Build Recommendations!

[hothands089]

Hey There -- I'm new to this forum, and as of yesterday, I'm the owner of a '22 PW. I've been wanting one for YEARS, and finally made it happen.

Also pretty new to the off-road scene in general, and fully acknowledge and apologize in advance for asking some stupid questions from time to time.

I've done some research and read through a bunch of threads here. I'm hoping to come up with a list of things I can start to add on, swap out, etc. in the hopes of building out a truck that fits my needs. Here's how I'm planning to use it:

- It's my daily driver, but I don't do much commuting throughout the week. There will be a lot of road miles put on it though, so it needs to be comfortable for long-haul trips.
- I want to be able to tackle high clearance obstacles that are presented on many of the mountain pass style roads presented here in CO. I found clearance to be my biggest issue in my last truck.
- A lot of muddy & snowy trails (think November hunting trips on primitive snow-covered roads). I chained up and made it work this year (pre-PW), but I'm hoping for a much less white-knuckle experience in the future.
- Not looking to go full overland build, but kind of a lite version of it. Trying to get to all the same places, but not for any more than a few days at a time.

Here are some things I had in mind, but I'd really appreciate any input you could all provide. It seems like there are some really knowledgeable folks here, and I'd love to hear what you have to say. I'll do my best to provide my rationale for anything I include below.

- What I know I want:
- 35" tires, maybe KO2s. I really love the look of the duratracs though. Are there any negatives to just getting a bigger version of the stock tires?
- I'm not going to go with 37s right off the bat.
- Smartcap EVO Sport. Cap will provide more space for all the stuff I'm going to lug around, and this looks super functional and pretty cool. Backordered, so could be a while.

- What I want, but don't really know anything about:
- Wheels. I've seen various mentions of AEV Salta and Katla, but don't particularly like the way either of them look compared to some other 17s like the Black Rhino Abrams. Is there any reason to choose AEV over others?
- Rear airbags. I don't tow often, but from time to time there will be a trailer with some toys on it. There will frequently be a lot of heavy things in the bed. What do I look for here?
- Compressor. I expect to find myself in situations where I'll need one fairly often, but would really appreciate any recommendations that I could look into.

- What I don't know if I want, and also don't know anything about:
- Suspension. I've seen mentions of Carli and Thuren, but not a ton of information on the details of why to choose these, specifically what to look for, and when it makes sense to go this route in the first place. This is one area I'd really appreciate your help with.

At the end of the day, I'm just excited to finally have the truck I've wanted for a really long time. I love exploring, and I feel like there's so much more to see that's now much more attainable.

Hope to hear from you all soon!

 

[Etoimos]

Welcome to the site and welcome to the PW world. Were in CO are you from? I'm located just east of Colorado Springs in Peyton. I'm building my truck out in a full blown overland vehicle, but I daily drive it to work and around town as well. Years ago I ran 35" Duratracs on my Jeep JK. They worked just fine but I've tried several other tires since then and have not ever switched back to the Duratracs. Right now my go to tire is the General Tires A/TX (I ran them on my Gladiator and still run them on my off road trailer) and will be going on my '22 PW as soon as the stock Duratracs wear out.

I'm also running an RSI SmartCap and love it! If you have not already checked out my build thread, you might find some useful info in it. A link to it is below in my signature.

 

[tchur1]

@Etoimos build thread is a really good place to start. A ton of information and rationale that you will be looking for. As far as your more specific questions ill throw in my $.02.

Tires -
Most people on this forum do not recommend KO2s for HD trucks. They wear really quickly so I would not go in that direction. If you need a 3 peak AT tire Falken Wildpeaks AT3Ws have great reviews and Mickey Thompson Baja Boss ATs seem solid as well. Curious why no 37s?

Wheels -
AEV wheels are great for Ram trucks because they have the proper offset/backspacing to clear larger tires without much or any trimming. Any wheel that has +18 to +27mm offset will work really well on these trucks. I have Method 701HDs on truck, they are +18 offset and I clear 37s with very minor trimming of the fender liner on stock suspension.

