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New To Ram. Ordering my first Ram Truck Ever - Advice needed please.

Demar002

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Hello All - I appreciate you taking the time to help me. I am ordering my first Ram. I need some advice please.

First - I do take the truck off-road to my hunting camp. It can get pretty muddy but not very deep; can get into some water. The roads wash out at times. Never been past 3/4 of the tire. When I pulled my trailer back into camp (4500lbs) I had to be in 4x4 (F-150) a couple of times. That is the extent of what I will most likely be doing off-road.

Now what I am purchasing (I will *** what I need advice on)

2022 Limited 4x4
- 5.7 eTorque
- 3.21 Axle Ratio
- 33 Gal Tank
- limited level 1 equipment group
- Limited 10th anniversary edition

*** went with the 275/55/20 OWL. ( I thought this would give me a little better traction in the mud but not hurt me too bad on road)
*** I went with the anti-spin Differential over the electronic locking rear axle. (I understand the difference but I am not sure which is better for me)
*** I did get the break controller and not the trailer tow group as I have had the reverse assist option in my ford and I never used it - Never really needed it. Should I just pay the little extra and get it as it would then come with Trailer Brake-Controller, Trailer Light Check, Trailer Reverse Steering Control
*** As you know the limited comes with the 4 corner air shock support. If I get the off road group I get the tires I was paying extra for, I would get the electronic locking rear axle which might be better than paying for the slip-differential along with all of the skid plates and hill-descent. But it comes with front and rear heavy duty shocks. Does that defeat the purpose of the 4 - corner air system?
*** I want to get the ram-box system but I am terrified due to what I have read on the forum. What the sales manager told me today - "Ram changed the composite of the ram box doors" which has made them less pliable/susceptible to heat etc. - Do I get them??

Again, thank you so much for your recommendations/feedback
Frank
 

Mountain Whiskey

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Hello All - I appreciate you taking the time to help me. I am ordering my first Ram. I need some advice please.

First - I do take the truck off-road to my hunting camp. It can get pretty muddy but not very deep; can get into some water. The roads wash out at times. Never been past 3/4 of the tire. When I pulled my trailer back into camp (4500lbs) I had to be in 4x4 (F-150) a couple of times. That is the extent of what I will most likely be doing off-road.

Now what I am purchasing (I will *** what I need advice on)

2022 Limited 4x4
- 5.7 eTorque
- 3.21 Axle Ratio
- 33 Gal Tank
- limited level 1 equipment group
- Limited 10th anniversary edition

*** went with the 275/55/20 OWL. ( I thought this would give me a little better traction in the mud but not hurt me too bad on road)
*** I went with the anti-spin Differential over the electronic locking rear axle. (I understand the difference but I am not sure which is better for me)
*** I did get the break controller and not the trailer tow group as I have had the reverse assist option in my ford and I never used it - Never really needed it. Should I just pay the little extra and get it as it would then come with Trailer Brake-Controller, Trailer Light Check, Trailer Reverse Steering Control
*** As you know the limited comes with the 4 corner air shock support. If I get the off road group I get the tires I was paying extra for, I would get the electronic locking rear axle which might be better than paying for the slip-differential along with all of the skid plates and hill-descent. But it comes with front and rear heavy duty shocks. Does that defeat the purpose of the 4 - corner air system?
*** I want to get the ram-box system but I am terrified due to what I have read on the forum. What the sales manager told me today - "Ram changed the composite of the ram box doors" which has made them less pliable/susceptible to heat etc. - Do I get them??

Again, thank you so much for your recommendations/feedback
Frank
My opinion, don't get a break controller. I mean if your truck breaks so much you need a mechanism to control how often it breaks then it is not much of a truck. Get a truck that does not break so much. 😁

The air suspension system is suspension, not shocks. The heavier shocks of the off road group will give a bit stiffer ride. Will it be that noticeable in a truck? Probably not if no one told you. The ORG does give you an extra inch of lift so there is a plus there. If you are doing off roading, it has electric lockers. Great off road but not much use on road. Anti Spin or limited slip is on all the time at all speeds and useful on pavement ++.

The tries, well, matter of taste. I prefer larger. Rim size does not beget tire size so the little bands that will come on a 20 inch rim would not work for me. I would do a level and use 33s or a lift and 35s. But then again, you are looking at 3:21 gears so I guess this is not your plan. Again matter of taste.

Back to the gears, you're buying a Hemi 5.7l. Full size truck. Get real gears. There is an option for 3:92 gears. Don't kick yourself later.
 

Kaderast

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My two cents on your questions:

I like 18" wheels, need more rubber on the sidewalls driving forest roads with rocks the size of basketballs. My truck is not a sports car.

Limited slip is likely a better diff choice for daily functionality. E locker only good for extreme situations (but nice when you need it!)

