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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 .
Tire Selection Shortlist

So as you know, I have been looking at various tire options that I feel would really compliment my truck build both in terms of form and function. I really prefer a more purposeful and slightly more aggressive looking theme of the truck especially since this a Rebel that I will use off-road, but doing so is always at the expense of your wallet, mileage performance (for longer road trips), handling dynamics, safety (especially in terms of control and braking), tire life, and road comfort/noise. Tires, besides any suspension changes, are one of the more costly mods you can make on a truck especially when getting into the 34-35+ inch diameter range; I have made mistakes before when I rushed my decision based on some pricing deal that seemed to be too good to pass up or because I ran with someone else's recommendation without thinking it through only to be unhappy with the results.

So my focus has been on more aggressive looking ATs, Hybrids, and MTs that might meet most of my criteria for performing well day to day, provide decent highway comfort, and ensuring decent performance while off-roading so that I can have fun on rocky mountain trails or deep sand dunes. Keep in mind that I am not building a mall crawler or extreme off-roading machine so the tires need to reflect that as well (not all good looks but not purely functional either). Also, my mantra for this build is "try something new" so my shortlist attempts to include tire makes that I have not used or considered previously. But as mentioned before, I have used a large number of tire manufacturers and tire types in the past that worked really well so my initial considerations and resulting shortlist may still include those and/or I may have revisited some of the same tires again if the tire technology/designs had been updated for that specific tire.

So here is my shortlist of tires; please keep in mind that is "my" initial shortlist and definitely may not be yours as some of the decision making process is very subjective. For instance, some very good/excellent tires didn't make it because maybe I just didn't think they would look as good as the others; what may not appeal to me aesthetically may be "da bomb" for someone else! Also, comfort and noise can be very subjective too as what might be too loud or rough riding for me might be very tolerable or even preferred by someone else. And finally, I fall into that minority category of folks that actually beat their trucks up some for fun but maybe not as much as the hardcore rock or expedition wheelers.

I tried to include some of my thoughts on each as well as some basic stats; you may agree or disagree which is great because not every size, truck, or personal use is the same. This is only my shortlist and I haven't pulled the trigger on any tire yet (although in my mind I might be getting down to a top 3). I also included a brief listing of other tires that almost made the shortlist but fell short for some odd reason. Not all tires I reviewed or considered are listed either as there are just too many and/or some where were very similar to another. But if someone has something I missed or maybe has a different experience or perspective, please share!

Tire Selction-Part 1.png
Tire Selction-Part 2.png
Tire Selction-Part 3.png
Edits: Spelling and grammar corrections.
 
Last edited:
Awesome Break down on possible tire selections, can't wait to see what you select.
 
@NHjake1989; thanks, I really like them even more in person! Yes, I went with the 18x8.5 +0MM Offset. I wanted the wheels/tires pushed out to the outside of the fenders but didn't want the tires to extend much past the fenders (if not almost flush) so that I don't have the tread throwing up debris at the truck. Based on my tire selection, I should be pretty close.
Thanks, I can't wait to see what you choose for tire size and how they look. I am going through the same decision making process now for my granite crystal rebel.
 
So as you know, I have been looking at various tire options that I feel would really compliment my truck build both in terms of form and function. I really prefer a more purposeful and slightly more aggressive looking theme of the truck especially since this a Rebel that I will use off-road, but doing so is always at the expense of your wallet, mileage performance (for longer road trips), handling dynamics, safety (especially in terms of control and braking), tire life, and road comfort/noise. Tires, besides any suspension changes, are one of the more costly mods you can make on a truck especially when getting into the 34-35+ inch diameter range; I have made mistakes before when I rushed my decision based on some pricing deal that seemed to be too good to pass up or because I ran with someone else's recommendation without thinking it through only to be unhappy with the results.

So my focus has been on more aggressive looking ATs, Hybrids, and MTs that might meet most of my criteria for performing well day to day, provide decent highway comfort, and ensuring decent performance while off-roading so that I can have fun on rocky mountain trails or deep sand dunes. Keep in mind that I am not building a mall crawler or extreme off-roading machine so the tires need to reflect that as well (not all good looks but not purely functional either). Also, my mantra for this build is "try something new" so my shortlist attempts to include tire makes that I have not used or considered previously. But as mentioned before, I have used a large number of tire manufacturers and tire types in the past that worked really well so my initial considerations and resulting shortlist may still include those and/or I may have revisited some of the same tires again if the tire technology/designs had been updated for that specific tire.

