2015 Ram 3500 CTD - family adventure build

[Luckychase5]

Hello All!
So glad to have a truck again and be posting in this thread. So last Thursday I bought a
2015 Ram 3500 CCSB CTD, it is sitting at 76,000 miles.

The truck got a new transmission, hand built by a transmission vet of 25 years, just across the border in Washington. It is the 68, but I’ve heard one of their main flaws is how they are assembled at the main factory, once they are gone over by a real pro taking their time they are much more reliable. That all being said, this is going to be mainly a family adventure rig. We are putting a camper in the bed and are going to mostly use it that way.

Current mods
-Cooper AT3 325/65R18
-KMC 18” Grenades
-Baja Design Squadron Pros x4
-re-geared to 4.30
-Amp Steps
-Les Schwab spacer leveling kit

Plans
-Thuren or Carli leveling kit with track bar
-titan fuel tank replacement
-front bumper (I may make this or AEV/Warn/ARB)
-SB intake


And that’s about it. I’ll get some better pictures soon.

Cheers!



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[Luckychase5]

Well, I’ve been hoarding these since last November. I finally have a truck to put them in. Just waiting on a second pair and the CJC bracket to replace the factory fog pockets.

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[Halligan]

Nice truck. Good luck with the build. What kind of camper you going with?

 

[Luckychase5]

Nice truck. Good luck with the build. What kind of camper you going with?

I think we are buying a 2015 Adventurer 86FB. Looking at it this weekend


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[Regcabguy]

Hello All!
So glad to have a truck again and be posting in this thread. So last Thursday I bought a
2015 Ram 3500 CCSB CTD, it is sitting at 76,000 miles.

The truck got a new transmission, hand built by a transmission vet of 25 years, just across the border in Washington. It is the 68, but I’ve heard one of their main flaws is how they are assembled at the main factory, once they are gone over by a real pro taking their time they are much more reliable. That all being said, this is going to be mainly a family adventure rig. We are putting a camper in the bed and are going to mostly use it that way.

Current stuff
-Has some off brand 35x12.5R20
-Amp Steps
-Les Schwab spacer leveling kit

Plans
-Re-fear to 4.10
-Thuren or Carli leveling kit with track bar
-Some Baja Designs lights
-New Tires (ASAP) I’m thinking BFG KO2’s or Cooper AT3’s in E of course
-titan fuel tank replacement
-front bumper (I may make this or AEV/Warn/ARB)

And that’s about it. I’ll get some better pictures soon.

Cheers!



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With a future camper coming on I'd choose the Coops over the KO2's. Timbren SES system. Shock-wise save up another month or so and shoot for some 2.0 Kings or Fox with reservoirs. Some have the adjustable rebound knob. I'd leave the stock leafpack in too. You already have the best steps in the business. have fun.

 

[Luckychase5]

With a future camper coming on I'd choose the Coops over the KO2's. Timbren SES system. Shock-wise save up another month or so and shoot for some 2.0 Kings or Fox with reservoirs. Some have the adjustable rebound knob. I'd leave the stock leafpack in too. You already have the best steps in the business. have fun.

Thank you! I had Cooper AT3’s on my 1999 when my wife and I traveled around the US towing our 18’ trailer. They were great. Before that I had BFG KO’s in three different rigs, but they never had a camper or towed at all.
Definitely keeping the leaf packs, I was thinking of adding airbags. Would you suggest Timbrens over bags? The camper is 2300lbs dry.


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[Luckychase5]

Got my HappiJac mounts installed. I love how low profile they are. And they seem very sturdy. The local camper sales place has been using their products for 20 years on all their trucks for transport, that seemed like a pretty good real world review.
These are the main mounts in the front of the bed.

Don’t mind the blue tape. It was used to centering the mount, and will now be used to center the bumpers once I get the measurements off the camper.

And the rear bumper mounts. These may need to be powdercoated, but we’ll see. Hoping to get the camper on Sunday!



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[Luckychase5]

Changing the headlights bulbs today in the crazy smoky Portland area. Had my low beam go out the day I bought the truck, of course...

Always fun when you have to do this to change a bulb... so I’m doing all of my high and low beams.

Quite easy when you get it all open though. And of course Amazon is deliver 3 out of 4 bulbs today, and is saying the 4th is “undeliverable” whatever that means...
So off to O’reilly’s I go.


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[Regcabguy]

Got my HappiJac mounts installed. I love how low profile they are. And they seem very sturdy. The local camper sales place has been using their products for 20 years on all their trucks for transport, that seemed like a pretty good real world review.
These are the main mounts in the front of the bed.

Don’t mind the blue tape. It was used to centering the mount, and will now be used to center the bumpers once I get the measurements off the camper.

And the rear bumper mounts. These may need to be powdercoated, but we’ll see. Hoping to get the camper on Sunday!



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Most campers are 4' wide so moving the centering cones all the way in will work great. Check the clearance where the front mount is. Sometimes when you cinch them down it'll rub the bed edge where it gets close. I found a couple of vinyl sleeves and slipped them onto the bed edge. A section of gorilla tape would work fine too.

 

[Luckychase5]

Alright, got it done and all buttoned back up.

And this is how I did it... Portland was a bit Smokey today...

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[Luckychase5]

Most campers are 4' wide so moving the centering cones all the way in will work great. Check the clearance where the front mount is. Sometimes when you cinch them down it'll rub the bed edge where it gets close. I found a couple of vinyl sleeves and slipped them onto the bed edge. A section of gorilla tape would work fine too.

Thanks!
Good info. Picking it up on Sunday!


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[Regcabguy]

Thank you! I had Cooper AT3’s on my 1999 when my wife and I traveled around the US towing our 18’ trailer. They were great. Before that I had BFG KO’s in three different rigs, but they never had a camper or towed at all.
Definitely keeping the leaf packs, I was thinking of adding airbags. Would you suggest Timbrens over bags? The camper is 2300lbs dry.


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Mine's 2300# wet. I've had Carli LT bags on for 10+ yrs but they're getting a bit scuffed on the bottom side. The Timbren SES system would be my pick. No airbags to be dependent on. I have Thuren's adjustable shackles also .They're set at 1" lift. I know a guy who had one of his Firestone bags pierced going between San Felipe and Gonzaga Bay. He had to deflate the other and was riding just off the bumpstops all the way home.

 

[Regcabguy]

Alright, got it done and all buttoned back up.

And this is how I did it... Portland was a bit Smokey today...

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Maybe just smoke coming out of downtown.

 

[Luckychase5]

Maybe just smoke coming out of downtown.

I wish! More like the 2 huge fires burning about 20 miles from my house right now. We are on Level 1 evacuation notice right now.


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[Luckychase5]

Can anybody tell me if 3140 lbs per tire is enough for my truck with a 2400lb (dry) camper on it? I know GVWR is 11,700lbs. I just don’t know if I should overshoot that. Cooper also makes a 325/60R20 that is rated to 3750lbs per tire...

Also, can anybody tell me why I should choose Cooper AT3 XLT’s over BFG KO2’s?


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