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New 2020 Power Wagon Huge Disappointment!!!

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smileshapr

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Hello Fellow RAM owners. I am new to this site but I am on my third RAM truck. The first was a 1500 in 1998. The second was a 2007 Power Wagon that was AWESOME!!! but unfortunately exploded its transfer case at 70 MPH on Interstate 81 in PA doing enough damage to total the truck. I am now the VERY DISAPPOINTED owner of a 2020 Power Wagon due to its AWFUL performance in wet snow 6-8 inches deep. This truck has wheel hop /axle wrap so bad you cant go anywhere. On 3 occasions this winter I have been EMBARRASSED by being unable to climb small hills in 4lo and locked axles only to have a stock 2014 F150 go around me. Tried 4 Hi with no success and unbelievable bouncing unable to achieve traction. Pulled cable on one of the outings but was able to back out on the other 2. I even aired down to 25 psi which helped a little but still could not make the hills that a stock F150 with all terrain tires can make with no lockers. Is anyone else having this problem? RAM seems to know about this issue because when I complained at the Dealer, I was told others have mentioned the bouncing. Also, the 5th shock tells me they knew about the issue and put a band-aid on it. I'm a little disgusted that I bought a truck that is supposed to be best in class off-road and it is EMBARRASSING!!!! This design should be recalled and fixed by the company! Any help would be appreciated.
 
smileshapr said:
Hello Fellow RAM owners. I am new to this site but I am on my third RAM truck. The first was a 1500 in 1998. The second was a 2007 Power Wagon that was AWESOME!!! but unfortunately exploded its transfer case at 70 MPH on Interstate 81 in PA doing enough damage to total the truck. I am now the VERY DISAPPOINTED owner of a 2020 Power Wagon due to its AWFUL performance in wet snow 6-8 inches deep. This truck has wheel hop /axle wrap so bad you cant go anywhere. On 3 occasions this winter I have been EMBARRASSED by being unable to climb small hills in 4lo and locked axles only to have a stock 2014 F150 go around me. Tried 4 Hi with no success and unbelievable bouncing unable to achieve traction. Pulled cable on one of the outings but was able to back out on the other 2. I even aired down to 25 psi which helped a little but still could not make the hills that a stock F150 with all terrain tires can make with no lockers. Is anyone else having this problem? RAM seems to know about this issue because when I complained at the Dealer, I was told others have mentioned the bouncing. Also, the 5th shock tells me they knew about the issue and put a band-aid on it. I'm a little disgusted that I bought a truck that is supposed to be best in class off-road and it is EMBARRASSING!!!! This design should be recalled and fixed by the company! Any help would be appreciated.
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Do the Power Wagons have the Electronic Stability Control like the other HDs? If so clicking it off will help stop that hopping in off road conditions and sand/snow.
 
I thought the traction control was off. The light was illuminated on the dashboard and on the instrument cluster. I was still seeing the slipping traction light go on and off on the instrument cluster. Was awful bouncing even in 4 lo with both lockers engaged. I did notice the traction slipping light coming on. My last Power Wagon automatically disabled the traction control. I’m sick about the performance.
 
Rockcrawlerdude said:
Couple things:
1: the f-150 took a better line. It happens
2: Duratracs are pretty crappy tires
3: the rest is user error
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I would love to agree with you but this happened on 3 separate occasions this winter. The last time I was the lone vehicle 4Lo locked front and rear. 2 passengers both newer RAM owners. Had to back 300 yards down a power line because I could not get up a small hill in 12 inches of older crusty snow. Bouncing horribly. Could not even creep forward. Tire speed just letting idle still wrapping up and bouncing. I think it’s unacceptable!
 
Rockcrawlerdude said:
Couple things:
1: the f-150 took a better line. It happens
2: Duratracs are pretty crappy tires
3: the rest is user error
Click to expand...
Ill agree with 1and 3 but duratracs are great all terrain tires great life and great traction.....

