New 23 Rebel: Opinion on Options pls

[MTaylor]

I'm about to put an order in on a new 23 Rebel Delmonico red 2-tone, loaded with MFT.
Last 2 Rams I've owned didn't have Ramboxes and now I'm entertaining this as an option just to hide away small loose items and keep cabin clean. Do you like your Rambox? How bad does it warp over time? If warped, do you regret this option?

Bed Utility Group...what actually comes with this...meaning as a bed divider? Is it a straight hard plastic piece or curved? I've found conflicting pictures. Does the divider come with only Rambox option? Anyone got pics of new 22 or 23s with this?

Lastly, based on reading, ev1 seems to hate the Mopar soft trifold tonneau cover. Is this really junk and should I just not add to the build and get aftermarket?

Thx in advance for your comments, opinions and pics!

 

[Sascwatch]

There has been reports of the ram box lids being warped or not lining up well since they came out. I did not get them so I cannot comment further than that.

The bed utility group will be different from a ram with and without the ram boxes. If you want bed lighting you will either have to add the bed utility group or factory tonneau cover.

I am using the factory tri-fold tonneau cover from my 2020 rebel and while it’s nowhere near as secure as a solid fold it gets the job done. It doesn’t seal the best especially at the tailgate, but I think the mounting clamps were changed from then to now.

Ram boxes will severely limit what tonneau covers you can run, and also take away from your payload a bit.

You didn’t mention it, but yet the 33 gallon fuel tank and you won’t be at the pumps as often.

 

[boogielander]

if you plan to do any offroad be sure to add the 360 camera. I did not and i am regretting it.

 

[Belvedere]

Yeah, really wish I had the 360 camera too. Bed group was worth it just for the rails for me. Lights and step are nice to have as well.

I wanted the Ramboxes till I realized it would limit cover and rack options. Glad I don't have at this point.

I didn't have the Mopar cover, but recently upgraded from a roll up vinyl to a roll up aluminum with T slots and will never look back.

33 gal tank is an near must as well.

I had the factory bed extender in my previous Nissan and really miss it. I always kept it at the rear of the bed to keep smaller items from sliding around. Since it attached to the rails it was easy to slide forward for larger items. Not sure if there is a rail mounted version for the Ram, but I would be interested.

 

[Limited Legend]

Ram boxes were a deal breaker for me. The warping scared me off.

 

[Darksteel165]

Ramboxes are great.
The bed divider\extender is great, it's a very hard plastic that essentially locks in place (even with a key), the sides of the bed has groves for it.
It only comes with Ramboxes, because it only can fit it.
The Ramboxes might warp over time, it's plastic, hard plastic.
It doesn't bother me, and you can just replace them in 5-10 years if you really wanted to. I can fit a boat load of stuff in mine, that combined with the bed extender\divider I can fit a lot of smaller items without stuff going everywhere or falling over.

The OEM soft cover is amazing with Ramboxes, it's water proof, but it's a soft cover.
If I didn't carry super expensive equipment dwarfing the price of my truck I would of kept it for a few years before the snow and ice ruined it for sure.

Downside is you need to buy rail to mount ANY other cover, so add on an additional $350 for the rails. There are a ton of covers that fit Ramboxes so no problem with that.

MFT is great, just know it removes the side step, and gives you a center bedstep, so if you use the tailgate in regular mode you don't have any step up.

 

[boogielander]

if you're thinking about rambox and cover, just know that your bed rack options (in case you want to carry a roof tent, extra gas, recovery boards, propane, shovels and other gears) are limited. Especially if you're going to do offroading with yours, since quality offroad oriented bed racks options are not as abundant as is already.

 

[MTaylor]

Thank you all for the comments and opinions. Most helpful.

The OEM soft cover is amazing with Ramboxes, it's water proof, but it's a soft cover.
If I didn't carry super expensive equipment dwarfing the price of my truck I would of kept it for a few years before the snow and ice ruined it for sure.

Downside is you need to buy rail to mount ANY other cover, so add on an additional $350 for the rails. There are a ton of covers that fit Ramboxes so no problem with that.

This is the first positive comment on OEM soft tri-fold I've seen. Also good to know that I can put it on later..but any other non oem would require different rails.

 

[CaliRebel]

I'm about to put an order in on a new 23 Rebel Delmonico red 2-tone, loaded with MFT.
Last 2 Rams I've owned didn't have Ramboxes and now I'm entertaining this as an option just to hide away small loose items and keep cabin clean. Do you like your Rambox? How bad does it warp over time? If warped, do you regret this option?

