What's your ideal RAM with mods for overlanding with ~2000lbs payload?

[ScottPC]

Would love your suggestions! I'm looking for a capable reliable 4x4 RAM (either 2500 or 3500) dedicated for hauling my popup camper (Hallmark Milner) and other gear so payload will be around 2000 for camper and gear. The goal is an Alaska to Chile trip and eventually some other countries. This will be used for more road / overland use. At times, I'll need to stuff it in a container.

I'm thinking a Hemi would work great for a few reasons. I won't be towing with this and don't want to deal with DEF, etc. I do want to get a larger fuel tank (if possible for gas), 4.10 axle, larger tires (37-40?), and dialed in suspension for this load. What years and mods would you recommend?

 

[gdaut]

What is the dry weight of your camper? A payload of 2000 lbs seems too small. In addition to the camper you will have two(?) adults (300 - 400 pounds), full fuel tank (around 300 pounds if you have a large tank), water in the camper, food and beer, tools and jack, toys, clothes, etc. It adds up fast. Get at 3500.

 

[ScottPC]

What is the dry weight of your camper? A payload of 2000 lbs seems too small. In addition to the camper you will have two(?) adults (300 - 400 pounds), full fuel tank (around 300 pounds if you have a large tank), water in the camper, food and beer, tools and jack, toys, clothes, etc. It adds up fast. Get at 3500.

The dry weight is ~1320, but I should weigh it just to be sure. It's currently on our 3500 HD Silverado (duramax) which is primarily used for towing a horse trailer so I haven't worried about it. I want this new build to be geared for the camper and it won't have to tow.

 

[ScottPC]

The easy answer is just get a Power Wagon that's basically set up how you want already - but those are rated for 1600lbs payload which is shy of what you stated. You'd still be way inside its GCWR so the braking/pulling/heat probably won't be a big deal and I'd imagine you could get away with it pretty safely on just airbags or a heavier set of rear springs - but if you want to remain safely inside the rated gross vehicle mass with payload you're going to have to go for a 3500. No locking diff available on those.

I agree that when you're not pulling heavy the gas engine is likely going to serve you better. Diesels are almost always more efficient when under continuous load and the wind load from your camper might qualify but other than that efficiency advantage they're mostly just a weight penalty and a maintenance penalty.

Agreed...but of payload is right on the bubble. The PW payload I saw was 1510 so maybe the air bags would be the way to go. With the diesels requiring the ULSD and DEF, I could find myself stuck in many parts outside of North America so was thinking along those lines. I know I can carry jerry cans but would love to find a way to install a larger tank just for some added range.

 

[phsycle]

What about a Super Duty Tremor? Has the gearing and payload you want. Rear locker/front LSD, and 35’s.

 

[sg1]

I have done Tuk to Chile. Here my 2 cents:
Don´t take a modern diesel. I have seen lots of diesels with DEF and DPF problems, problems with the ECU at altitude and they are not used south of the US.
You don´t need an extremely capable offroad vehicle, any 4x4 truck in stock configuration will be just fine. It is difficult enough to find spare parts for stock vehicles, aftermarket is next to impossible. You should get shocks with lots of oil though because you will encounter lots of washboard.
You will have to replace your tires. Stay with a standard size otherwise you will have problems getting them. Huge tires look cool but good luck if you have to replace them down south.
Ford has the best network of dealerships of any North American OEM. The F 150 is the only NA truck sold in most if not all countries in Latin America. A F 150 with heavy payload package should have enough payload. A friend of mine has been on the PanAm for 5 years with a stock F 150 and and FWC Granby and had no issues.
Your gas tank should have a range of at least 500 miles, 700 would be better if you want to explore the Puna region in Argentina.

 

[ScottPC]

What about a Super Duty Tremor? Has the gearing and payload you want. Rear locker/front LSD, and 35’s.

After giving the Tremor a closer look, it could be just the answer without other mods. The 35s should be fine too. It seems like the larger 48gallon gas tank is only available in the 8ft bed. Any idea if a larger tank is possible on the 6.75 bed? I'd like to have a little longer range without out having to carry jerry cans off the the back.

 

[phsycle]

After giving the Tremor a closer look, it could be just the answer without other mods. The 35s should be fine too. It seems like the larger 48gallon gas tank is only available in the 8ft bed. Any idea if a larger tank is possible on the 6.75 bed? I'd like to have a little longer range without out having to carry jerry cans off the the back.

Looks like it’s only available on the crew cab long bed. Maybe there is an aux tank option but no go on factory option. Even with 48 gal, 500mile range would be tight, as I’m sure you’ll be getting ~12mpg. Which is where diesels shine but they have their own issues.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind Jerry cans. Especially if you’re going to be way out in the sticks in some parts of the travel. Get a crack in the fuel tank. At least you’ll have fuel in storage to fill it back up after the fix.