Airbags -
If youre going to consistently run your smartcap + gear in the bed id definitely put bags on it or go with a Sumo spring setup like @Rockcrawlerdude is using. For airbags youll get a bunch of different recommendations but airlift 5000s seem like a good way to go, as are timber groves.

Suspenion -
You see a lot of Thuren and Carli because they make the highest quality suspension systems for Ram trucks. Both companies increase up and down travel with their systems and pair tuned shocks with their springs. You get a better quality ride and better off road performance with their setups compared to other suspension manufactures. In short, their stuff is well made and works really well. If youre not doing any high speed Baja style driving or dont need the additional travel for more technical off roading then your stock setup is probably fine.

Hopefully this is at least a bit helpful, its all knowledge I have learned from reading this forum, tons of people with a wealth of knowledge that will probably have better insights than I.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Welcome. Look forward to seeing your truck adventure.

Thanks for the mention @tchur1

My recommendations:
Caps : are extremely useful.

Compressors : are extremely useful.

Wheels : as long as they’re a reputable brand and in the correct size/offset/weight rating they’re good. Only a few actual places making wheels many of them come from the same place i bet. Aev wheels have a “proprietary offset” they actually fit really well. But, cjc sells methods with the perfect offset too. Plenty of wheel choices but those two allow the most tire with the least trimming.

Suspension : enjoy the truck as-is for a while. Figure out what you like and don’t like before you go jacking with it. It may be fine as it is.

Airbags : pull the trailer first and see what your squat is looking like. You may want to look into an airbag and cradle set up so you keep all your articulation and have some extra load capacity when needed

 

[UglyViking]

Just to jump on the bandwagon of recommending the same stuff.

I also have a smartcap evo (with the windows). I really dig the functionality of the cap, but prefer the look of others and the look without a cap better. I've not found anything better for keeping all my stuff dry, so highly recommended.

Wheels are a pick your poison. There are a lot of videos around for the correct wheel offset and tire size. For the sake of simplicity, if you buy a wheel within the correct range of offset you can stuff a 37-38" tire without a suspension lift at all. So if you want 37s just do it, even before the suspension.

On the topic of suspension, the PW has a great, but soft, suspension from factory. I'd start building your rig out before you do anything. You may find the stock suspension works for what you want. If you find yourself sagging then I'd point you toward the Carli setup with their R2 coil, which are a bit more HD. If not that they also offer a softer R1 coil, and Thuren offers an even softer +1" rear coil (softer than the PW factory spring).

I'd personally avoid trying to add any Timbrens, Sumo springs, or airbags unless you find the need. If you find that you dislike how it tows, and do it often enough, I'd probably skip all the other options and go straight to bags, but thats personal pref.

 

[Etoimos]

I should add that with my SmartCap and overlanding gear in the tuck and pulling my 3,500lbs trailer (pictured below) I get quite a bit of squat in the rear and it does effect handling at highway speeds... sometimes enough to start a nasty sway that kicks in the ESC. Even without the trailer this can happen on rough highways. I'll be putting a Thuren rear track bar to help with that issue when I'm not towing and airbags and cradles when I am towing.

 

[hothands089]

Thank you all so much! Can't tell you how much I appreciate this info.

I'll start uploading some photos of the build over the next few months as it progresses. Really looking forward to it.

 

[akguy09]

Can I make a suggestion that may not be popular at first....before you start throwing money at this truck with other peoples MODs, drive it and see what you want.
Then decide what needs upgrading. The RSI cap is always a good upgrade. But will never suggest AEV wheels because i think they are hideous looking, to me the regular wheels are fine.
This is my second PowerWagon and not my daily driver so take my .02 cents for what its worth

 

[hothands089]

Can I make a suggestion that may not be popular at first....before you start throwing money at this truck with other peoples MODs, drive it and see what you want.
Then decide what needs upgrading. The RSI cap is always a good upgrade. But will never suggest AEV wheels because i think they are hideous looking, to me the regular wheels are fine.
This is my second PowerWagon and not my daily driver so take my .02 cents for what its worth

This is actually where I've landed, and completely agree about the AEV wheels. I just don't like the way they look at all.

