Difference between Rebel and Outdoorsman??

mattayom · Jan 31, 2017

Hey guys, I've been googling my heart out but haven't found any very comprehensive comparisons of the Rebel and Outdoorsman besides "The Ram Rebel has more aggressive styling blah blah blah", so I'm hoping someone here would know. The exterior changes are obvious, but I care more about functionality.

It's my understanding that the Outdoorsman has a higher front end, but how is this achieved? Is it the strut? Or a "lifting" spindle? (I've heard both)

The Rebel has air adjustable suspension. What's the "stock" height on the rebel compared to the Outdoorsman? Exactly how much higher can the Rebel be jacked up using the air system? And does it use the same spindles as the Outdoorsman?

The Outdoorsman has "fender flares" as does the Rebel. Are the wheel well openings the same size on both trucks? Does the Rebel have more wheel travel than the Outdoorsman? Do the Rebel/Outdoorsman have larger wheel wells than the other models?

Outdoorsman comes with limited-slip read diff, while I've read on some forums that the Rebel has a locker?

Finally, are there any other differences between the two that I missed?

WillO · Jan 31, 2017

Interested in this also - either could be my next truck.

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blrmkrl83 · Jan 31, 2017

Well, the biggest difference is that they still make the Rebel. I like to play and build trucks every now and then. I was surprised when the Outdoorsman wasn't there for 2017. No SLT either. And no, the Outdoorsman doesn't sit any higher. I didn't measure it, but it was a noticeable amount lower than a a Bighorn with 20" wheels I looked at when I bought mine.

mattayom · Jan 31, 2017

blrmkrl83 said:
And no, the Outdoorsman doesn't sit any higher. I didn't measure it, but it was a noticeable amount lower than a a Bighorn with 20" wheels I looked at when I bought mine.

I've read countless times that the Outdoorsman sits 0.7" higher than others. I also have read that after 2013 Dodge started offering an increased ride height option for trucks that come with 20" wheels.. I don't know that to be fact, just what I've read.

CuylerTech · Jan 31, 2017

Rebel can be lifted using bigger links to trick the air suspension to ride higher. Most people are running 35" tires with no issues. No ram except the Power Wagon comes with a locker, there isnt even one for sale for our rear ends even if you wanted to add one. All body panels between any truck including the rebel and outdoorsman are the same and interchangeable. The outdoorsman used the same method as 5100s in the front to increase the front right height. Rebel is mostly the appearance/interior tid bits you are paying for.

blrmkrl83 · Jan 31, 2017

mattayom said:
I've read countless times that the Outdoorsman sits 0.7" higher than others. I also have read that after 2013 Dodge started offering an increased ride height option for trucks that come with 20" wheels.. I don't know that to be fact, just what I've read.

I've read on here quite a bit that the Outdoorsman sits higher. I've never seen that anywhere else though. Maybe they changed in the newer ones. I can also assure you that my 2011 Outdoorsman with 17" wheels sits lower than a truck with 20s.

iam_canadian22 · Jan 31, 2017

blrmkrl83 said:
I've read on here quite a bit that the Outdoorsman sits higher. I've never seen that anywhere else though. Maybe they changed in the newer ones. I can also assure you that my 2011 Outdoorsman with 17" wheels sits lower than a truck with 20s.

I never measured height but ive had my outdoorsman struts side by side with my sport struts. The spring perch sits higher on the outdoorsman so in theory the front would be sitting higher. Also they are different part numbes.

iam_canadian22 · Jan 31, 2017

blrmkrl83 said:
Well, the biggest difference is that they still make the Rebel. I like to play and build trucks every now and then. I was surprised when the Outdoorsman wasn't there for 2017. No SLT either. And no, the Outdoorsman doesn't sit any higher. I didn't measure it, but it was a noticeable amount lower than a a Bighorn with 20" wheels I looked at when I bought mine.

If your outdoorsman has 17" wheels your tires are nearly 2" smaller then rams with 20" wheels

2016 OutDoorsman · Jan 31, 2017

I have a 2016 OutDoorsman and the front sits at 37.24 stock with 20" black stock wheels. The back sits 39.25 like all the others.
My OutDoorsman has factory skid plate factory flares and the upgraded interior over the express package.

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DannyMK2 · Jan 31, 2017

ive heard some people say the outdoorsman sits about 3/4" higher in the front end then a standard ram. not sure how accurate that is though. at normal ride height, the rebel is 1" higher then a standard ram with 33" tires i believe. then it has the offroad ride height. wheel well openings are the same size. the front bumper gives a better approach angle though. rear locker is not available on anything but a power wagon. im pretty sure the rebel i was looking at a while back had an open rear diff (as stupid as that is for an offroad truck), but i could be wrong about that.

roastpuff · Jan 31, 2017

Outdoorsman is an outdoor-oriented package on a Ram SLT, basically it included the protection package (skid plates, etc.), the bigger 32-gallon fuel tank, LT 17" E-rated tires, a slightly raised ride height, LSD, the 44-45 transfer case, and either a two-tone finish or monochrome non-chrome finish. It didn't come with projector headlights, and was more of a working man's style truck. Hard to tell the difference without looking at the badges. There were other editions available that had Realtree camo finishes, etc, and you could add all the regular options such as Rambox, air suspension, heated seats/steering wheel, uConnect 8.4/NAV and so on. I believe the new "Off Road Package" or whatever it is called has replaced the Outdoorsman.