So here is my shortlist of tires; please keep in mind that is "my" initial shortlist and definitely may not be yours as some of the decision making process is very subjective. For instance, some very good/excellent tires didn't make it because maybe I just didn't think they would look as good as the others; what may not appeal to me aesthetically may be "da bomb" for someone else! Also, comfort and noise can be very subjective too as what might be too loud or rough riding for me might be very tolerable or even preferred by someone else. And finally, I fall into that minority category of folks that actually beat their trucks up some for fun but maybe not as much as the hardcore rock or expedition wheelers.

I tried to include some of my thoughts on each as well as some basic stats; you may agree or disagree which is great because not every size, truck, or personal use is the same. This is only my shortlist and I haven't pulled the trigger on any tire yet (although in my mind I might be getting down to a top 3). I also included a brief listing of other tires that almost made the shortlist but fell short for some odd reason. Not all tires I reviewed or considered are listed either as there are just too many and/or some where were very similar to another. But if someone has something I missed or maybe has a different experience or perspective, please share!



Edits: Spelling and grammar corrections.
Now that is a list!

Most of those are on my top picks as well. I had BFG K02's on my F150 and as you say they are well mannered but terrible in the rain and not all that great in the snow. I don't go offroad as much as you do so I am leaning towards another set of the Duratracs. I really like the traction in all types of conditions and the big benefit for me in the weight. The new Toyo ATIII is also a contender but it is soooo heavy!

Thank you for all the info!
 
Thanks, I can't wait to see what you choose for tire size and how they look. I am going through the same decision making process now for my granite crystal rebel.
Now that is a list!

Most of those are on my top picks as well. I had BFG K02's on my F150 and as you say they are well mannered but terrible in the rain and not all that great in the snow. I don't go offroad as much as you do so I am leaning towards another set of the Duratracs. I really like the traction in all types of conditions and the big benefit for me in the weight. The new Toyo ATIII is also a contender but it is soooo heavy!

Thank you for all the info!

Yeah, the Duratracs made my shortlist for same reasons you mentioned and the Toyo ATIII didn't make it as they are heavy and just not as aggressive looking as the Duratracs and others (although will probably perform better on-road and maybe just as well off-road).
 
oh, the suspense... have you installed the new Fabtech set up yet? Curious on your feedback between the different set ups between stock vs. Falcon vs. Fabtech vs. maybe some of your previous builds.
 
lol...sorry about that but waiting to see if anyone had additional input before I commit but won't too long.

Comparing my various builds is actually on my agenda! Once I get a couple of off-road treks done, I definitely want to post up. Since I won't be running the Falcon system very long, my comparison will be focused on the street ride. To be honest, now that the Falcons have settled in, the ride is pretty darn fantastic and the steering feel/handling is also improved; I actually started second guessing my decision about changing out (especially since @Roaminglost and others are running 35s with even more negative offset wheels just fine). But then I have to remember I not getting the height/stance I wanted in the first place and therefore not getting my preferred overall clearance when on the trails.

I am just hoping the Fabtech/Dirt Logic is all it is made out to be (especially the lift height and on-road ride quality).
 
lol...sorry about that but waiting to see if anyone had additional input before I commit but won't too long.

Comparing my various builds is actually on my agenda! Once I get a couple of off-road treks done, I definitely want to post up. Since I won't be running the Falcon system very long, my comparison will be focused on the street ride. To be honest, now that the Falcons have settled in, the ride is pretty darn fantastic and the steering feel/handling is also improved; I actually started second guessing my decision about changing out (especially since @Roaminglost and others are running 35s with even more negative offset wheels just fine). But then I have to remember I not getting the height/stance I wanted in the first place and therefore not getting my preferred overall clearance when on the trails.

