Trip Report Power Wagons in Moab 2018

[StormRider]

A group of Power Wagons showed up in Moab this April (the "official" event was cancelled due to permitting issues).
We setup camp out on BLM land south of Moab, and one thing I really love about the Wagons is being able to tow a 10k trailer.


One day we ran to the top of Moab Rim (stock tires/suspension, just added white knuckle sliders):


Then we ran Hell's Revenge, and ran into a Jeep that had flipped over backwards on Hell's Gate exit. Rory Irish from Moab Motorsports showed up and put on a show for us:

We ran out to Top of World, and I had my second duratrac failure of the week (sliced sidewall):



Posion Spider:


And we finished the week for most of us out at Area BFE with Nina Barlow for a recovery course:

 

[Greg]

Awesome report, love seeing big Power Wagons on the trail in Moab!

Interesting about the Duratrack, I've never been a fan of them. Do you think the tire just isn't up to the task of supporting a full size truck, aired down?

 

[DAA]

Cool.

A Power Wagon is in my future. Well, in my wife's future anyway. That's going to be her next vehicle. Sometime around late spring or early summer of '19.

How is the real world daily type driving MPG? That's one thing I'm not looking forward to...

 

[StormRider]

Interesting about the Duratrack, I've never been a fan of them. Do you think the tire just isn't up to the task of supporting a full size truck, aired down?

That's the consensus of the Power Wagon groups, they're just too soft for these trucks when they're aired down. One member went through 9 tires in the Vegas area on Discount Tire certs in less than 2 years. I just replaced mine at 18k miles, there was maybe 2k left on them. Replaced them with Ironman 37's

 

[StormRider]

Cool.

A Power Wagon is in my future. Well, in my wife's future anyway. That's going to be her next vehicle. Sometime around late spring or early summer of '19.

How is the real world daily type driving MPG? That's one thing I'm not looking forward to...

In town commuting (90th south from mountain view to I-15) I get about 10 mpg. I've gotten as much as 14 mpg on long road trips when I wasn't pushing over 70 mph. Towing is generally around 7-8, paying really close attention to the instant mpg gauge on the steep hills. It'll run up Parley's at 55 mph with a 10k trailer, but it's getting 2 mpg and you won't make Evanston on a full tank

Unless you're really looking for a Rubicon experience in a full size truck, I'd look at the Rebel 1500. Same towing capacity, factory rear locker, and it's not quite as ugly as the other new 2019 trucks I've heard that the new interior is amazing, and they got rid of the transmission hump in the back seat. There's also a coil spring version coming out mid next year, and AEV's working on a lift for it. It'll certainly get better fuel economy.

 

[Spork]

Cool seeing the big trucks in Moab

 

[DAA]

I've already got a Ram 1500 and will probably be keeping it too. I want to keep it, put it that way - I really, really like that truck. It only has 35,000 miles. And it's paid for, and it has a lifetime Mopar warranty. Might have to trade it on the PW to make the budget work, but I'm hoping not. If we do end up trading it, I'll end up with the wife's old Denali for my DD. The 1500 is a way nicer DD than the Denali and gets way better MPG too.

The PW will just be the wife's daily driver. We'll probably still use my 1500 for towing because it is rated almost as high as the PW anyway and gets better MPG and is more comfortable.

- DAA

 

[cackalak]

In town commuting (90th south from mountain view to I-15) I get about 10 mpg. I've gotten as much as 14 mpg on long road trips when I wasn't pushing over 70 mph. ....

Was this before or after 37's?

 

[StormRider]

Before 37s. So far I've still managed 10 in town, and I'd expect to get about the same on the highway, I've effectively gone from 4:10 to 3:66. Just can't get in a hurry towing.