Thoughts on new AEV RAM?

[kojackJKU]

I agree MARGT. The AEV is more than stickers and embroidery. Plus, I Do believe that you can order an AEV with lockers, etc. if you want, they will install them. Again, money no object I would take the AEV hands down over any stock truck. Or, have the best of both worlds, have AEV build you one using the power wagon as a base. You know you can do that right!

 

[Ducky's Dad]

what's the biggest set of tires you could fit on a stock power wagon? What would it take for 37-40" tires?

Depends on the truck. My '05 3G has been on Toyo 35s since shortly after I got it, with zero mods to make them fit, and no clearance issues. Some guys with 3Gs have been successfully running 37s on stock suspension with no mods, others have had to trim the plastic fender lips a bit. Seems that 37s in 12.50 work fine, but those in 13.50 require a little trimming. A common and not too expensive mod to clear 37s is a set of bent control arms from Thuren or Carli. Reports on the 4Gs are less consistent, with some running 35s stock and others needing to add control arms or a little fender lip plastic trimming. I am not aware of anyone running 40s on a bone stock PW.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

There was only one prototype PW with a diesel that I am aware of. Built for Chrysler by Kore and shown at Moab around 2006. The word I heard is that Chrysler decided not to market diesel PWs because of weight and overall length. Diesels are heavy and make the truck less suitable for their target market, which includes offroaders and professionals who operate a lot in mud, sand, and snow. Having the truck nose down in mud is not a pretty thing. Length is an issue because the diesel intercooler prevents using the hidden winch mount that the PW comes with, and thus requires a winch bumper hanging out the front. Add the weight of the winch bumper plus that bigass winch leveraged out over the front, and that aggravates the weight issue on the front end. Plus, the PW is fairly long in conventional form, and the length of the bumper and winch would make it that much tighter on some trails. As with any vehicle purchase, you need to decide which aspects are most important to you, and how much you are willing to pay to get close to your ideal vehicle.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

you could buy the AEV and have something special.

If it's just about being special, that's fine. If it's about getting the best truck for your purposes and budget, you need to dig deeper than that. An AEV Ram is a nice truck, but the buyer is paying an awful lot for the branding. AEV will claim that they have to amortize their development costs, and that is true. But they are also marketing a premium vehicle to a potential customer base that may value exclusivity more than bang for the buck.

 

[joshuak172]

I just want to say thanks to everyone for the thorough responses.

As far as the purchase goes, I'm not big on exclusivity but I am big on well engineered products. It seems that AEV has done their due diligence in this regard and if I can retain the factory warranty in the process then that's an additional win.

I would like to think I will keep this truck for ten years but in reality it will be lucky to make it five. I have owned a few Rams already, a 14 Laramie 3500 drw and a 14 1500 outdoorsman. Although they don't have the best reputation for quality I love the interiors and didn't have any issues through either of them in 40k miles on each. Now that I have a car as a dd I am thinking the 2500 should fill the bill as a great toy with occasional duty on the farm and dragging our Kubota m6060 in to get serviced.

I'm also leaning more towards the diesel for the payload bump. I would love to get another pop up one day and the PW just won't cut it given my family size.

Any more comments, keep em coming. For now it seems like the AEV is a win. I just have to get comfortble with the price tag.

thanks again,
Josh

 

[kojackJKU]

I have no quams about that truck making 10 years. It will go that far and beyond if taken care of and not totally abused. And don't forget, after 5 years, you can always sell it to me if your sick of it...ha ha!

 

[thethePete]

Depends on the truck. My '05 3G has been on Toyo 35s since shortly after I got it, with zero mods to make them fit, and no clearance issues. Some guys with 3Gs have been successfully running 37s on stock suspension with no mods, others have had to trim the plastic fender lips a bit. Seems that 37s in 12.50 work fine, but those in 13.50 require a little trimming. A common and not too expensive mod to clear 37s is a set of bent control arms from Thuren or Carli. Reports on the 4Gs are less consistent, with some running 35s stock and others needing to add control arms or a little fender lip plastic trimming. I am not aware of anyone running 40s on a bone stock PW.

It should be noted that AEV runs their own high-clearance fenders to fit 40"s. Not really a fair comparison to a bone-stock PW.

