Uberland's Second Build Thread - 2021 Ram 2500 Power Wagon(ish)

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Uberland

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So, I've been working on my 2000 Ford Excursion for some time, but a few months ago decided to move on. Totally bummed at the time--and I still get wistful for the rig, occasionally--but the rational side of me knows that something else was a better fit.

To wit, right now I 1.) rarely go places with the entire family, which was the driving force behind such a big rig, 2.) I was spending more on maintaining the rig (and the power plant) than a comparable gas engine would've cost me, 3.) if I was going to get another off-road-capable rig, I wanted to get as many suspension and adventure-focused options from the factory to emphasize long-term reliability, and 4.) I didn't want to TOTALLY break the bank, as the vehicle would be my daily driver.

Between me being six feet tall and having a bunch of kids, I could pretty much rule out any mid-sized vehicles. In terms of full-size offerings, I briefly looked at the Rebel, but they were priced outrageously in the NoVA area (and everywhere?). A Raptor and certainly the TRX were out due to cost. Tundras seemed very overprices for what they offered. GM wasn't really ever in the mix. I LOVED the Power Wagons, but I could do without the gaudy decals and bling-ey interiors that they often come with. I toyed with the idea of getting a 2500 Tradesman with a Cummins, but after my disastrous experience with the EcoDiesel that I had in my 2016 Ram 1500, the need for DEF, and the nearly $10k price premium for a rig that I wouldn't really tow a lot with, I couldn't really justify it. I tried to find a 7.3 F-250 with the Tremor package, but there just weren't any to be had here.

After all of the research, I found myself gravitating toward a 2500 Tradesman with the 6.4l gas engine, 4.10 gears and the offroad package that could serve as the basis for a future overland build. The Snow Chief package that I was angling for included a limited-slip rear, the auxiliary switches that serve as a factory S-pod, and the larger alternator, and the Offroad package got some slightly better shocks, tow hooks, skid plates and hill descent control. I'm not overly picky about my interior accoutrements (I did insist on cloth vice a vinyl interior)...heck, I EVEN would have taken the dinky little radio if the price was right. Definitely don't love chrome, but at this point all I needed was a reliable vehicle that I could hold onto for some time, even if the gas mileage wasn't amazing.

As I was pricing out 2021 and 2019-and-newer used 2500 Tradesmans to secure the 8-speed transmissions (they were six-speeds prior to then), I either found trucks with a TON of miles, or gently used or new trucks at about the $45-49k range, and most of those didn't include side steps or the factory bed liner (the former that I needed to get my wife and kids into the vehicle, the second just because I didn't want a beat-up bed! Ram was giving $1,500 rebates on new 2021 Rams as well.

As I was searching for the best deal online--and getting jerked around by a few dealers advertising a cheaper price only to spring a $2,500 "market adjustment" for the 6.4 gas engine--I thought I had found a great candidate: a 2021 2500 with the Tradesman 2 package (cloth interior, sliding rear window, etc.), offroad and snow chief package (and I think with 4.10 gears) for right around $48k (but with a $1,675 destination fee). I kept expanding my search range, and stumbled on what appeared to be a needle in a haystack: a 2021 2500 Tradesman with THE POWER WAGON PACKAGE! And it was used with only about 7k miles to boot!

Now, I had been trying to find a Tradesman PW for what seemed like forever. I don't know why they aren't more popular, other than perhaps most drivers want the graphics and the nicer interior? More paint colors and the dechromed look (which I admit is more pleasing to the eye), perhaps? At any rate, this vehicle had pretty much everything I wanted: front and rear lockers, factory winch, beefier rear axle with 4.10 gears, etc. Plus, it also had the nicer, 8-ish inch infotainment system, bed liner, slightly nicer dash and even things like the bed lighting and power package and floor mats that didn't add TOO much weight, giving the rig a 1,500-ish payload (about the top of the Power Wagon-equipped range). And the price difference between the new 2021 2500 Tradesman with the offroad package was only about $1,500-1,750 after I figured in the cost of the side steps and bedliner.

In other words, it was a lay-up decision.

And so now I'm the owner of an extremely BLUE Tradesman Power Wagon. Can I call it a Power Wagon? Are purists going to give me a hard time for this? ;)

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Here's a shot of what I think Power Wagons should look like: muddy. I felt a little more legit after taking it up in the George Washington National Forest with the kids to explore some fire roads and a slightly rougher trail that was definitely bumpier, but didn't even require 4WD.

