Turns out I need a real truck. Kindly help me choose one!

[hdas]

2024 Chevy Silverado HD ZR2​

Another competitor enters the arena

 

[Darwin]

The outfitter is correct. You do not have to do anything to the suspension or the tires and wheels on the Ram 3500. That should save a significant amount of money.

 

[tacollie]

No, I have a Prius, a Land Cruiser and a Range Rover....

Also an update. The outfitter says I don't need to do anything to the suspension of a RAM 3500. I need to clarify if this means no wheels and tires. Kind of surprised by his answer, but It's a good thing $$$$$$$$.

You don't have to do anything to any of the trucks you're looking at. That's the benefit of going to a truck with higher payload. Personally I would add on board air and run it. You can upgrade things down the road as your needs demand.

 

[DirtWhiskey]

Agree with the last few comments. You can take a bone stock F250 anywhere you really should take an F250. Get the FX4 and even more so. One set of lockers and decent tires can take you to the moon and back.

I took my dumpy 3500hd long bed utility truck through the Maze last year. I don't recommend it but if I had a rear locker and a shorter wheel base the Flint trail would have been cake.

I will say go Dodge/Ram or Ford. That droopy low hanging Chevy frame sucks.

 

[hdas]

You don't have to do anything to any of the trucks you're looking at.

Not even tires to a RAM 3500 Tradesman?. I'm also curious to know if the weight in the back that I'm putting is enough to load the vehicle to smooth the rough ride of the 3500 leaf spring suspension.

 

[hdas]

I was thinking that perhaps the 3500 is overkill, but If go for the prospector or down the line I want to add more parts, it doesn't seem so. Additionally, its very interesting that in this table, there's an option for a Cummins with 4.1 axle ratio, which I don't see available anywhere.

 

[tacollie]

Not even tires to a RAM 3500 Tradesman?. I'm also curious to know if the weight in the back that I'm putting is enough to load the vehicle to smooth the rough ride of the 3500 leaf spring suspension.

I thought you were looking at the truck with the off-road packages. Let trim trucks I would put the largest AT tires that fit and run it.

 

[hdas]

I thought you were looking at the truck with the off-road packages. Let trim trucks I would put the largest AT tires that fit and run it.

I was looking into the scenario where I just get the 3500 tradesman and go. That car has everything bare minimum.

Maybe too bare, I don't care for luxury, audio or a lot of technology, here are my minimum requirements:

• Heater/Power mirrors ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• No Chrome finishing ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Heated Seats ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Good Led Lights -----> Need to find out
• Good Fog lights -----> Can get aftermarket
• Blindspots, parking cameras. ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Power Seats ----> I DON'T SEE THE OPTION, MIGHT HAVE TO GO 1 TRIM LEVEL UP.

 

[2025 deleted member]

2024 Chevy Silverado HD ZR2​

Another competitor enters the arena

That nasty waxed frame is just a pet peeve of mine, it’s not needed in this day and age and it ends up looking horrible.

 

[hdas]

If I do the Prospector package, the bill gets large. And this is not including some desirable things like:

leather seats
differential covers
winch.

I could save around $2100 if I use Bilsteins 5100 instead of 8112's.

If I go for this, I'll be basically indulging my inner child. My Prius is 2009, My Land Cruiser is 1999 and my Range Rover is 1997. I haven't bought a Car in almost 15 years and a nice new car since the last millennium

 

[tacollie]

I was looking into the scenario where I just get the 3500 tradesman and go. That car has everything bare minimum.

Maybe too bare, I don't care for luxury, audio or a lot of technology, here are my minimum requirements:

• Heater/Power mirrors ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• No Chrome finishing ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Heated Seats ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Good Led Lights -----> Need to find out
• Good Fog lights -----> Can get aftermarket
• Blindspots, parking cameras. ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Power Seats ----> I DON'T SEE THE OPTION, MIGHT HAVE TO GO 1 TRIM LEVEL UP.

Personally I'm a base level guy. My wife doesn't ask for much but power seats are a must. I did a seat swap out of a higher-end truck. I'm not sure It was worth the headache or if I even saved that much money

 

[Todd780]

I was looking into the scenario where I just get the 3500 tradesman and go. That car has everything bare minimum.

Maybe too bare, I don't care for luxury, audio or a lot of technology, here are my minimum requirements:

• Heater/Power mirrors ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• No Chrome finishing ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Heated Seats ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Good Led Lights -----> Need to find out
• Good Fog lights -----> Can get aftermarket
• Blindspots, parking cameras. ----> 3500 Tradesman check
• Power Seats ----> I DON'T SEE THE OPTION, MIGHT HAVE TO GO 1 TRIM LEVEL UP.

I believe and maybe @ramblinChet can confirm, that you can swap in the factory LED's onto a tradesman.

Power seats can maybe be installed? Not sure. That's def one thing that pushed to a Ford with the upper XLT trim vs an XL.
Gotta have power seats. (Well height adjustable anyway. Not sure why Ford can't offer manual height adjusters on lower trims)

 

[Jurfie]

Maybe I missed it, but why not build up your LC?

 

[Todd780]

Maybe I missed it, but why not build up your LC?

Might be tight for the amount of people.

 

[Jurfie]

Might be tight for the amount of people.

Ah. I thought it was just him +1 and a soon to be kid. The LC seems big enough to me for the time being. It’s not like an Alu-Cabin has a massive amount of room.