RAM 2500 Custom Overland Build, RTT Rack, Aux Batt, Transfer Tank, Sliders & Other Stuff!

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PNW EXPLR

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I REALLY like that! Ive mounted lights on all 4 bed corners as well. I have a half bed rack, and full bed rack. I have a marine outdoor switch panel that i cut into the "Decked" drawer system
I will probably add one more to each side. The cheap ones I threw on there leave a lot to be desired as far as lighting up the perimeter. I will have to do some digging to find a good wide and bright scene light.
 

Dodge Cummins

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This is how it sits today. Its really where a big truck NEEDS a winch. In the back, get out and come back another day. The military puts them up front so they go forward ... or die. I can afford the time to come back another day.
 

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Drkhrts

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It’s really nice and a good design-I have been working on my own and found the bed rails are supper flimsy- you may want to tie it into the uprights directly rather than just floating on the plastic rail covers and a sheet metal rolled edge. Just my cheap tonneau cover would bend them and distort them.
 

PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
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Explorer I

4,285
Kennewick, WA, USA
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Michael
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Denniston
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PROJECT - "EXTENDED RANGE"

So I usually carry two 5 gallon fuel cans at all times. I do this for a couple reasons. 1 - just in case I run out of fuel, that's obvious. 2 - Living in Wyoming, I learned that it was crucial to be perpared. An example would be sliding off the road in the winter. It could be a couple days before help arrives. So having extra fuel will help keep the heat on.
This system works, but is not convenient to deploy. It requires me to climb into the bed, get the cans out of the toolbox, grab a funnel, then transfer fuel(slowly due to EPA style cans).
So after giving this some thought, I decided that a transfer tank would be an improvement.
I found an endless supply of universal tanks. They all took up a lot of bed space. Also they were around $500.
So I have decided to build one myself.

I bought a sheet of 12ga mild steel. This exceeds the minimum wall thickness by about 50%.
IMG_20191028_180750_637.jpg

Layed out the cut lines and fired up the grinder.
I was going to have a local sheet metal shop make the long bends but they wanted over $300. So I Sliced where th bends needed to be, leaving some material to act as a hinge.
IMG_20191101_181029_070.jpg
 
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PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
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Explorer I

4,285
Kennewick, WA, USA
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Michael
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Denniston
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Here is the tank with the 2 long bends, and the baffles mocked up.

1102191158_HDR.jpg
 
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PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
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Explorer I

4,285
Kennewick, WA, USA
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Denniston
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3030

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KJ7LYZ
PROJECT - "EXTENDED RANGE"

I am not a huge fan of this time of year. I go to work in the dark, and get home in the dark.
However, I did manage to make a tiny bit of progress. Got the 2 5/8" hole drilled and the threaded fill bung tacked.
1103191653_HDR.jpg
 
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PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
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Explorer I

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Kennewick, WA, USA
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Michael
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Denniston
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PROJECT - "EXTENDED RANGE"

Lots of welding today. Theres about 30' of weld to be made.
IMG_20191109_161838_520.jpg

 
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PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
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Explorer I

4,285
Kennewick, WA, USA
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Michael
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Denniston
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3030

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KJ7LYZ
PROJECT - "EXTENDED RANGE"

Completed all of the welding and drilled the mounting plate for the air compressor and tank.
1117191900.jpg

IMG_20191117_203712_082.jpg
 
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MrWilsonWJ

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PROJECT - "EXTENDED RANGE"

Completed all of the welding and drilled the mounting plate for the air compressor and tank.
View attachment 128189

View attachment 128190
Nice build you have going, I like the full size rigs and interested to see how far you go with the mods. I have a '15 3500 longbox myself that i love but the added wheelbase makes it a bit of a hassle in the woods thats why i picked up the WJ for trails and camping. BTW good choice on the Fox 2.0 shocks, i have them on mine with a BDS radius arm front end and airbags in the rear rides way better than my F250. Anyway nice work and i'm in Kennewick as well if you ever want to try getting a meetup going, looks like there is a few others around the TC area. (added pic of my Ram since this is a full size build thread)
 