I am just hoping the Fabtech/Dirt Logic is all it is made out to be (especially the lift height and on-road ride quality).
@falcon shocks...yeah, I have had mine on for about a month now and the ride is pretty amazing. They absorb bumps like no ones business and combined with the Hellwig sway bar, I love the way my truck feels. I am still running the factory air setting of 55 front and 45 rear and I don't even feel the bumps. @Desert Dawg are you going with E rated tires or sticking with D?
 
lol...sorry about that but waiting to see if anyone had additional input before I commit but won't too long.

Comparing my various builds is actually on my agenda! Once I get a couple of off-road treks done, I definitely want to post up. Since I won't be running the Falcon system very long, my comparison will be focused on the street ride. To be honest, now that the Falcons have settled in, the ride is pretty darn fantastic and the steering feel/handling is also improved; I actually started second guessing my decision about changing out (especially since @Roaminglost and others are running 35s with even more negative offset wheels just fine). But then I have to remember I not getting the height/stance I wanted in the first place and therefore not getting my preferred overall clearance when on the trails.

I am just hoping the Fabtech/Dirt Logic is all it is made out to be (especially the lift height and on-road ride quality).

Im in the same boat. i am only running falcons till i get a full suspension lift. the falcons are awesome but i need more height and adjustability
 
@falcon shocks...yeah, I have had mine on for about a month now and the ride is pretty amazing. They absorb bumps like no ones business and combined with the Hellwig sway bar, I love the way my truck feels. I am still running the factory air setting of 55 front and 45 rear and I don't even feel the bumps. @Desert Dawg are you going with E rated tires or sticking with D?

Really have to give the Falcon folks kudos for sure on the ride quality and overall performance!

No, the final three I am considering are all E-rated tires.
 
Im in the same boat. i am only running falcons till i get a full suspension lift. the falcons are awesome but i need more height and adjustability

Yeah, the more I drive the truck with the Falcons the more I really like this suspension so it's such a bummer it didn't provide the lift they thought it would (at least for the 2020 Rebel). In the end, I will end up with a better off-road performing system but Falcon set a high bar on ride quality. You still thinking Icons?
 
Yeah, the more I drive the truck with the Falcons the more I really like this suspension so it's such a bummer it didn't provide the lift they thought it would (at least for the 2020 Rebel). In the end, I will end up with a better off-road performing system but Falcon set a high bar on ride quality. You still thinking Icons?
Nah no icons for me. I think there will be better options soon. Waiting to hear back from Radflow suspension.
 
BDS / Fox released the 2020 version of their suspension but its only a 1" over stock for the rebel.
 
Nah no icons for me. I think there will be better options soon. Waiting to hear back from Radflow suspension.
BDS / Fox released the 2020 version of their suspension but its only a 1" over stock for the rebel.

That would be interesting to see what Radflow comes up with!

Yeah, I think the sweet spot for the 5th Gen Rebel is about 2-2.5 inches over the factory Rebel ride height (so similar to a base Ram with a 3-3.5 inch lift); get enough clearance for decent off-road tires with a perfect stance without having to go 4-6 inches which is not as ideal for off-roading (under certain conditions). I really stressed over selecting the current BDS 4-inch system specifically for the Rebel (with upgraded Fox shocks) as that would be too high once fitted with larger tires (and having that stupid 2.5-inch high shark fin on top of the roof would prevent me from parking inside my garage too). That BDS 2-inch system would be perfect if it was specifically designed for the Rebel, but again...not.

I hope Radflow is saying that it will net about 2-inches over the factory Rebel height! I called Fabtech myself and was told that their 3-inch Dirt Logic system specifically for the Rebel will net the actual 3 inches over the factory ride height. The techs over at Desert Rat don't agree and believe it will be only 2-inches over the Rebel stock height, or 1-inch higher than my current Falcon setup which is perfectly fine by me as that would give me the height/stance (and hopefully performance) that I was wanting to begin with.

Be interesting to see when Radflow releases their new system as the Dirt Logics are still on back order. Hmmmm. :unsure:
 
That would be interesting to see what Radflow comes up with!

Yeah, I think the sweet spot for the 5th Gen Rebel is about 2-2.5 inches over the factory Rebel ride height (so similar to a base Ram with a 3-3.5 inch lift); get enough clearance for decent off-road tires with a perfect stance without having to go 4-6 inches which is not as ideal for off-roading (under certain conditions). I really stressed over selecting the current BDS 4-inch system specifically for the Rebel (with upgraded Fox shocks) as that would be too high once fitted with larger tires (and having that stupid 2.5-inch high shark fin on top of the roof would prevent me from parking inside my garage too). That BDS 2-inch system would be perfect if it was specifically designed for the Rebel, but again...not.

