The time has finally come! My new truck finally found its way home!
It is a 2022 Ram Powerwagon. FULLY LOADED with every possible option minus a sunroof and ram boxes. That level 3 interior is almost too luxurious!
Most of you are familiar with my love for Tacomas, so this new truck may seem a bit off beat for me. The truth is the Tacoma was an AMAZING off road rig, but we were bursting at the seams. Lately we had given up on camping whenever the whole family would be going, since it was too difficult to haul a full crews gear. I got sick of always feeling like our adventures were being limited by cargo space.
I was having a hard time nailing down exactly what type of vehicle suited our needs. In hind sight it’s because our needs vary too much and I would need 10 rigs to always end up in the ‘right’ one for the day. So finally I made a list of all the things I needed my rig to accomplish. After writing the list, I crossed off all but the top 4 so I could focus on what really mattered.
1- Offroad capability. I hate adventuring in the backcountry only to get turned around when the trail gets rough. I needed a vehicle that could give me the peace of mind to keep pushing deeper into the gnarly trail condition.
2- More cargo Capacity. Our preferred method of travel is in the deep backcountry, alone. Those risks come with the responsibility to be prepared, and being prepared means packing a fair amount of ‘just in case’ gear for repairs, extractions, and emergencies. Even though we learned to pack like backpackers, this family of 3 + 1 dog still struggled to pack everything needed.
3- Payload/Towing. At this point I know the obvious answer is just stick a 4 wheel camper or Offroad trailer behind the Tacoma! To be honest that thought scares the hell out of me. The Tacoma is way over its GVWR and it always feels like it is one emergency maneuver away from catastrophe.
4- Aftermarket support. I love to tinker and modify things. I don't have the fabrication skills that many in this community do, so I depend heavily on being able to buy rather than build. There are many vehicles out there that have been transformed into complete beasts, but they take years of someone’s time and talent to get that way. That’s why having proven aftermarket support was high on my priority list.
ENTER THE POWERWAGON!
1- The capability is off the charts with its linked suspension, F&R lockers, sway bar disconnect, lift, and winch.
2- Obviously the bigger size is going to make it suffer Offroad, but size was one of my biggest issues needing to be addressed. There are only a few trucks thats size lands between the Tacoma and Ram, such as Tundra, Titan, and 1/2 tons. In the end I decided those trucks just couldn’t compete with the Rams ability after proper modifications.
3- So now I have a full size pickup and lots more space in the cab. Don’t think I fell off the deep end though, because it’s still a 6.5’ bed and only a 1200lb payload capacity. As far as full size goes it’s pretty wimpy, but still worlds better than the Taco. I went with a short bed to maintain the best turning radius and break over possible. It was a hard choice, giving up valuable dirtbike space, but capability was higher in my list. The low payload ratings are strictly due to the soft powerwagon coils. I can always change coils or add airbags to get the typical 4,000lb payload capacity. That’s an easy swap and I’ll still have the full sized frame/brakes/suspension/steering components.
4- The possibilities are endless with this platform, that’s what really pushed me over the edge. With slight modifications I can clear 40” tires on 3” of lift. I can swap out bumpers for higher clearance and stronger alternatives while keeping every single camera and sensor in place. With the AEV Prospector package I can garuntee that everything works together seamlessly. It’s so seamless that Ram trusts AEV enough to build their trucks and leave the full factory warranty on it.
It is a 2022 Ram Powerwagon. FULLY LOADED with every possible option minus a sunroof and ram boxes. That level 3 interior is almost too luxurious!
Most of you are familiar with my love for Tacomas, so this new truck may seem a bit off beat for me. The truth is the Tacoma was an AMAZING off road rig, but we were bursting at the seams. Lately we had given up on camping whenever the whole family would be going, since it was too difficult to haul a full crews gear. I got sick of always feeling like our adventures were being limited by cargo space.
I was having a hard time nailing down exactly what type of vehicle suited our needs. In hind sight it’s because our needs vary too much and I would need 10 rigs to always end up in the ‘right’ one for the day. So finally I made a list of all the things I needed my rig to accomplish. After writing the list, I crossed off all but the top 4 so I could focus on what really mattered.
1- Offroad capability. I hate adventuring in the backcountry only to get turned around when the trail gets rough. I needed a vehicle that could give me the peace of mind to keep pushing deeper into the gnarly trail condition.
2- More cargo Capacity. Our preferred method of travel is in the deep backcountry, alone. Those risks come with the responsibility to be prepared, and being prepared means packing a fair amount of ‘just in case’ gear for repairs, extractions, and emergencies. Even though we learned to pack like backpackers, this family of 3 + 1 dog still struggled to pack everything needed.
3- Payload/Towing. At this point I know the obvious answer is just stick a 4 wheel camper or Offroad trailer behind the Tacoma! To be honest that thought scares the hell out of me. The Tacoma is way over its GVWR and it always feels like it is one emergency maneuver away from catastrophe.
4- Aftermarket support. I love to tinker and modify things. I don't have the fabrication skills that many in this community do, so I depend heavily on being able to buy rather than build. There are many vehicles out there that have been transformed into complete beasts, but they take years of someone’s time and talent to get that way. That’s why having proven aftermarket support was high on my priority list.
ENTER THE POWERWAGON!
1- The capability is off the charts with its linked suspension, F&R lockers, sway bar disconnect, lift, and winch.
2- Obviously the bigger size is going to make it suffer Offroad, but size was one of my biggest issues needing to be addressed. There are only a few trucks thats size lands between the Tacoma and Ram, such as Tundra, Titan, and 1/2 tons. In the end I decided those trucks just couldn’t compete with the Rams ability after proper modifications.
3- So now I have a full size pickup and lots more space in the cab. Don’t think I fell off the deep end though, because it’s still a 6.5’ bed and only a 1200lb payload capacity. As far as full size goes it’s pretty wimpy, but still worlds better than the Taco. I went with a short bed to maintain the best turning radius and break over possible. It was a hard choice, giving up valuable dirtbike space, but capability was higher in my list. The low payload ratings are strictly due to the soft powerwagon coils. I can always change coils or add airbags to get the typical 4,000lb payload capacity. That’s an easy swap and I’ll still have the full sized frame/brakes/suspension/steering components.
4- The possibilities are endless with this platform, that’s what really pushed me over the edge. With slight modifications I can clear 40” tires on 3” of lift. I can swap out bumpers for higher clearance and stronger alternatives while keeping every single camera and sensor in place. With the AEV Prospector package I can garuntee that everything works together seamlessly. It’s so seamless that Ram trusts AEV enough to build their trucks and leave the full factory warranty on it.
The truck is SUPER SMOOTH while bombing down dirt roads and open washes.
