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Desert Dawg Ram Rebel Build

"Linex" the skid plate a matte black or leave the factory silver color?

  • Paint or Linex skid plate matte black

    Votes: 62 71.3%
  • Leave skid plate silver

    Votes: 24 27.6%
  • Other (reply in thread)

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Total voters
    87
  • Poll closed .
iirc SDHQ has spare carrier too.

i ran an n-fab spare strap in my bed for the 37” (37x12.5x20) trail grappler in my 2500. never moved. thought about doing something similar with my 1500, but it won’t work with the tonneau cover.

SDHQ Built Universal Spare Tire Mount

i found these like like them better. it straps down

Yeah, I like all of those except that the SDHQ cage is not removable and the n-Fab and SDHQ strap down carriers mount the tire nice and flat but the strap brackets stick up and will get in the way when I want to fully use the bed. I couldn't get a hold of 454 Motorsports for their totally removable cage so went ahead and ordered the Fabtech Universal Removable Spare Tire Carrier.
 
Yeah, I like all of those except that the SDHQ cage is not removable and the n-Fab and SDHQ strap down carriers mount the tire nice and flat but the strap brackets stick up and will get in the way when I want to fully use the bed. I couldn't get a hold of 454 Motorsports for their totally removable cage so went ahead and ordered the Fabtech Universal Removable Spare Tire Carrier.
i see. i never thought about that part lol
good point!
 
Anyway, the ride comfort, low noise, and on-road grip is amazing. I can't wait to try them out off-road when I hit the trails at Moab later next month!I do have some minor trimming to do as I get slight rub when reversing at full lock but that's an easy fix.

@Desert Dawg I'm looking into almost the same set up as you. Black Rhino Rapids 18x8.5 0mm with the MT Baja Boss A/T LT305/70R18s. I'm leveled on 5100's so you may have me beat on lift but just wondering what trimming you required as mentioned above ^^ Appreciated!
 
I'm happy to see you're still updating this build, Desert Dawg. You're the reason I got this '23 Rebel. I remember when you said that you thought you were done with the Rebel after it left you stranded.

Wanted your take on something, though. I know you mentioned your Rebel is rated at 1,930. Mine, with the panoramic sunroof, MFT, 33 gallon fuel tank, and Ram Boxes is rated at a measly 1,075. I wanted to build an overland rig similar to yours but am afraid that with just a few passengers and I'm over that payload immediately. What aspects of my truck should be considered "necessary weight?" I was in between the White Knuckle Sliders and AMP Research steps. I know you prefer the AMPs but I was leaning more towards the White Knuckle but they're twice as heavy. I also thought about the DiamondBack HD cover which I believe is close to 100 pounds. I think at this point a roof top tent is out of the question, unfortunately. Anyway, what are your thoughts on a overland rig with a payload that low?
 
If it performs like you want off road, and you are not routinely hauling on public roads, then go for it. There are no payload police off-road.

I doubt anyone driving a Wrangler with 37s, a winch & body armor has contemplated payload for even 1 second.
 
If it performs like you want off road, and you are not routinely hauling on public roads, then go for it. There are no payload police off-road.

I doubt anyone driving a Wrangler with 37s, a winch & body armor has contemplated payload for even 1 second.
i think payload is a guide line that you have and just dont wanna go crazy over the limits
 
If it performs like you want off road, and you are not routinely hauling on public roads, then go for it. There are no payload police off-road.

I doubt anyone driving a Wrangler with 37s, a winch & body armor has contemplated payload for even 1 second.

Oh, I definitely agree. I’m not concerned with ”payload police” anywhere. This is my first truck and I want to build an “overland rig” of some sort. Just curious as to what the general consensus is on “necessary” weight. I want to keep this thing stock for a while and I don’t want to go over payload too much considering it’s certainly not good for the truck.
 
@Desert Dawg I'm looking into almost the same set up as you. Black Rhino Rapids 18x8.5 0mm with the MT Baja Boss A/T LT305/70R18s. I'm leveled on 5100's so you may have me beat on lift but just wondering what trimming you required as mentioned above ^^ Appreciated!

Oh wow, sorry for the really late reply as I am been away on business travels and long work days and have been remiss in responding!