Bed Utility Group...what actually comes with this...meaning as a bed divider? Is it a straight hard plastic piece or curved? I've found conflicting pictures. Does the divider come with only Rambox option? Anyone got pics of new 22 or 23s with this?

Lastly, based on reading, ev1 seems to hate the Mopar soft trifold tonneau cover. Is this really junk and should I just not add to the build and get aftermarket?

Thx in advance for your comments, opinions and pics!

I have the Ram Boxes, in my opinion they're not worth it. (for me at least)
They take up bed space and the lids will end up warping on you.
I also had to send my truck back to the dealer multiple times due to water getting into the plugs and causing them to open on their own. Very frustrating.
I only use them now to keep my detailing products inside and an emergency air compressor.
And the bed divider will only come with Ram Box trucks with the bed utility group.

 

[Darksteel165]

I also had to send my truck back to the dealer multiple times due to water getting into the plugs and causing them to open on their own. Very frustrating.

Would love to see pictures of that. Sounds like you are confusing 4th gen for 5th gen ramboxes.
I don't see a possible way for these to leak. Massive weatherstripping along the whole thing.

 

[WolfcatVader]

Just got a 23’ with the bed utility group, glad I did, it wasn’t much extra cost and the lights are pretty useful, especially if you want to use a cover. On my Rebel, it came with the lights, Bed rails, and deployable step. All that for $545, sure.

Factory cover is eh, there are better options for less money.

Mine doesn’t have rambox.

 

[CaliRebel]

Would love to see pictures of that. Sounds like you are confusing 4th gen for 5th gen ramboxes.
I don't see a possible way for these to leak. Massive weatherstripping along the whole thing.

The issue was with the plug in the driver side wheel well. The factory plug hung too low, thus allowing water to easily get to it. My dealer had to replace it with a different one that relocated plug higher up in the wheel well. No issues since. The ramboxes themselves weren't leaking.
Here is a guy on Youtube that was having the same issue.

 

[PurpleRT]

The bedspace you’ll lose with the rambox is minimal and wouldn’t be an issue for most. How often have you had to load your bed and use the space on top/front/behind where the wheel well would normally be I doubt very often especially with a 5”7 bed basically useless space.


The warping isn’t a big issue as like most like to make it seem. Yeah it could happen and the top may not line up 100% with the top of the bedrails which most like to scream thats a deal breaker but its a truck and not a showcar. If you look long enough I bet you’ll find other gaps that aren’t an exact match on the truck. Function > form. They can be somewhat adjusted. If you plan on keeping them empty mostly then I would suggest skipping that options. For me.. I keep my everyday work toolbags on one side where I can walk to the truck and grab a tool easily if needed, other side keeps some detailing products/ disposable gloves and a respirator or two.

 

[Paco]

I had ramboxes in my 2014.
The best option I have ever owned.
They carry so much stuff, things you dont want to carry in your cab.
Air pump so I could fix my flat tires on the go, tools, additives, everything under the sun, including beer.
I cant imagine you would not really like having all those things you need to carry when 4 wheeling, or on a trip stored somewhere else than the cab.
Just my opinion.
After 295,000 KMs and 8 years, they never warped, or had issues.
Like I said best option period.

 

[CalvinC]

Can't go wrong with or without Ram Boxes I dont think. Nothing to a point where your truck experience is ruined. For me, I choose without Ram Boxes, as I do use the little nooks & crannies alongside the bed, especially with such a short bed. And I wanted the future option of running a Shell.

I like using a toneau cover + rubbermaid containers that I can throw in/take out and carry small objects in like groceries. Added benefit there is I can take all the groceries or gardening materials, etc. in one trip for example, since obviously RamBoxes don't come out for transport. And then, when I need the bed space, out they all go.

Then finally, I have a pair of 2x boards in the slats near the tail gate to keep the Bins handy & from rolling to front of truck.

 

[Darksteel165]

The bedspace you’ll lose with the rambox is minimal and wouldn’t be an issue for most. How often have you had to load your bed and use the space on top/front/behind where the wheel well would normally be I doubt very often especially with a 5”7 bed basically useless space.


