New Ram 5500 Build

[n0arp]

We were running over 13K on the rear axle of a 2019 Ram 3500. Despite it handling the load well (with mods), we knew it wasn't responsible to continue with that rig and have spent the last few months looking for a F-550 or Ram 5500.



For those interested: SuperSprings (4600lb pack) and 245/70R19.5 tires worked wonders on the 3500 with that load.

The market for trucks in general is insane right now, and finding a high-trim 5500 was next to impossible. The wait for ordering one more or less ruled that out.

We ended up finding a 2021 Ram 5500 Limited, 84CA, Cummins, 4x4, with most of the options we wanted in a new truck. It's Granite Crystal with Indigo/Frost interior. Bought it sight-unseen from a dealer 1700mi away from our current location, and had it shipped to us. Has 74gal of fuel, and 4.89 gears.





This week it's getting a Ranch Hand Sport front bumper, 17.5K winch, 11'4" flatbed, and 255/70R22.5" Hercules DT320 tires on 22.5" direct-bolt wheels (Alcoa style, rated for 6K each). That's roughly a 37" tall tire with a fairly aggressive A/T tread. Effective gear ratio with those tires will be around 4.27, or halfway between the optional 4.10 and 4.44 gears.

I'll post updates to the build in this thread, but it should be a beast when done. I decided not to go the popular super single route, because in my opinion it has more tradeoffs than benefits. We never had any issue getting anywhere we wanted with the old truck, which ran 245/70R19.5 Cooper RM253s up front and Continental Terra HD3s in the rear as duals.

We boondock extensively with both the truck camper posted above, and a 39' fifth wheel that has extensive modifications. We also flat tow a 5700lb Jeep Wrangler when hauling the truck camper.

[Padres_Chris]

sbhfs wrote:

How about mounting the spare on a rig like this? Most place it in your storage area or mounted to the front but wondering about finding a way to get it under the rear area of the truck.

That's one of many questions I have about ours that I haven't answered yet. I'm leaning toward using one of the toolboxes or putting it off the front with a front receiver built rack but no firm decisioin yet.

[Grit_dog]

sbhfs wrote:
Thanks for the details and help. From my own pencil and ruler drawing the design contact patch for a camper on a long bed camper is around 96". Half inch gap to camper bumper and 2" of camper bumper from a bed length of 98.4". To get the center of gravity over the rear axle on the flat bed requires a 101" contact patch. A NL 10.2 has about 102" before you hit some low point drains...so if by magic it seems to work out with a stock 11'4"X8' bed. Should be able to get 3 inches of the widest part of the camper on the bed and be 1" in front of the rear axle. Now if all this actually works in the real world

The 1" gap around the camper seems tight to to get this loaded up especially if you have to do it solo. Will use it as a minimum gap starting point. Other opinions?

How about mounting the spare on a rig like this? Most place it in your storage area or mounted to the front but wondering about finding a way to get it under the rear area of the truck.

Don't worry about having CoG of camper at or in front of the rear axle centerline. Obviously a huge difference like 1'-2' behind the rear axle will remove a much larger amount of weight from the front, but if you do a simple moment diagram, you'll see that having the CoG a few inches behind the rear axle will remove negligible weight from the front. Or think about it this way. If it was a gasser (presume you're going diesel) there would already be about 800lbs less on the FA.
So even if you're taking 1000lbs off the FA, you're still good.

I'd shoot for 2" total clearance from side boxes to camper. 1" each side is reasonable and very doable for easy loading.

[n0arp]

sbhfs wrote:
Thanks for the details and help. From my own pencil and ruler drawing the design contact patch for a camper on a long bed camper is around 96". Half inch gap to camper bumper and 2" of camper bumper from a bed length of 98.4". To get the center of gravity over the rear axle on the flat bed requires a 101" contact patch. A NL 10.2 has about 102" before you hit some low point drains...so if by magic it seems to work out with a stock 11'4"X8' bed. Should be able to get 3 inches of the widest part of the camper on the bed and be 1" in front of the rear axle. Now if all this actually works in the real world

The 1" gap around the camper seems tight to to get this loaded up especially if you have to do it solo. Will use it as a minimum gap starting point. Other opinions?