The Rebel is a mix between an appearance package, and an actual off-road package. The air suspension comes standard (goes 2" above standard ride height in Off-Road 2 mode), has nice wheels/AT tires, custom interior trim, unique front and rear fascias and skidplates. It was "cooler" than the stock trucks, and looked more aggressive and off-road oriented.

Skerj · Feb 1, 2017

I was looking into both and ended up with an Outdoorsman. The biggest problem was already mentioned; Outdoorsman was discontinued after '16, so finding one new is getting more difficult every day. With the 17" wheels, I think they do sit a bit lower, but they're LT tires not those garbage P rated all seasons that come with the 20" wheels. The reasons I went with an Outdoorsman was the value, capabilities (per Ram) regarding payload, and styling.

1. Value - The Rebel is a great deal as a package considering the upgrades it gets, but no factory Ram 1500 is a full offroader IMO because they don't get lockers. Both have the good BW 44-45 transfer case, which was am must have to me. But I didn't want the upgraded tires as this is a daily driver; they'd just reduce gas mileage and cost more than regular tires to replace. The Rebel also gives access to features like push button start, and the dual exhaust. Things to consider when you're buying; I personally would like almost every option, but it came down to cost. I was able to find a better discounts on an already lower priced truck. The Rebel generally sells well, so the prices I saw and was being offered were considerably higher than the Outdoorsman. *Also don't think the 32 gallon tank is available on the Rebel, where it's standard on the Outdoorsman. (Based on EPA estimates thats over 600 miles highway in a gas vehicle..!)

2. Capabilities - I think the air suspension is a fantastic option Ram offers, but per the factory, engineers, and lawyers,(Key words here) it limits the payload. The door payload sticker for Outdoorsman CC models were averaging 1250 lbs, mine being on the low end at 1166. The Rebels highest were under 1100, and and many were below 1000 lbs. Don't get me wrong, these are half ton trucks, and that is over or very close to that. Many people report the air suspension levels well over 1500 lbs, and while I'm sure I will go over the payload sticker at some point, (and likely have no issues), it's just something I considered. As a side note, I don't know what options add what weight. I do know that the sunroof option is heavy.

3. Styling - The Rebel styling is... rebellious. Sort of. After years of small badges, they've gotten larger over the years, and the most luxurious or offroad oriented trucks are making sure everyone, including the International Space Station, knows what you're driving (think Tundra/Tacoma TRD, Ford Raptor. And of course Rebel/Limited and Power Wagon. Chevy has bigger badging but has kept the lettering smallish thus far). It's still clearly a 4th gen Dodge/Ram, but it's grille and tailgate are quite different. I personally am not fond of it, although it has definitely grown on me. I like some of the red interior accents, but would prefer the seats were all black (available for 17) or gray instead of red. But I still prefer the Outdoorsman look. It's very clean, can be had in two tone, which has little to no chrome, or monotone, which has reduced chrome (compared to say the Big Horn), and since 2013, has the small 'Outdoorsman' trim name vs just vinyl stickers.

For reference, I have a 2016 Outdoorsman CC in black forest green pearlcoat. 4x4, 5.7L, 3.92 gears, anti spin differential, and trailer brake/tow mirrors (awesome btw).

@roastpuff; the 'offroad package' is currently only offered in the 2500s, unless a very recent change was made.

*Not sure how it plays in to ride height measurements but the air dam up front is shorter than some other models. And the outdoorsman gets 'heavy duty springs' in the rear and possibly front.

Sir John · Feb 1, 2017

Some things to note about the Rebel:

1. you can get a 32 gallon tank (my rebel has one)

2. "normal" mode for the Rebel's air suspension is the same as "offroad 1" on the other trims. So the Rebel is riding around an inch higher normally.

3. the Rebel comes with bilstein shocks

that's just a few things that came to mind after reading the other posts in this thread.

roastpuff · Feb 1, 2017

Skerj said:
@roastpuff; the 'offroad package' is currently only offered in the 2500s, unless a very recent change was made.

Oops, I mixed up the two - it looks like 2017 models in Canada still offer the Outdoorsman trim level, not sure about USA, but you can semi-make an Outdoorsman by picking and choosing options for the most part.

Skerj · Feb 2, 2017

roastpuff said:
Oops, I mixed up the two - it looks like 2017 models in Canada still offer the Outdoorsman trim level, not sure about USA, but you can semi-make an Outdoorsman by picking and choosing options for the most part.