The issue with the Black Rhino wheels in an 18-inch size is making sure the balancing weights clear the brake calipers as some do and some don't. For my vehicle, I had to switch from the hammer on weights to the stick on weights since the latter are thinner and had no issue. I had no trimming required for the wheels either with the Bilstein 6112 or Dirt Logic setups.

The "trimming" issue was that I was getting some pretty good rubbing at full lock after I installed the +35-inch tall tires, so I thought I would have to trim out the inner front wheel liners. But as it turned out, it was the Fox remote reservoir hoses hitting the UCAs, so all we had to do was adjust the mounting brackets a bit and no more rub!
 
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I'm happy to see you're still updating this build, Desert Dawg. You're the reason I got this '23 Rebel. I remember when you said that you thought you were done with the Rebel after it left you stranded.

Wanted your take on something, though. I know you mentioned your Rebel is rated at 1,930. Mine, with the panoramic sunroof, MFT, 33 gallon fuel tank, and Ram Boxes is rated at a measly 1,075. I wanted to build an overland rig similar to yours but am afraid that with just a few passengers and I'm over that payload immediately. What aspects of my truck should be considered "necessary weight?" I was in between the White Knuckle Sliders and AMP Research steps. I know you prefer the AMPs but I was leaning more towards the White Knuckle but they're twice as heavy. I also thought about the DiamondBack HD cover which I believe is close to 100 pounds. I think at this point a roof top tent is out of the question, unfortunately. Anyway, what are your thoughts on a overland rig with a payload that low?

Yeah, I really was looking hard at some options but timing is everything. Of course I was only considering top shelf options if I was going to dump the Rebel with all of mods/features I had in it with a focus on off-road capability, so my choices were the current Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO, Bronco Wildpeak or Bronco Raptor, Ford 150 Raptor, Ford F250 Tremor, or Land Rover Defender, but thanks to the Pandemic and supply chain issues, all of those were either on such long backorder wait lists and/or carried stupidly high dealer markups! For example, I found a mid-level Bronco that was available where I live but the dealer(s) had $20K+ markups which made a mid-level Bronco with a 4-banger turbo engine a $80K vehicle without all the options or capabilities that I would want...and forget about it if I was able to find a Bronco Raptor! And even at full price plus the crazy markups, you still don't get all of the features due to the chip issues. Finally, I would still have to spend money again on mods to enhance some factory capabilities and/or personalize to my taste. While I guess I could just shell out another $100K plus for a new vehicle and mods (not accounting for selling the Rebel), paying all that money to just line the dealer pockets just didn't sit right by me and I don't have the time to chase deals around the country (or spend the time to prep and sell my Rebel).

Finally, the TackLife battery jumper that I keep in my Rebel works like a charm, so started thinking that if the worse thing I deal with is maybe an occasional dead battery due to some internal factory drain, I am good as long as I have the lithium battery pack that really does pack a punch. So, I decided to double down on the Rebel especially if I could change out the suspension for a high quality off-road setup that still gives me the lift/stance I wanted. Again, timing is everything as BDS literally, within a few weeks of my decision to keep the Rebel, came out with a Rebel-specific 3-inch lift with the Fox Performance Elite suspension that met all of needs such as keeping the center of gravity lower (relative to a 6-inch BDS-Fox setup), providing enhanced off-road capabilities, and maintaining the stance I wanted. So once that was done, I started thinking about "what's next" for more mods...lol.

Regarding your weight to mod balance issue, I have a fully loaded truck too but with the smaller gas tank (unfortunately). I estimate, with the topper, AMP power side steps, larger 35-inch tires with full size spare in bed, extra gas can, offf-road/recovery gear including air compressor, traction boards, winch and gear, etc. that I carrying about another 500 lbs. before myself and others or any extra gear for road trips. So I am definitely biting into my load carrying capacity but still have room to spare as long as I am not adding any appreciable tongue weight too (loaded camper/haul trailers, etc.).