I put an order in for the smartcap; just hoping that doesn't take 6 months to be fulfilled!

 

[tchur1]

Can I make a suggestion that may not be popular at first....before you start throwing money at this truck with other peoples MODs, drive it and see what you want.
Then decide what needs upgrading. The RSI cap is always a good upgrade. But will never suggest AEV wheels because i think they are hideous looking, to me the regular wheels are fine.
This is my second PowerWagon and not my daily driver so take my .02 cents for what its worth

I agree with driving the truck first before doing anything. I have left my truck stock aside from wheel and tire upgrades because I thought the stock stuff just looked way too small. Wheel and tire is totally personal preference though and if you want to add larger tires youll probably want wheels for better clearance.

 

[tchur1]

This is actually where I've landed, and completely agree about the AEV wheels. I just don't like the way they look at all.

I put an order in for the smartcap; just hoping that doesn't take 6 months to be fulfilled!

There are a ton of other wheels out there that look better then AEV that have the proper offset to clear larger wheels. Check out raceline, method, innov8, trail ready etc. All of those companies make 17-18" wheels with +18-+25mm offset that will clear larger tires well.

 

[Crusty old shellback]

here's some threads for you to look at. This should keep you busy for a while.

Articulink? Technical discussion

My brain kinda smooth today. I was thinking about the PW suspension and cant really figure out what the Articulink on the front radius arms do. In general: the Ram front suspension is a 3 link: 2 radius arms + track bar. Track bar prevents lateral movement, while the radius arms prevent...

hdrams.com

37's on stock bead lock rims

Gonna have to buy new tires before long. Been thinking about going up to 37's from 35's. But I want to keep my factory rims. So my question is, does anyone run 37's on stock rims? If so, what issues, if any have you had? And trimming you did? How bad did it affect towing with the 37's as far as...

hdrams.com

Powerwagon light bar options?

I'm aware of the Randy Elis bars but they're 3 months back ordered and expensive. Anyone else make a front bumper area light bar I can mount a few KCs to?

hdrams.com

Thuren alignment specs question

25,600 miles on factory Firestones, still plenty of tread, notice slight outer edge wear. Rotate regularly. Going with Cooper AT3 XLT's before winter. Tire shop where I will get these do not do alignments. My question... Should I spend a little money and have my trucks alignment checked/done to...

hdrams.com

Carli suspension info

So after reading a lot of threads about articulink, Carli and Thuren suspension components and alignments, I decided to reach out to Carli for some info. Base. '21 75th AE PW. 35" BFG KO2. 45/40 PSI. Aligned to Thuren specs. I began asking Carli about shocks for my truck to give me a better...

hdrams.com

Stock Exhaust

What is everyone doing with their stock exhaust after upgrading with aftermarket? Trash, scrap metal, storing for later or selling? I have mine sitting in the garage taking up space and I'm not sure what to do with it. Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

hdrams.com

Articulink? Technical discussion

My brain kinda smooth today. I was thinking about the PW suspension and cant really figure out what the Articulink on the front radius arms do. In general: the Ram front suspension is a 3 link: 2 radius arms + track bar. Track bar prevents lateral movement, while the radius arms prevent...

hdrams.com

 

[Crusty old shellback]

Here's my list of first things to do when you get the truck.

1. Lower the tire air pressure to a reasonable level. probably need AlfaOBD to get rid of the low air alarm. I run 45/37 in mine.
2. Get the front end aligned to Thuren specs. I actually went a little beyond and went to 3.5 degrees Castor vice their spec of 4 degrees. Tires wear fine and handling is better.
3. Get rid of that ugly resonator. I jus deleted mine and put in a straight pipe. Kept the cats and muffler. Sounds great and no drone.