What's next in terms of the build? I'm going to try (read: "try") to be conservative with the truck...it doesn't NEED anything, but I would LIKE to add a few amenities like a phone holder, easy-open tailgate, bed cover, maybe a GMRS radio, and eventually a set of rock sliders. I'd really LIKE to upgrade the undersized 33" factory AT tires to 35s (not sure about 37s due to the impact on an already poor gas mileage, and to keep the transmission happy), but I'm not sure I can justify the price at the moment.

At this point, I'm just happy to be out exploring again!

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jwalla

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I think you will find this to be a good platform. I added the decked bed system, a rack, 35s and new 18" rims, GMRS, spod, fridge, self built battery bank with solar and alternator charging all to my own 2500. It has taken me 70k miles so far and most places I want to go. It won't be a great rig for true rock crawling but you will find it will be a great platform for most of road trail explorations. Good luck and I look forward to seeing more of your adventures.
 

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Uberland

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I think you will find this to be a good platform. I added the decked bed system, a rack, 35s and new 18" rims, GMRS, spod, fridge, self built battery bank with solar and alternator charging all to my own 2500. It has taken me 70k miles so far and most places I want to go. It won't be a great rig for true rock crawling but you will find it will be a great platform for most of road trail explorations. Good luck and I look forward to seeing more of your adventures.
Thanks! The Decked system is also something I'd like to investigate, or perhaps a Cargo Glide? We'll see!
 
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kostkafex

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And so now I'm the owner of an extremely BLUE Tradesman Power Wagon. Can I call it a Power Wagon? Are purists going to give me a hard time for this? ;)
Fantastic choice in vehicles, and what a tale to get to it! I think you can still call it a Power Wagon, its got all the important PW parts, so it is one.
 
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hfd376

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Welcome! You have as Real of a power wagon as any other. No other Ram truck has the running gear that the power wagons do. The tradesman is the trim package. It's prob closer to it's roots than mine!
 

Alternate1985

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This blue is looking great. I think a lot of people don’t realize you can get a PW for like $52k if you order it on the tradesman like you did. Smart man. I recently bought a 21 tradesman. Not 4x4 or PW. Just straight base model and have started to do a lot of work to it. Can’t wait to see what you do with this one.
 
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Uberland

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This blue is looking great. I think a lot of people don’t realize you can get a PW for like $52k if you order it on the tradesman like you did. Smart man. I recently bought a 21 tradesman. Not 4x4 or PW. Just straight base model and have started to do a lot of work to it. Can’t wait to see what you do with this one.
Yeah, mine would have been roughly $56-57k new because it has a few extra options including cloth interior, bed group, trailer tow, bigger entertainment screen, etc. Fortunately, the first owner got traded it in with only 7k-ish miles, and so I was able to scoop it up for a decent discount (considering the 2021 craziness, at least).
 
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Uberland

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A fairly modest update: a post-wheeling pic of the truck at its favorite habitat (the gas station) and two necessary gear upgrades: a phone mount to keep my cellphone from sliding around everywhere, and an easy-open tailgate mechanism so my youngest doesn't get his skull crushed if someone tries to get into the bed. I'll be getting another arm to mount my wife's phone or my Garmin InReach, and I'm considering this CJC Offroad intercooler cover to give a wee bit of protection for the front end, improve the rig's approach angle, and get rid of the dumb-looking factory lower valance.

-- Speaking of major improvements, I also reattached the OB medallion, which has to be worth 50 HP, add 5 MPG, and three inches of ground clearance, right? ;)

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K12

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A fairly modest update: a post-wheeling pic of the truck at its favorite habitat (the gas station) and two necessary gear upgrades: a phone mount to keep my cellphone from sliding around everywhere, and an easy-open tailgate mechanism so my youngest doesn't get his skull crushed if someone tries to get into the bed. I'll be getting another arm to mount my wife's phone or my Garmin InReach, and I'm considering to give a wee bit of protection for the front end, improve the rig's approach angle, and get rid of the dumb-looking factory lower valance.

-- Speaking of major improvements, I also reattached the OB medallion, which has to be worth 50 HP, add 5 MPG, and three inches of ground clearance, right? ;)
I love the bulletpoint mounting system, I have it in my 2500, possibly the best upgrade for the monies. Looking forward to see where your build goes, im just starting mine, but taking my time as budget permits.
 