The warping isn’t a big issue as like most like to make it seem. Yeah it could happen and the top may not line up 100% with the top of the bedrails which most like to scream thats a deal breaker but its a truck and not a showcar. If you look long enough I bet you’ll find other gaps that aren’t an exact match on the truck. Function > form. They can be somewhat adjusted. If you plan on keeping them empty mostly then I would suggest skipping that options. For me.. I keep my everyday work toolbags on one side where I can walk to the truck and grab a tool easily if needed, other side keeps some detailing products/ disposable gloves and a respirator or two.

i will say losing the extra space ona 5'7 bed does hurt a little.
I have a problem getting my 2 wheeler in, it JUST fits if I angle it width wise, and walk it in without turning it.
Would be MUCH better if you could get Ramboxes on a 6'4 bed, even if the boxes them self were the same size.

There also has been a rare time when I filled up my bed with the cover retracted and my bedextended on with boxes of hardware and the extra space I would fit a few more in. But that's not a breaking point for me, the boxes pro FAR outweigh the cons.

If you want them get them, if you could care less, then don't. It's one of those personal choices that no one else can make for you.

 

[1.21gigawatts]

Thank you all for the comments and opinions. Most helpful.

This is the first positive comment on OEM soft tri-fold I've seen. Also good to know that I can put it on later..but any other non oem would require different rails.

Just FYI, that info is not actually entirely accurate... Some covers might require you to buy rails, BUT, I have the ramboxes and an Extang Solid Fold 2.0 (great cover) and included with it were a couple of aluminum inserts that slide into the top channel in the factory rail, and then the cover just clamps to that. and this design is used in a few covers i've seen that are not Mopar, and wasn't any extra $$. The cover cost me about $880 thru Extang's Amazon store at the time, which is about how much a few of the other rambox cover options cost (granted i wasnt looking for a soft cover so not sure the price difference.)

 

[Darksteel165]

Just FYI, that info is not actually entirely accurate... Some covers might require you to buy rails, BUT, I have the ramboxes and an Extang Solid Fold 2.0 (great cover) and included with it were a couple of aluminum inserts that slide into the top channel in the factory rail, and then the cover just clamps to that. and this design is used in a few covers i've seen that are not Mopar, and wasn't any extra $$. The cover cost me about $880 thru Extang's Amazon store at the time, which is about how much a few of the other rambox cover options cost (granted i wasnt looking for a soft cover so not sure the price difference.)

Some covers?
I just looked up all of Extang's hard trifold covers on the manufacturers sale website and they ALL clearly says it requires silver rails which doesn't come on a Rambox truck.
there is no top channel in the factory rail on Ramboxes, it's solid flat and only open at the ends.

I tried searching on Amazon and I can't find any that claim to match what you say you got. Do you have a link and pictures?

 

[Oneservant]

I have ramboxes and the spilt tailgate. It was a deal-breaker for me - I would only buy the Ram with them. You don't lose any space you'd use. The box is definitely uneven. However, members in the Rambox Facebook page have posted ways to fix this if it bothers you. Lots of convenience to having them. unlike other vehicle add-ons, I use the split tailgate and the boxes often. my arbor saw fits in the Rambox instead of having to sit on top of the pile of wood and limbs in the truck bed. and a lot of junk that would be in the cab is now in the other box. I plan to install an air compressor this summer, a very useful utility for me. Having the divider is useful too...easy to ensure the recycling stays in the back. If the bags are heavy I open the split gate to grab instead of reaching up & over into the bed and risk tearing it apart when I grab it from the top. I'm a Toyota man but I drive my Tundra about a quarter as much.

 

[1.21gigawatts]

Some covers?
I just looked up all of Extang's hard trifold covers on the manufacturers sale website and they ALL clearly says it requires silver rails which doesn't come on a Rambox truck.
there is no top channel in the factory rail on Ramboxes, it's solid flat and only open at the ends.

I tried searching on Amazon and I can't find any that claim to match what you say you got. Do you have a link and pictures?
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I have her backed in rn so I cant get a wide shot but you can see, I have the ram boxes and I have the silver rails. I also have the split tailgate but that didnt factor into this cover. It came with the inserts that slide into the top of the silver rails. Also i'm realizing now that i didn't understand you were talking about a truck with the black rails at first... thats my bad. But, for the record, ram-box trucks do come with the silver rails i just don't know what determines that one way or the other at the factory...

Edit: here’s the one I bought

extang Solid Fold 2.0 Hard Folding Truck Bed Tonneau Cover | 83424 | Fits 2019 - 2023 Dodge Ram w/Rambox w/ and w/o Multi-Function (Split) Tailgate 5' 7" Bed (67.4") , Black https://a.co/d/j9Qqyao