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PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
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Explorer I

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Kennewick, WA, USA
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Michael
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Denniston
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Nice build you have going, I like the full size rigs and interested to see how far you go with the mods. I have a '15 3500 longbox myself that i love but the added wheelbase makes it a bit of a hassle in the woods thats why i picked up the WJ for trails and camping. BTW good choice on the Fox 2.0 shocks, i have them on mine with a BDS radius arm front end and airbags in the rear rides way better than my F250. Anyway nice work and i'm in Kennewick as well if you ever want to try getting a meetup going, looks like there is a few others around the TC area. (added pic of my Ram since this is a full size build thread)
Thanks Dustin. Building things is one of my favorite pastimes. I sonetines long for a smaller rig, especially when the trails get tight. I love the Fox 2.0's. I do run airbags in the rear to hold the extra weight and they seem to be OK off road.
I am hoping to do some snow trips this winter. I enjoy Kendall Skyline in the blues. Also plan to do some simple trips to clear lake , rimrock.
 

MrWilsonWJ

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Thanks Dustin. Building things is one of my favorite pastimes. I sonetines long for a smaller rig, especially when the trails get tight. I love the Fox 2.0's. I do run airbags in the rear to hold the extra weight and they seem to be OK off road.
I am hoping to do some snow trips this winter. I enjoy Kendall Skyline in the blues. Also plan to do some simple trips to clear lake , rimrock.
Clear Lake and Rimrock are really nice but can get pretty busy if you try camping too close. Lots of trails up in that area, but i usually head up off of NF-4510 to camp. I'm hoping to head up to Rimrock area this spring/summer and run Bethel ridge. Skyline is also a nice drive, if you take it down towards Jubilee lake and turn east on NF-6415/ Timothy springs rd there is a nice little camp site me and my wife like. From there you can keep going east to some nice areas on the rim above the Grande Ronde river. I've been looking into putting together a loop that covers that but then heads down into Troy, Or, back up into the hills and comes out around Pomeroy. The route would basically circle the Wenaha wilderness area. Here's a couple pics to the east of the Wenaha over looking the grande Ronde... can't see the river much but it's waaaay down in the bottom.
 

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PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
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Very nice, I am looking for ideas to rack my Tundra. Thanks
Hey Thanks . I will always vote for building it yourself if you have the desire. I would think there are a ton of options out there for your tundra. Even if they just give you ideas to plagiarize.
Much of the time, materials are one about 20% of the cost of a product.
 

PNW EXPLR

Local Expert Southeast Washington, USA
Member
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Explorer I

4,285
Kennewick, WA, USA
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Michael
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Denniston
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Ham/GMRS Callsign
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Clear Lake and Rimrock are really nice but can get pretty busy if you try camping too close. Lots of trails up in that area, but i usually head up off of NF-4510 to camp. I'm hoping to head up to Rimrock area this spring/summer and run Bethel ridge. Skyline is also a nice drive, if you take it down towards Jubilee lake and turn east on NF-6415/ Timothy springs rd there is a nice little camp site me and my wife like. From there you can keep going east to some nice areas on the rim above the Grande Ronde river. I've been looking into putting together a loop that covers that but then heads down into Troy, Or, back up into the hills and comes out around Pomeroy. The route would basically circle the Wenaha wilderness area. Here's a couple pics to the east of the Wenaha over looking the grande Ronde... can't see the river much but it's waaaay down in the bottom.
I will look at those NF roads on a map to familarize myself with them.
Most times I like to go out for multiple nights, but there are occasions where just an overnight trip is really easy.
 

PNW EXPLR

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Figured it was a good time to get the rack powder coated. Truck looks weird without the rack on...
truck.jpg
 
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