What is the real-world mileage for your truck? My dad had an 03 1500 that got garbage mileage, and he has just recently replaced it with a 15 1500 with the 8spd, it gets more than acceptable mileage, but I've heard the sad reality of owning a PW is pretty much single digit mileage all the time... I really like the value of all the things a PW comes with, but if it also comes with single digit mileage, lockers and a winch can be added to anything... (I know there's a lot more to a PW than that)

 

[Ducky's Dad]

What is the real-world mileage for your truck?

I'm right at 10mpg for ten years. But keep in mind that mine has the 4.56 gears, running heavy Toyo 35s, and mine is loaded to north of 8,000 pounds with triple batteries, fridge, OBA, water tanks (plural), camper shell, two big tool boxes and a lot of recovery stuff. The newer PWs with the 8-spd trans and standard .410s get much better mileage. My Tundra CrewMax TRD with the 5.7 and 4.30s only gets about 13mpg, with a much lighter load. My GMC K1500 with 3.73s (I think) has averaged about 13mpg over 18 years, but it gets driven hard with heavy loads.

 

[kmcoop7]

corrections

MarAgt and Ducky's Dad sums up the AEV better than I do. Listen to them not me. My personal opinion is that there are more cost effective ways to gain equal or better off road suspension performance than the AEV kit. The only reason I would ever lift a truck is to gain off road ability. My truck with stock springs and bilsteins performed very well off road. Took it to places most people would never consider driving any truck, much less a brand new crew cab long bed diesel. that cost me 2hrs of time and $367 in shocks.

New power wagons have a 6 speed auto not 8 speed. The 8 speed auto/hemi combo is only available in the 1500's

Checking the Diesel option box will get you LESS payload not more. The engine/tranny combo with a diesel weigh significantly more than a gasser so it takes away from payload. Much more towing capacity, less payload with a diesel. Order a 3500 if want payload. You also get the added benefit of a MUCH simpler rear end, easier fitment of aftermarket exhaust, air bags, ect. I like the ride of a 2500 much better but order a 3500 with Ram now because I prefer the simplicity of the rear leaf set up.

 

[kb7our]

We have one for some tesing. Wicked machine. What is most surprising is how comfortable and composed it is on the highway with 40" tires. Detailed feedback soon

View attachment 327960

Would like to see more pics of the cargo rack and how that is mounted within the Rambox. Looking for a similar setup that either uses the factory Rambox rails or what appears here to be cutting through the top Rambox panels to get inside the stake pockets. Any more info on this setup would be appreciated.

 

[2025 deleted member]

Would like to see more pics of the cargo rack and how that is mounted within the Rambox. Looking for a similar setup that either uses the factory Rambox rails or what appears here to be cutting through the top Rambox panels to get inside the stake pockets. Any more info on this setup would be appreciated.

X2
I am considering a PW in the future and was looking for info on that rack.

 

[MarAgt]

Would like to see more pics of the cargo rack and how that is mounted within the Rambox. Looking for a similar setup that either uses the factory Rambox rails or what appears here to be cutting through the top Rambox panels to get inside the stake pockets. Any more info on this setup would be appreciated.

If you go over to the forum.AEV-conversions.com website, under the Ram & Prospector Discussion page that rack has been asked about numerous times. Per AEV's Dave Harriton, that rack is a one off they made for that truck before one of the SEMA shows. They never seem to mention whether or not it will become an AEV for sale item. If it does, I'd love to have it too.

 

[kb7our]

If you go over to the forum.AEV-conversions.com website, under the Ram & Prospector Discussion page that rack has been asked about numerous times. Per AEV's Dave Harriton, that rack is a one off they made for that truck before one of the SEMA shows. They never seem to mention whether or not it will become an AEV for sale item. If it does, I'd love to have it too.

Thanks for the tip. I am not aware of any rack mount that attaches inside the Rambox to the very sturdy OEM side rails and then extends up high enough over the bed to clear open Ramboxes - this would be slick. Even Front Runner's expanded line does not seem to call out Rambox compatibility. Also waiting for a Procal for the RAM TPMS (another topic) but I understand there are some challenges that may never be overcome (although still hopeful). Love the Procal for the Wrangler.

 

[MarAgt]

What's not to overcome on the ProCal? One came with my AEV Prospector. Both the speedo and the TPMS seems to be working correctly.

 

[Hilldweller]

Get a Power Wagon and then call these guys.
http://www.carlisuspension.com/dodge-ram/index.html

AEV is like the shirt with the alligator on it...
There are better shirts available. No gator.