I really don't prefer the AMP side steps over true rock sliders (like the White Knuckle Sliders that I looked at too) but had to consider my passengers since I also use the truck for business and family (especially for my wife). I am pretty tall so stepping up to a slider, even when lifted, is not a problem for me, but would be very challenging for others that ride in my truck so I had to forgo that option, unfortunately. In any case, getting the Diamond Back HD cover married to a roof top tent is a sweet setup; assuming 100 lbs for the sliders and ~200 lbs for the tent, you have about 700 lbs remaining. Add in another 100 lbs for loaded coolers and other camping gear, 70-100 lbs for a full sized spare, 100 lbs for a jack and recovery gear. and average weight of 160 lbs for (4) adult passengers, you could exceed the 700 lbs remaining capacity by another 200-300 lbs (unless your averaged person weight is higher and/or you have other gear not captured). If I come across any specific FS ratings for the Ram 1500, I will share but that will take some research.

The thing to remember is that the total gross vehicle weight also includes factor of safeties that are built into the designs as the manufactures need to ensure that their vehicles handle well at higher speeds, the vehicle provides control on vibrations and ride comfort, and meet safety crash performance criteria. If you assume a factor of safety of 1.25, your gross available weight is closer to 1300 lbs. I am not recommending that you tap that; but if you do, consider that you'll want to keep your center of gravity as low as possible (roof tent on bed instead of roof, lighter weight gear (or passengers), etc.
 
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Fabtech Universal Spare Tire Carrier

Finally got around to securing the full-sized +35-inch spare tire carrier in the bed.

Having to drill holes (and large ones at that) through the bed of your truck takes some confidence building especially since I wanted to mount the base plate underneath the truck. By doing so, I am able to retain full use of the truck bed and slide items in/out without getting caught up on any brackets. However, the base plate really needs to be about an inch longer to sufficiently bridge across the truck bed's sheetmetal ribs. So to make sure you have enough bearing surface, the measurements between the mounting holes need to be perfectly aligned as to not have either hole extend into the curved edges of the rasied rib surfaces.

First, I positioned the spare tire inside the bed where I wanted it along the center rib and measured from the cab wall. Of importance was I wanted to make sure I was positioned near the rear axle but have enough room to store/use my AMP bed extender inside the bed. Then I went underneath the truck and measured the same distance from the cab to make sure that I cleared any bed cross supports, exhaust, and other components. It turned out that placing the center of the spare tire wheel right at 21 inches cleared everything (5-1/2 ft. bed) and still provided about an 1.5 inches of clear space between the tire and cab wall.

Once measured, I drilled small pilot holes to make sure everything was lining up in the right locations (the thought being that if I flubbed the locations, it would be easy to seal with silicon as the holes would be barely noticeable). I was happy with my measurements, so I then drilled a 1-1/4 inch center hole that would provide just enough clearance for the threaded metal key and then the two mounting holes that aligned perfectly with the same holes in the base plate.


After drilling the holes, I painted the exposed metal with black paint to prevent rust:


You really need two people to secure the base plate; one person in the bed to push through and hold the stainless mounting bolts while the second person underneath the truck to mount the base plate and secure with the pressure nuts. Both need 14mm socket wrenches. By mounting the base plate underneath the truck, the mounting bolt heads sit in the depressions of the bed ribs so they are not in the way when sliding things into or out of the truck bed.

I think it turned out pretty good and for sure I like the fact that my heavy, full-sized spare tire is secure (with the factory cable lock) and not moving around in the bed of the truck, especially when off-roading. The extra benefit is I now have the spare tire situated almost directly over the rear axle which provides much better balance and traction rather than being a drag weight hanging out past the rear axle near the rear bumper.






Staging some gear for a road trip to see how everything fits:


To remove the spare tire, I just need to remove the padlock, spin out the key (with base plate remaining secure underneath), and slide out the tire.
 
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Another project completed was the installation of my Rigid Industries ditch lights. I ordred the complete kit with (2) LED pods and wiring harness along with the hood brackets and security kits. Parts included:

  1. Rigid Indusrtries Dually-Side Shooter PROfessional Race Output LED pods (DSS PRO Floods)
  2. Rigid Industries Body A-Pillar Mounts
  3. Rigid Indstries D-Series LED Lights Security Kits

Installation was pretty straightforward although I did cut the wiring harness and discarded the Rigid 3-way switch since I wanted everything tied into my switch panel I am using in the cab.

Took a couple of pics during the day just to make sure everything worked as intended with the switch panel.






The daylight pics do not do this combo of lights any justice as they are insanely bright when lit all together at night, so I'll have to post up once I actually get to use them.
 
dam me and you both got the same kits ordered,
can not wait to recieve and install


btw guys dessert dawg has been tons of help and been helping me behind the scenes and is awesome 🫡
Did you ever install your new lift yet like "Desert Dawgs"?