 

[ScottPC]

Yeah this is something that seems to always get missed, well the same thing happens in the tuner scene. People do all these furious modifications to their car but when I watch actual racing where the clock is king, those cars don't look anything like tuner cars. So we see all these REI coffee under a pine tree inspired broverlander builds at SEMA but the locals who live 365 days a year where you're adventuring.. they're in a 2wd pickup with 235-75r15 tires which are small and light and you can keep three spares in about the same cubic footage as one spare 35" tire, and if you need to you can change it off a rim in the bush with a pry bar, a stick and a hammer. Biggest drawback is you can't get 10000 instagram followers if you don't have 37's and all your conspicuous accessories mounted on the outside of your vehicle and a medium sized dog and a pretty woman doing yoga on the roof of the vehicle at sunrise for some reason.

You had me at "Yoga on the Roof" capability... stock or aftermarket?

 

[ttengineer]

If you are going to put a camper in the bed, you need a 3500.

Period.

The coil spring rear end is not suited for that type of payload. Even with airbags, which if you’re adding airbags to a 2500 you really should have just gone with a 3500 in the first place. Plus you get the better transmission in a 3500.

If you want 40s, you’re looking at a lot of work. Moving the axle, cutting the fenders if you want a 3” lift, lifting 5” if you want stock fenders.



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[406to417]

Biggest drawback is you can't get 10000 instagram followers if you don't have 37's and all your conspicuous accessories mounted on the outside of your vehicle and a medium sized dog and a pretty woman doing yoga on the roof of the vehicle at sunrise for some reason.

That's the funniest things I have read in a while.

 

[Nitromethane43]

With that size of tire be ready to upgrade the front end parts on any modern RAM if you plan on going remote places down south. I don't have huge tires on my 2500 3gen, but with a small Lance it adds an additional 600-700 lbs onto the front end.

For extended fuel tanks on a gas vehicle you could look into aero tanksthey are made out of steel either oe location extended range or they also have one that sits above the spare that gets pumped into the main tank. Im not too sure how well the aftermarket poly tanks hold up to gas as it seems they do not have the lighter colored liner as the factory tank does. If you are willing to move the muffler under the cab and run a side exit then there is a lot of room under the bed area for a auxiliary tank. I was able to add a 15 gallon above a mbpr muffler, without it 30+ is possible on a long bed.



As far as hemi I do not have much experience, with a camper and diesel 18s are possible when going slow, I usually prefer the country roads or highways when possible over freeways, the cab over camper create a lot of wind resistance. Empty going long distances 25 mpg on hand calc is possible with a manual transmission.

If you would like newer diesel the emissions could always be removed to accomidate international travel. The newest emissions free truck would be a early 2007 with the 5.9, those are hard to find in the us like the early 1998 12 valves. In south America I think those trucks were made til 2010 or 2011.

For capacity in all reality the 2500 and 3500 srw is not that different on the leaf spring trucks. The newer ones 2500 have coils and 3500 comes with leafs. I have leafs and helper bags on a stock truck, the back is fine, but the front seems to have very limited up travel with the additional weight and is rough riding on bumpstops off road. Outside of the developed world weight is not a legality and you run what you deem is comfortable and safe. Most of the other trucks on the road would be my concern as most are well beyond any factory sticker or design.

 

[chet6.7]

A slide in camper should be on a 3500,you will never be sorry for any extra payload capacity.

http://www.rambodybuilder.com/iph/iph2014/ph2014/phdocs/phram/phhdramcg.pdf

 

[jonathon]

Ram offers a 50 gallon fuel tank now, only available on the long bed like Ford. If you’re going with a short bed your out of luck.

Payload on a 2500 with the gas engine and 4.10 gears is around 3100 depending on trim, but only 2000 of that can be used in the bed. You’ll probably want a 3500 just for the wiggle room. Remember stock capacity only applies to stock trucks, you swap the springs for something softer and the factory rating goes out the window.

On the flip side I wouldn’t hesitate to run a gas 2500 at max payload, especially with airbags to help level it out. I regularly haul firewood in mine. Truck sits level with a long bed full of Doug Fir, and while I haven’t scaled it I’m sure it’s over 2k.

 

[sg1]

One more try. You are going to drive at least 60,000 miles in an area where there are no 3/4 or 1 ton trucks. Between Mexico and Chile they aren't sold. With a 1/2 ton with heavy payload you will be in the 7,500 to 8,000 lbs range with a modified 1 ton with oversized tires you will be way north of 10,000 lbs. With that weight and SRW you would need tires with a very high load rating and an unusual size. With 8,000 lbs you can still use normal stock tires which are available in these countries. Besides a highly modified truck is very conspicuous and has written GRINGO all over.