturing sidewalls, I don't like a 15 inch wide tire ( I prefer narrow for most terrain / not all terrain though ) I wanted a smooth driving tire that also had an aggressive tread design, and I realized that the Continental actually only weighs 7 pounds more than a 40 inch Toyo.