2020 Ram Rebel 4x4
Fox 2.5 lift
 
What a great thread and even a more beautiful truck. Thanks for being so detailed it was a good eye opener. Enjoy your creation man !!!!
 
Well, this is the end of the road for me as my Ram has a new owner. I am getting a brand-new company truck and don't need two. So for my four-wheeling adventures, I am going to finish building up my old Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series. This will not be the last time you'll see me as the new owner is here in Albuquerque; we have plans to go off-roading together and I will encourage the new owner to join this awesome forum. Despite some of my frustrations that I shared over the years, I really had a lot of fun building up my Rebel and taking it out for some very cool road trips along with some seriously cool off-road adventures (for a full-size truck). As I saw it drive away, I can honestly say that I will miss the [not so old] girl. It's going to be fun to see how the build continues under new ownership. Cheers to all!

 
Well, this is the end of the road for me as my Ram has a new owner. I am getting a brand-new company truck and don't need two. So for my four-wheeling adventures, I am going to finish building up my old Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series. This will not be the last time you'll see me as the new owner is here in Albuquerque; we have plans to go off-roading together and I will encourage the new owner to join this awesome forum. Despite some of my frustrations that I shared over the years, I really had a lot of fun building up my Rebel and taking it out for some very cool road trips along with some seriously cool off-road adventures (for a full-size truck). As I saw it drive away, I can honestly say that I will miss the [not so old] girl. It's going to be fun to see how the build continues under new ownership. Cheers to all!

80 series is great with solid front and rear. However that I-6 is a pile of crap. Our shop at one point is averaging 1 per month for that engine swap.
If you can (and you should, being in a free state), and if you haven't already, swap that I-6 gasser out for a diesel. That diesel is bulletproof (aside from when EPA really shoots it with bullets).

Is it triple locked?
 
80 series is great with solid front and rear. However that I-6 is a pile of crap. Our shop at one point is averaging 1 per month for that engine swap.
If you can (and you should, being in a free state), and if you haven't already, swap that I-6 gasser out for a diesel. That diesel is bulletproof (aside from when EPA really shoots it with bullets).

Is it triple locked?

Not really a diesel guy although they do have some obvious pros (and cons). Diesel swap on these are extremely expensive (relative to a LS swap), but a lot of guys are getting into them. Having said that, a diesel swap is on my list of potential options as well as a V8.

Mine is a '95 with the 4.5L engine and is actually in very good shape despite it's advanced age and mileage (definitely well into diesel longevity territory and still going strong), but's it is painfully slow out on the highway, and it's fuel mileage almost makes the Ram look good...lol. Even just a tad more power would make it more enjoyable to drive on those long mountain runs. So another, and much simpler and cheaper, option would be a complete overhaul to get it back to "like new' condition along with the tranny and add a Toyota (Magnuson) supercharger for the extra oomph when needed.

Has the center lock but not triple locked; will eventually solve that with some ARB lockers.

BTW, where's your shop?
 
Not really a diesel guy although they do have some obvious pros (and cons). Diesel swap on these are extremely expensive (relative to a LS swap), but a lot of guys are getting into them. Having said that, a diesel swap is on my list of potential options as well as a V8.

Mine is a '95 with the 4.5L engine and is actually in very good shape despite it's advanced age and mileage (definitely well into diesel longevity territory and still going strong), but's it is painfully slow out on the highway, and it's fuel mileage almost makes the Ram look good...lol. Even just a tad more power would make it more enjoyable to drive on those long mountain runs. So another, and much simpler and cheaper, option would be a complete overhaul to get it back to "like new' condition along with the tranny and add a Toyota (Magnuson) supercharger for the extra oomph when needed.

Has the center lock but not triple locked; will eventually solve that with some ARB lockers.

BTW, where's your shop?
we in southern california in el monte.

rumor has it that Toyota wanted to bring the diesel in for LC80 but thanks to EPA they had to put a gasser in. And they somehow decided to put a modified forklift engine instead of making a new engine for it. that's why it's got no power. I'd say just swap it with a V8 for simplicity and cost saving BUT I like to do it the "OE+" way lol
 

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