I'm also working with a few companies on replacing my shocks with some better tuned shocks. I'll update my build thread when I figure it out. I don't want to lift my truck, so not looking at a full suspension. And a lift kit doesn't give you more ground clearance. Only bigger tires will lift the diff.

 

[AH64ID]

Not specific to PW, but I have lots of time on back roads during hunting season and when the single lane roads turn slick and white the single best thing to reduce the white knuckle experience is chains, nothing else you can do give the truck the traction of chains. Since that sounds like a primary off-road use of yours I would build the rig around room for chains on whatever tire size you decide on.

 

[el_barto]

Hello to another Colorado PW owner…There’s lots of us.

The power wagon is pretty capable out of the box but there are limitations. One of the big limitations here in Colorado is trail width/tight corners. The PW is huge (long and wide) and there are a lot of trails it just won’t fit on, or if it does you will have a miserable time. You will get pine-stripes on even some of the wider trails.
I’d recommend rock sliders (like white knuckle or maple). The truck has high clearance, but with the long wheelbase you will find yourself pivoting around big rocks and tree stumps.
The other limitation is the pumpkin (axle). Despite good ground clearance elsewhere under the truck, the pumpkins are huge, with the front one being particularly exposed. I’d recommend a diff guard(maple, Carli, purple cranium) or heavy duty diff cover (AEV) so you have less concern of damage to the front gears. The rear is less vulnerable, since it has the large cast iron case facing forward, unless you are driving around in reverse.

37s look best, but I like 35s because a) I can fit a full size spare b) much less expensive than 37s.

As mentioned above, especially if you are doing “hunting season wheeling” is to get tire chains.

You mentioned an air compressor. I have an ARB single tucked under my rear seat, with air outlets in the front and rear bumpers. Makes airing up after wheeling much easier, or simply topping up tires in the fall when temps drop and tire pressures get lower.

You’re going to want to get some sort of tool to correct the speedometer, and this will also let you lower the TPMS threshold since 65psi is way higher than necessary for 35s. AEV and TazerRAM make a little dongles, you can use AlphaOBD.

Tires: Duratracs are OK, but they wear fast and are very noisy when worn…and in think traction on the second half of their life is poor. KO2s are good but I think a little over hyped. I like Falken Wildpeak AT3W they are very good in the snow, quiet on highway and last well. Stay away from proper mud tires, they suck in the snow.

 

[Soapy]

CJC has Raceline wheels with the correct offset for running 37s if you choose. I decided to just go with 35 inch Duratracs. I have never found them noisy and like the way they work in snow and ice. I installed Icky concepts Molle panels to hold most of my gear and still keep the bed open for larger items. I use a trifold cover instead of a topper because I want to keep the visibility open.

 

[NHOverland]

Hey There -- I'm new to this forum, and as of yesterday, I'm the owner of a '22 PW. I've been wanting one for YEARS, and finally made it happen.

Also pretty new to the off-road scene in general, and fully acknowledge and apologize in advance for asking some stupid questions from time to time.

I've done some research and read through a bunch of threads here. I'm hoping to come up with a list of things I can start to add on, swap out, etc. in the hopes of building out a truck that fits my needs. Here's how I'm planning to use it:

- It's my daily driver, but I don't do much commuting throughout the week. There will be a lot of road miles put on it though, so it needs to be comfortable for long-haul trips.
- I want to be able to tackle high clearance obstacles that are presented on many of the mountain pass style roads presented here in CO. I found clearance to be my biggest issue in my last truck.
- A lot of muddy & snowy trails (think November hunting trips on primitive snow-covered roads). I chained up and made it work this year (pre-PW), but I'm hoping for a much less white-knuckle experience in the future.
- Not looking to go full overland build, but kind of a lite version of it. Trying to get to all the same places, but not for any more than a few days at a time.

Here are some things I had in mind, but I'd really appreciate any input you could all provide. It seems like there are some really knowledgeable folks here, and I'd love to hear what you have to say. I'll do my best to provide my rationale for anything I include below.