I generally only tow 4000# or less, and haven't really needed any of the fancy tow add ons. However, I'm sure if you think you'll need any of it, way better to get it from the factory than wish you had it later down the road.

No idea on the air suspension.

I can't live without a topper on my truck, so skipping the Ram Boxes was a no brainer.

And even though you didn't ask.....but someone else offered their advice, stick with the 3.21 gears. 3.92s are for guys who want to run huge tires and waste gas for no other reason than to look cool.
 

grimreefer

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Good call on the 33 gallon fuel tank. It was an absolute must for us.

Level 1 Equipment was also a requirement for us.

Personally, I prefer the E-Locker for the muddy stuff.

I didn't care about the gears since I'm not pushing the limits with my trailers.

I didn't really care about the wheels either, but if I had ordered it I would've opted for the 20's.

Don't know if Ram changed anything with the Ramboxes other than the module, but I'm perfectly happy with mine and they come in VERY handy.

I just opted for the trailer brake controller as I didn't want/need any of the other gadgets. Didn't want the Bullwinkle tow mirrors either.

👉 The one thing I would get that I didn't, if I had to do it over, would be the Multi Function Tailgate. 👈


ETA: And welcome aboard the forums. :cool:
 
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GKIII

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No comments on anything other than I much prefer a locker over an LSD. In normal driving on the road, an LSD isn't gonna be a huge benefit for a stock truck...... but a locker is WAY more useful in off-road situations.
 

wallyuwl

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Get a Rebel, it is a much better fit for how you want to use the truck. 1" lift, heavy duty shocks, no air suspension which could be fragile offroading, 17" offroad tires with a nice thick sidewall.

3.21 gears are fine for your use and you will save 2-3 mpg hwy, though I am not sure if you can get 3.21 on a Rebel.

IMO the trailer group isn't that helpful unless you tow a large trailer. You could get just the trailer brake controller for $300.

Limited slip vs e-locker? LS will probably be fine along with 4x4 based on what you said. Locker helps for really deep mud. You will use LS more (it automatically engages when needed) and it is better on snowy roads if you are in a northern climate.

If ordering, first drive one with and without etorque. They drive differently, especially while braking under 30 mph (surges a little, same feeling as engine braking, but does bet better with time but doesn't go totally away). Shifts are slightly smoother with eT.
 
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KWKSLVR

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We sound similar in setup (and in truck selection). I'll tell ya this, I haven't seen any movement on my truck yet and the ones that are similar to mine that are much higher vins getting churned out have less stuff. Mine will take a while, but I essentially have everything other than the trailer surround camera and sunroof.
 

IvoryHemi

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I’d go e-locker over limited slip. Much more useful for your situation
 

squid013

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My advice if you are really planning on spending time off road, go to the power wagon, sure your fuel milage will suffer but who cares when you get a bazillion smiles to the gallon. It has 4.10 gears, lockers front and rear, winch and wont cost you any more.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
 

KWKSLVR

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My advice if you are really planning on spending time off road, go to the power wagon, sure your fuel milage will suffer but who cares when you get a bazillion smiles to the gallon. It has 4.10 gears, lockers front and rear, winch and wont cost you any more.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
That thought was really tempting to me but I know in my case, despite the hunting I do, the ORG and elocker feels overkill. Granted, I'm in the south and I don't go looking for sticky situations to purposefully get into.
 

Kaderast

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Sorry, couldn't resist stirring up the masses since the never ending gear ratio debate was brought up. FWIW, your truck looks awesome, and I'm slightly jealous.

Someone else up above mentioned regretting not get the multi function tailgate. I will definitely second that. I'm not exactly a big guy (5'7" with a good pair of boots on) and realize now how much easier bed access would be if I'd gotten that fancy tailgate that I originally scoffed at the $1000 cost on the build sheet. Now I'm considering taking a sawzall to my traditional tailgate and making it multi functional.
 

jimothy

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Get a Rebel, it is a much better fit for how you want to use the truck. 1" lift, heavy duty shocks, no air suspension which could be fragile offroading, 17" offroad tires with a nice thick sidewall.
The Rebel has 18” wheels and 33” tires.

17” tires would be tiny. 🤪 And 18” is the smallest wheel that’ll fit on a 1500 DT.
 

monkeypunch

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Sorry, couldn't resist stirring up the masses since the never ending gear ratio debate was brought up. FWIW, your truck looks awesome, and I'm slightly jealous.

Someone else up above mentioned regretting not get the multi function tailgate. I will definitely second that. I'm not exactly a big guy (5'7" with a good pair of boots on) and realize now how much easier bed access would be if I'd gotten that fancy tailgate that I originally scoffed at the $1000 cost on the build sheet. Now I'm considering taking a sawzall to my traditional tailgate and making it multi functional.
OP is getting the MFT, it's in the 10th Anny Package.