Alternate1985

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I added the dampener from mopar that comes with the high trim level. Definitely not what you’re looking for. It just softens the last 1/3. You need a slow opening one correct? Let us know how you solve that. Interested in what you find. Thanks
 
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Uberland

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I added the dampener from mopar that comes with the high trim level. Definitely not what you’re looking for. It just softens the last 1/3. You need a slow opening one correct? Let us know how you solve that. Interested in what you find. Thanks
I'd say the DeeZee product is going to work well...I don't use the bed ALL that often, but it definitely slows the drop to less then a second to maybe a full second/second-and-a-half?
 

bgenlvtex

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Tradesman Power Wagon is in fact a Power Wagon.

It is also truer to the original Power Wagon in that it is a pure utility vehicle, not to disparage Power Wagon trim levels as they are also Power Wagon.

I do think that FCA/ Stellantis/Whatever missed the mark with their 75th anniversary model, in that they diverged so distantly from the true heart of the truck, but whatever.

I ordered mine in November 2020 and got it in April or May of this year, I'll try to add a pic later.

ETA: meh I can't post a picture on this site from mobile to save my life, sorry, you'll just ave to use your imagination, it's olive green pearl .
 
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Uberland

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Rig got some new sneakers today. BFG TA K02s in 315/70R17. Looks MUCH better, and more importantly will give a bit more clearance for the rig’s GIANT differentials. Will do some testing on gas mileage changes, noise levels, ride quality changes, etc., but the butt-o-meter suggests the ride might be a little more plush.

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Uberland

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After attending a fun Rigs and Coffee with @init6Overland and others, I decided to brave the chilly weather and install CJC Offroad's intercooler cover/"skid plate" on the truck. Bottom line: great product, well-made, probably offers some protection, helps with approach angle (although removing the factory air dam does most of the work, BUILT IN THE USA...just don't go running your 2019+ Ram 2500/3500 into any big rocks...

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In case you're interested in a video on the installation, tools required, overall quality of the piece and a few parting thoughts, please check out:


Up next: lighting improvements!
 
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overlandtheburgh

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Thanks for sharing. I am coming to a similar crossroads with my vehicle now, where I am spending more time and money keeping the land cruiser alive than enjoying the outdoors.

Definitely going the full size route and something very similar.
 

Uberland

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Lighting upgrade #1!

If you're at all familiar with base-model Ram 2500 lights, then you know how poor the halogens are (both the headlights and the fogs). Since an upgrade to stock LEDs runs around $1k, I thought I'd start with the fogs first.

Fairly straightforward installation (make sure you get your wires lined up right in the new harness extension!), but I did run into an issue with the hardware that CJC provided. I figured a way around it and they attempted to make it right when I let them know about the project, but it's worth remembering to PRE-CHECK YOUR FITMENTS!

Bottom line: CJC Offroad puts out a good kit, and the Baja Design lights are powerful. Pick this up for your 5th gen 2500 Tradesman/Big Horn, and dump those halogens!

A few photos:

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And a video of a before-and-after and my parting thoughts:

 
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Uberland

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Lighting upgrade 2!

Installed some Lasfit LED reverse, map, done and 3rd brake lights. Seem like good-quality kits, and very bright (COLD light).

Definitely recommend the reverse lights, probably the interior lights (again, only if the cold temperature of the LEDs doesn’t bother you), and am wishy-washy on the 3rd brake light, mostly because I’m getting a topper.

Accidentally deleted the still photos, check out the video here if you’re interested:
 

Uberland

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After running into an issue prompted by my, er, "failure to appreciate" just how much bigger the breakover angle and differential sizes are on the Ram 2500s, I got to do a trail repair--with zip ties, no less--at a recent OB Rigs and Coffee, followed by dropping the ol' driveshaft to get home.

Bottom line: it was my rookie mistake that prompted the issue...I need to be more careful. Lord knows that the truck can handle quite a beating--it's differentials are GIGANTIC and well-armored--but I still shouldn't be going out of my way to press the envelope too much, especially when I'm 100-ish miles from home.

At any rate, to start to address the issue, I installed a Carli front differential guard (what an AMAZING piece!), and I'm hoping to get a Dethloff transmission pan skid plate (the Ram pans are plastic because the filters are built into it!) when they start accepting new orders.

Bottom line: use a spotter, especially when maneuvering such a large beast as a Ram 2500. Make sure that your tool kit includes sockets for your driveshaft yoke. Bring zip ties. Also, the Power Wagon was SUPER comfortable and capable offroad...it wasn't even trying hard to cross most obstacles, and the front disconnecting swaybar made for a really comfortable ride.

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Uberland

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