To the OP snow and sand are not what the power wagon is known for its best in mud and rocks buy or make an anti wrap bar and forget about it ram 4link is not really setup properly for offroad as there is almost no triangulation.... the shock is a bandaid at best
 
I live in Montana and have done a lot of snow wheeling over the years and go to Moab 2X a year. One of my good wheeling buddies has a F150 with lift and 34 Toyos at3's. He has a rear locker only and he has no trouble going anywhere reasonable. I thought I would like the duratracs, but first time in the snow I was disappointed. I know some love them and have had good luck with them but I did not. on the jeep I always run two sets of tires a set of tires for road trips with mild wheeling at the end and a bigger set for hard core wheeling. my smaller ones were 255/80-17 Falken at3w and larger Toyos of some variation (I have run at2, RT, and AT3). for the truck I put on a set of Toyo RT and they work great. Cool thing about tires is there are lots of good ones and there is no law that prevents you from replacing them often to try different ones. I never understand that people who say they have to wear them out.
 
Wheel hop/axle tramp is a thing in sand, and presumably snow. My 2015 2500 did it really bad when I pulled a stuck Chevy out. It's a geometry issue with the rear suspension. You might talk to Carli about it. PW is still an awesome truck.
 
if that power line trail was snowy and icy enough that you couldn’t crawl it and your wheels started hopping it’s possible you needed more momentum. Aka send it.

You got a big truck with small tires. You can’t crawl everything. Hell, I have a small truck with big tires (Toyota on 39” stickies and 230:1) and I can’t crawl everything.
 
H3LZSN1P3R said:
I know tires are cheaper across the boarder but at 2grand for a set of tires ill get all the life i can out of them lol
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I have had great luck selling my used tires, of course here there are lots of young guys/gals driving trucks and jeeps that buy them to save a few dollars.
 
jadmt said:
I have had great luck selling my used tires, of course here there are lots of young guys/gals driving trucks and jeeps that buy them to save a few dollars.
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I usually go till 1/4 tread left and can sell them for 500$ but still i would rather spend my money elsewhere other than tires i go through tires often enough with the milage i put on
 
Rockcrawlerdude said:
if that power line trail was snowy and icy enough that you couldn’t crawl it and your wheels started hopping it’s possible you needed more momentum. Aka send it.

You got a big truck with small tires. You can’t crawl everything. Hell, I have a small truck with big tires (Toyota on 39” stickies and 230:1) and I can’t crawl everything.
Click to expand...
Tried “sending it “ but the 60’ drop off the passenger side and my 2 yelling passengers slowed me a bit. The snow was kind of crunchy layered 12” on the northern slope. 30 inches thawed and refrozen down to 12”. The kind that you can walk on but the truck breaks through. The tires were trying to bite but would grip and unload. For the record, I hate the Duratracs as they pick up a lot of stones and launch them at higher speeds chipping the damn paint! My next set will be open county MT’s. They wore well for me with the last Power Wagon, weren’t excessively noisy and had great traction. I ran them at 28-30 psi on the street and they rode excellent. Only aired them up if I was hauling something heavy like 2000lbs. The 2007 was an animal of a truck. This 2020 is a little too watered down in the tough department. The 2007 PW would climb up a tree. The 2020 can’t climb a small hill with some snow on it. Totally unimpressed with the suspension design and the axle wrap.
 
I’m thinking this one needs some customization. Thinking about a Carli pintop system. Getting rid of the stock side steps and putting on some White Knuckle Off Road sliders. Still torn on 35 vs 37” Toyo Open Country MTs. I’m still waiting to hear if anyone else is having a similar issue with their RAM 2500’s. If a Carli or Thuren suspension upgrade has fixed it for others, I would keep the truck for 13 years like my last one. But if not then this is not the platform for me. I don’t buy a truck for the gas mileage or to look pretty on the street. I purchase for functionality! My truck gets used like a truck not a grocery getter!
 
The Duratracs are garbage. I threw them away on my 16 and am about to trash them on the 19 for 35" ATZP3s.

I had to chain up my truck this winter just to get up the mountain to my cabin.

The wheel hop in deep snow isn't unique to the coil trucks. My 07 leaf spring truck will do it too, under certain conditions.
 
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