How about mounting the spare on a rig like this? Most place it in your storage area or mounted to the front but wondering about finding a way to get it under the rear area of the truck.

If it's a C&C, there is no room under there unless it's hanging really low. I've seen people fab up rear carriers that kill your departure angle, or you could sacrifice a lower toolbox and put a spare in its place. I personally put mine on the headache rack.

1" is fine, you just have to be careful. I usually loaded and unloaded solo. Remember with an inch on each side, you have 2" of play.

[sbhfs]

Thanks for the details and help. From my own pencil and ruler drawing the design contact patch for a camper on a long bed camper is around 96". Half inch gap to camper bumper and 2" of camper bumper from a bed length of 98.4". To get the center of gravity over the rear axle on the flat bed requires a 101" contact patch. A NL 10.2 has about 102" before you hit some low point drains...so if by magic it seems to work out with a stock 11'4"X8' bed. Should be able to get 3 inches of the widest part of the camper on the bed and be 1" in front of the rear axle. Now if all this actually works in the real world

The 1" gap around the camper seems tight to to get this loaded up especially if you have to do it solo. Will use it as a minimum gap starting point. Other opinions?

How about mounting the spare on a rig like this? Most place it in your storage area or mounted to the front but wondering about finding a way to get it under the rear area of the truck.

[Padres_Chris]

sbhfs wrote:
Similar to Padres_Chris I am looking at 84" chassis cab with the 8'X11'4" aluminum bed with camper COG over the rear axle, front space and down the sides top and bottom with boxes. Full time use and need the space for all the gear for biking, backpacking, ski and surf/foil...you get the picture.

Will anyone talk me down to a 60" with better turn radius and off road? Is there such a thing as too much storage on a truck camper?

Design questions: What is the gap this group would recommend between the boxes and the side of the camper? The tighter the harder to load, the bigger your are losing valuable storage space.

Considering a Northern Lite 10.2...any advice on fast guns/ tie downs through or with the side boxes?

With an standard 8' bed, rub rails and the width of the front legs you are getting very wide...any advice on tucking in the legs? I have seen pictures of a Douglas custom and looks like they customize a space for the legs but on a stock bed would require notching I suppose??

Any advice is appreciated.

According to my paper napkin sketches, my current 60" cab to axle with the big ass bike rack hanging off the back is longer than what my 84" cab to axle with the bikes in the storage bin and no bike rack....

-Chris

[n0arp]

sbhfs wrote:
Similar to Padres_Chris I am looking at 84" chassis cab with the 8'X11'4" aluminum bed with camper COG over the rear axle, front space and down the sides top and bottom with boxes. Full time use and need the space for all the gear for biking, backpacking, ski and surf/foil...you get the picture.

Will anyone talk me down to a 60" with better turn radius and off road? Is there such a thing as too much storage on a truck camper?

Design questions: What is the gap this group would recommend between the boxes and the side of the camper? The tighter the harder to load, the bigger your are losing valuable storage space.

Considering a Northern Lite 10.2...any advice on fast guns/ tie downs through or with the side boxes?

With an standard 8' bed, rub rails and the width of the front legs you are getting very wide...any advice on tucking in the legs? I have seen pictures of a Douglas custom and looks like they customize a space for the legs but on a stock bed would require notching I suppose??

Any advice is appreciated.

Take all the support you can get under the camper. If you truly use it off road, and it's a longer camper with a lot of overhang, you will break the frame otherwise. I had to reinforce/repair mine due to excessive flexing in the overhang. Between that and storage, the 84CA is a no-brainer. You can overcome the poorer breakover angles with larger tires, careful driving, and stacking rocks when those fail you.

I had a 1" gap on either side of the camper. I wouldn't run tie-downs through the boxes because I store things that need to be out of the weather in them. Check my photos for the arrangement.

The legs fold in so they're not any wider than the awning or other things sticking off the side of the camper. That width is a non-issue.

[sbhfs]

Similar to Padres_Chris I am looking at 84" chassis cab with the 8'X11'4" aluminum bed with camper COG over the rear axle, front space and down the sides top and bottom with boxes. Full time use and need the space for all the gear for biking, backpacking, ski and surf/foil...you get the picture.