Out of curiosity I had to try the mix and match just now. The US site shows what trims are available for 17, but only let's me build 16s(redirect issue), so more options may actually be available since the SLT and Outdoorsman are gone. I was able to get closest with the Tradesman, as the protection group is available, but I couldn't get features like 8.4 Uconnect, 'premium' cloth seats (not sure what the difference is between that and regular cloth), the upgraded EVIC, remote start, or 17" wheels with AT tires. The Express had similar results. So going by where there part time 4x4 is an option, you've got those 2 on the low end and the Rebel on the high end. For 2017, IMO, there's a solid gap in the model lineup now that SLT and subsequently Outdoorsman are discontinued in the US at least. OP, if you want a US one, hurry. Otherwise, go to Canada!

mattayom · Feb 6, 2017

Skerj said:
I was looking into both and ended up with an Outdoorsman. The biggest problem was already mentioned; Outdoorsman was discontinued after '16, so finding one new is getting more difficult every day. With the 17" wheels, I think they do sit a bit lower, but they're LT tires not those garbage P rated all seasons that come with the 20" wheels. The reasons I went with an Outdoorsman was the value, capabilities (per Ram) regarding payload, and styling.

1. Value - The Rebel is a great deal as a package considering the upgrades it gets, but no factory Ram 1500 is a full offroader IMO because they don't get lockers. Both have the good BW 44-45 transfer case, which was am must have to me. But I didn't want the upgraded tires as this is a daily driver; they'd just reduce gas mileage and cost more than regular tires to replace. The Rebel also gives access to features like push button start, and the dual exhaust. Things to consider when you're buying; I personally would like almost every option, but it came down to cost. I was able to find a better discounts on an already lower priced truck. The Rebel generally sells well, so the prices I saw and was being offered were considerably higher than the Outdoorsman. *Also don't think the 32 gallon tank is available on the Rebel, where it's standard on the Outdoorsman. (Based on EPA estimates thats over 600 miles highway in a gas vehicle..!)

2. Capabilities - I think the air suspension is a fantastic option Ram offers, but per the factory, engineers, and lawyers,(Key words here) it limits the payload. The door payload sticker for Outdoorsman CC models were averaging 1250 lbs, mine being on the low end at 1166. The Rebels highest were under 1100, and and many were below 1000 lbs. Don't get me wrong, these are half ton trucks, and that is over or very close to that. Many people report the air suspension levels well over 1500 lbs, and while I'm sure I will go over the payload sticker at some point, (and likely have no issues), it's just something I considered. As a side note, I don't know what options add what weight. I do know that the sunroof option is heavy.

3. Styling - The Rebel styling is... rebellious. Sort of. After years of small badges, they've gotten larger over the years, and the most luxurious or offroad oriented trucks are making sure everyone, including the International Space Station, knows what you're driving (think Tundra/Tacoma TRD, Ford Raptor. And of course Rebel/Limited and Power Wagon. Chevy has bigger badging but has kept the lettering smallish thus far). It's still clearly a 4th gen Dodge/Ram, but it's grille and tailgate are quite different. I personally am not fond of it, although it has definitely grown on me. I like some of the red interior accents, but would prefer the seats were all black (available for 17) or gray instead of red. But I still prefer the Outdoorsman look. It's very clean, can be had in two tone, which has little to no chrome, or monotone, which has reduced chrome (compared to say the Big Horn), and since 2013, has the small 'Outdoorsman' trim name vs just vinyl stickers.

For reference, I have a 2016 Outdoorsman CC in black forest green pearlcoat. 4x4, 5.7L, 3.92 gears, anti spin differential, and trailer brake/tow mirrors (awesome btw).

@roastpuff; the 'offroad package' is currently only offered in the 2500s, unless a very recent change was made.

*Not sure how it plays in to ride height measurements but the air dam up front is shorter than some other models. And the outdoorsman gets 'heavy duty springs' in the rear and possibly front.

This is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for, Thanks!

The air suspension system seems like an easy point of failure.. I'm sure it works well with light to moderate off-roading, but with some serious offroad time I feel like I'd end up limping the thing back with one corner sitting on a bump stop.

Ram Night · Feb 7, 2017

I can cay that I have been driving rams since the 70's and I am tired of driving cookie cutter trucks. So this is why I purchased a Rebel. They come with a lot of off road goodies that normally void the warranty, plus they have a real nice air ride system.

dRAMbuie · Feb 7, 2017

blrmkrl83 said:
Well, the biggest difference is that they still make the Rebel. I like to play and build trucks every now and then. I was surprised when the Outdoorsman wasn't there for 2017. No SLT either. And no, the Outdoorsman doesn't sit any higher. I didn't measure it, but it was a noticeable amount lower than a a Bighorn with 20" wheels I looked at when I bought mine.

They only made that change in the U.S. thankfully.
I've been tossing around the idea of upgrading, and I just priced out an Outdoorsman yesterday. SLT's are still available here as well.

From looking at the U.S. website it looks like they replaced the Outdoorsman trim with the Lone Star trim, as far as pricing tiers go. No idea how they stack up feature wise.

Difference between Rebel and Outdoorsman??

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