OP, get the ORG and 3.92 gears if you actually plan on offloading.
 

Mountain Whiskey

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Yea, if you are down here in the south, you are going to hit some wet sticky, heavy clay at some point while off roading. Don't let the wimpy gears bog you down. Others mentioned more meat on the tires. A smaller rim will give you that off road protection and on road cushion. I'd opt for 18s and get some 33s to go with them.
 

nc_beagle

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Hello All - I appreciate you taking the time to help me. I am ordering my first Ram. I need some advice please.

First - I do take the truck off-road to my hunting camp. It can get pretty muddy but not very deep; can get into some water. The roads wash out at times. Never been past 3/4 of the tire. When I pulled my trailer back into camp (4500lbs) I had to be in 4x4 (F-150) a couple of times. That is the extent of what I will most likely be doing off-road.

Now what I am purchasing (I will *** what I need advice on)

2022 Limited 4x4
- 5.7 eTorque
- 3.21 Axle Ratio
- 33 Gal Tank
- limited level 1 equipment group
- Limited 10th anniversary edition

*** went with the 275/55/20 OWL. ( I thought this would give me a little better traction in the mud but not hurt me too bad on road)
*** I went with the anti-spin Differential over the electronic locking rear axle. (I understand the difference but I am not sure which is better for me)
*** I did get the break controller and not the trailer tow group as I have had the reverse assist option in my ford and I never used it - Never really needed it. Should I just pay the little extra and get it as it would then come with Trailer Brake-Controller, Trailer Light Check, Trailer Reverse Steering Control
*** As you know the limited comes with the 4 corner air shock support. If I get the off road group I get the tires I was paying extra for, I would get the electronic locking rear axle which might be better than paying for the slip-differential along with all of the skid plates and hill-descent. But it comes with front and rear heavy duty shocks. Does that defeat the purpose of the 4 - corner air system?
*** I want to get the ram-box system but I am terrified due to what I have read on the forum. What the sales manager told me today - "Ram changed the composite of the ram box doors" which has made them less pliable/susceptible to heat etc. - Do I get them??

Again, thank you so much for your recommendations/feedback
Frank
Here's my two cents, since I also have a limited. Watch payload as you tick the options boxes. If you get RamBox and MFT, you'll be getting close to 1000# of payload. Your 4500# trailer would eat 540# of that in tongue weight (@12%.)

I like having the ORG, though haven't used it as intended yet. I actually leave it in Aero mode more than Normal because sitting a little lower should handle a little better. Don't worry about the ride. It's really good even with the off road tires and the heavy duty shocks.

I wasn't able to get the Trailer Tow Package when I ordered and regretted it for a bit, but like the fact that without it, I get the "switches" at the bottom of the center console versus the buttons. I can back a trailer well enough and I know my trailer's getting power if my trailer's rear camera is working (it sits in the top cubby on the dash.)

The rear ratio I've second guessed some. I've got the 3.92 but would probably be ok with 3.21. I can't remember if ORG requires 3.92? Anyway, like many have said, I'd really like something in the middle, like a 3.55. My mileage experience wouldn't help since it's a diesel, but I've been happy with what I am getting.

Oh and get a Hellwig Sway Bar. :)

Good luck!
 

PaRamRod

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I cannot comment on the off-road stuff since I am mostly a highway driver. I have a Longhorn with Air Suspension, Sunroof, and 20s. The only regret I have is the 20s and the tow mirrors. If I were to do it again I would opt for the regular mirrors, painted bumpers, 22s, Ram boxes, and split tailgate.
 

GKIII

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Here's my two cents, since I also have a limited. Watch payload as you tick the options boxes. If you get RamBox and MFT, you'll be getting close to 1000# of payload. Your 4500# trailer would eat 540# of that in tongue weight (@12%.)

I like having the ORG, though haven't used it as intended yet. I actually leave it in Aero mode more than Normal because sitting a little lower should handle a little better. Don't worry about the ride. It's really good even with the off road tires and the heavy duty shocks.

I wasn't able to get the Trailer Tow Package when I ordered and regretted it for a bit, but like the fact that without it, I get the "switches" at the bottom of the center console versus the buttons. I can back a trailer well enough and I know my trailer's getting power if my trailer's rear camera is working (it sits in the top cubby on the dash.)

The rear ratio I've second guessed some. I've got the 3.92 but would probably be ok with 3.21. I can't remember if ORG requires 3.92? Anyway, like many have said, I'd really like something in the middle, like a 3.55. My mileage experience wouldn't help since it's a diesel, but I've been happy with what I am getting.

Oh and get a Hellwig Sway Bar. :)

Good luck!
ORG does not require 3.92
 

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