I hope Radflow is saying that it will net about 2-inches over the factory Rebel height! I called Fabtech myself and was told that their 3-inch Dirt Logic system specifically for the Rebel will net the actual 3 inches over the factory ride height. The techs over at Desert Rat don't agree and believe it will be only 2-inches over the Rebel stock height, or 1-inch higher than my current Falcon setup which is perfectly fine by me as that would give me the height/stance (and hopefully performance) that I was wanting to begin with.

Be interesting to see when Radflow releases their new system as the Dirt Logics are still on back order. Hmmmm. :unsure:
Yeah, it is too bad. One more inch of lift with this falcon set up would be perfect. I wonder if they (falcon) are working on a fix for this. If they are, they really should give it to us first time buyers at no cost. So @Falconshocks if you are listening..............
 
BDS / Fox released the 2020 version of their suspension but its only a 1" over stock for the rebel.
So basically Fox released the 2.5 coilovers for the ram ? I’ll probably just try to add those and not the whole bds kit if possible since I already have the ready lift control arms
 
So as you know, I have been looking at various tire options that I feel would really compliment my truck build both in terms of form and function. I really prefer a more purposeful and slightly more aggressive looking theme of the truck especially since this a Rebel that I will use off-road, but doing so is always at the expense of your wallet, mileage performance (for longer road trips), handling dynamics, safety (especially in terms of control and braking), tire life, and road comfort/noise. Tires, besides any suspension changes, are one of the more costly mods you can make on a truck especially when getting into the 34-35+ inch diameter range; I have made mistakes before when I rushed my decision based on some pricing deal that seemed to be too good to pass up or because I ran with someone else's recommendation without thinking it through only to be unhappy with the results.

So my focus has been on more aggressive looking ATs, Hybrids, and MTs that might meet most of my criteria for performing well day to day, provide decent highway comfort, and ensuring decent performance while off-roading so that I can have fun on rocky mountain trails or deep sand dunes. Keep in mind that I am not building a mall crawler or extreme off-roading machine so the tires need to reflect that as well (not all good looks but not purely functional either). Also, my mantra for this build is "try something new" so my shortlist attempts to include tire makes that I have not used or considered previously. But as mentioned before, I have used a large number of tire manufacturers and tire types in the past that worked really well so my initial considerations and resulting shortlist may still include those and/or I may have revisited some of the same tires again if the tire technology/designs had been updated for that specific tire.

So here is my shortlist of tires; please keep in mind that is "my" initial shortlist and definitely may not be yours as some of the decision making process is very subjective. For instance, some very good/excellent tires didn't make it because maybe I just didn't think they would look as good as the others; what may not appeal to me aesthetically may be "da bomb" for someone else! Also, comfort and noise can be very subjective too as what might be too loud or rough riding for me might be very tolerable or even preferred by someone else. And finally, I fall into that minority category of folks that actually beat their trucks up some for fun but maybe not as much as the hardcore rock or expedition wheelers.

I tried to include some of my thoughts on each as well as some basic stats; you may agree or disagree which is great because not every size, truck, or personal use is the same. This is only my shortlist and I haven't pulled the trigger on any tire yet (although in my mind I might be getting down to a top 3). I also included a brief listing of other tires that almost made the shortlist but fell short for some odd reason. Not all tires I reviewed or considered are listed either as there are just too many and/or some where were very similar to another. But if someone has something I missed or maybe has a different experience or perspective, please share!



Edits: Spelling and grammar corrections.
I had the coopers before and man they performed well and lasted forever, had Mickey Thompson’s bajas before also and they were louder and didn’t last as long , I think when these Goodyear’s run down on tread I’m going back to the coopers, gota love that sidewall design
 
I had the coopers before and man they performed well and lasted forever, had Mickey Thompson’s bajas before also and they were louder and didn’t last as long , I think when these Goodyear’s run down on tread I’m going back to the coopers, gota love that sidewall design

They are awesome tires for sure and one of my favorite overall tire in terms of style and performance!
 

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