- What I know I want:
- 35" tires, maybe KO2s. I really love the look of the duratracs though. Are there any negatives to just getting a bigger version of the stock tires?
- I'm not going to go with 37s right off the bat.
- Smartcap EVO Sport. Cap will provide more space for all the stuff I'm going to lug around, and this looks super functional and pretty cool. Backordered, so could be a while.

- What I want, but don't really know anything about:
- Wheels. I've seen various mentions of AEV Salta and Katla, but don't particularly like the way either of them look compared to some other 17s like the Black Rhino Abrams. Is there any reason to choose AEV over others?
- Rear airbags. I don't tow often, but from time to time there will be a trailer with some toys on it. There will frequently be a lot of heavy things in the bed. What do I look for here?
- Compressor. I expect to find myself in situations where I'll need one fairly often, but would really appreciate any recommendations that I could look into.

- What I don't know if I want, and also don't know anything about:
- Suspension. I've seen mentions of Carli and Thuren, but not a ton of information on the details of why to choose these, specifically what to look for, and when it makes sense to go this route in the first place. This is one area I'd really appreciate your help with.

At the end of the day, I'm just excited to finally have the truck I've wanted for a really long time. I love exploring, and I feel like there's so much more to see that's now much more attainable.

Hope to hear from you all soon!

As many have mentioned, Invest in Alpha OBD and read up on the threads here on how to use it before getting yourself into trouble with it.

Airbags will help hauling your gear and the toys, with that you will need a compressor. You can get inclusive kits for airbags, but are limited on extra functionality. The ARB Twin is the most popular for off roading and adventure rigs. There are many options for mounting compressors as well. You can find some options through us at NH Overland or Desert Does It and SDHQ both great companies.

Suspension, Carli and Thuren are the way to go. Both focus on tuning their kits specifically for the truck with valving and spring rates, they are not cookie cutter to fit multiple platforms.

Tires, you'll find a mixed bag of opinions on what the best tire is. Try to get your information from people who have the tires you are looking at and use the truck roughly the way you plan on to get the best review.

 

[TrailWhale]

Just curious, why are you against going with 37" tires?

Realistically, a stock PW will go just about anywhere you aim it and larger tires are going to help with most of the points you mentioned. For high clearance obstacles, I recommend getting some quality sliders and underbody armor. The damage they can prevent will more than pay for themselves. Whiteknuckle, Maple Offroad and Dethloff Mfg. all make quality products. Personally, I had some rock sliders made by a local fabricator and they've done great.

 

[hothands089]

Just curious, why are you against going with 37" tires?

Realistically, a stock PW will go just about anywhere you aim it and larger tires are going to help with most of the points you mentioned. For high clearance obstacles, I recommend getting some quality sliders and underbody armor. The damage they can prevent will more than pay for themselves. Whiteknuckle, Maple Offroad and Dethloff Mfg. all make quality products. Personally, I had some rock sliders made by a local fabricator and they've done great.

I love the idea of 37s but have practicality concerns:

- Spare tire storage

- Loss of power/gearing issues. I’m driving i70 over high elevation passes at least 100 times a year and already deal with a pretty significant power loss when driving uphill

The truck came with stock Mopar sliders, though I’m wondering how they’ll hold up. Definitely interested in the underbody armor though and I’ll look into it.

 

[tchur1]

I love the idea of 37s but have practicality concerns:

- Spare tire storage

- Loss of power/gearing issues. I’m driving i70 over high elevation passes at least 100 times a year and already deal with a pretty significant power loss when driving uphill

The truck came with stock Mopar sliders, though I’m wondering how they’ll hold up. Definitely interested in the underbody armor though and I’ll look into it.

Spare tire storage I understand.

I would not worry about gearing with 37s. PW comes standard with 4.10s so with 37s your effectively running 3.73 rear end which IMO is more then sufficient. I have 37s on mine with 3.73 gears and hardly noticed a difference, granted its a diesel but sharing my experience. I also live at 7k feet.