Will anyone talk me down to a 60" with better turn radius and off road? Is there such a thing as too much storage on a truck camper?

Design questions: What is the gap this group would recommend between the boxes and the side of the camper? The tighter the harder to load, the bigger your are losing valuable storage space.

Considering a Northern Lite 10.2...any advice on fast guns/ tie downs through or with the side boxes?

With an standard 8' bed, rub rails and the width of the front legs you are getting very wide...any advice on tucking in the legs? I have seen pictures of a Douglas custom and looks like they customize a space for the legs but on a stock bed would require notching I suppose??

Any advice is appreciated.

[n0arp]

n0arp wrote:

BigToe wrote:

n0arp wrote:
I ended up selling the rig and changing things up again.

Wait. What?

You sold the 5500 after only a few months?

Yeah. We had a fifth wheel, truck camper, and Jeep, and after a lot of debating, decided to consolidate to a class A and Jeep. I’ll follow up with some details and pictures tomorrow if I get a chance. We also had the equity to pay cash and not have payments, so that was nice.

2000 Country Coach Magna with tons of upgrades at this point, including 4380W of solar.

Started a new thread for it

[n0arp]

BigToe wrote:

n0arp wrote:
I ended up selling the rig and changing things up again.

Wait. What?

You sold the 5500 after only a few months?

Yeah. We had a fifth wheel, truck camper, and Jeep, and after a lot of debating, decided to consolidate to a class A and Jeep. I’ll follow up with some details and pictures tomorrow if I get a chance. We also had the equity to pay cash and not have payments, so that was nice.

2000 Country Coach Magna with tons of upgrades at this point, including 4380W of solar.

[BigToe]

n0arp wrote:
I ended up selling the rig and changing things up again.

Wait. What?

You sold the 5500 after only a few months?

[n0arp]

Padres_Chris wrote:
We've ordered a similar 5500 84" cab to axle. 3-4 month wait! We are planning a 11' flatbed also, but we'll hang the camper(arctic fox 990) off the back end of the bed like it does on the 8' bed. We plan to use the space between the camper and cab for a large storage box to carry bikes.

Do you ever run into much issues with dragging those rear boxes when you drop off an incline or something?

We kept an eye on them, took things slow in sketchy areas, and if close, we'd get out and put rocks or wood down to use as a step and make the transition easier. Only had to do that once, that I recall. I ended up selling the rig and changing things up again.

[Padres_Chris]

We've ordered a similar 5500 84" cab to axle. 3-4 month wait! We are planning a 11' flatbed also, but we'll hang the camper(arctic fox 990) off the back end of the bed like it does on the 8' bed. We plan to use the space between the camper and cab for a large storage box to carry bikes.

Do you ever run into much issues with dragging those rear boxes when you drop off an incline or something?

[n0arp]

I tossed this Kenwood TM-D710G in box, in a catchall toolbox, a few years ago and over time the cardboard box broke down and the radio came loose. It’s spent the last year or longer being crushed, scratched, spilled on, etc, but cleaned up pretty nicely (with disassembly/reassembly) and passes a bench test. I’ll be mounting it in the cab of the Ram for VHF/UHF and APRS soon. These ruggedized Kenwood radios are great. I never mounted any ham gear in my Ram 3500, but had this as well as several other radios in my Chevy 2500. I'll probably just stick to this and the Midland MXT275 I already have in the 5500.



Unfortunately the antenna and mount I'm going to use aren't available shipped to a Prime locker, and I'm not going to spend $10/pkg at the local The UPS Store to receive packages, so this install will have to wait a while until I can figure out how to get the parts.

Note: n0arp is my callsign

[n0arp]

Reality Check wrote:
Missed the 'adding front' and full tilt interior console. Got it. Agree, that loaded, the trucks are fine. We're running right at 18k solo. But take the camper off, and it would still be a rough ride without the air, which we often do.

Cheers... fun thread to follow.

Loaded with camper, we are over the 19.5K gross on the truck but it handles fine and the overloading is minimal compared to how heavy we were on the 3500. Unloaded, we still have enough weight that it’s far better than the day we got it.