8 Months in a PW, Was It The Right Buy?

[4xdad]

Isn’t weight the reason that you can’t get a deisel pw

 

[retired]

Isn’t weight the reason that you can’t get a deisel pw

some say it is because the winch placement will not allow proper cooling.

 

[retired]

I had a 4 door jk it was a good 4x and two people could sleep in it but the pw is more comfortable queen size bed and I am to old for hard wheeling and the missus doesn’t like to be jousled lol

we have spent many nights in the back of the jeep and yes the older we get the more comforts we like.

 

[thkbaron]

So I don't know why people can't get past the GVWR number on the power wagon. They are every bit as capable as a normal 3/4 and even more so. Just toss some bags in the back to help the load. Now will it be legal if you get stopped? No. Unless you are in a picky ass state I would find it amazing if you get pulled over for pulling a big load with a power wagon. Having said all that I don't know if anyone has managed to do a 5th wheel conversion in a power wagon. Also I guess they don't recommend putting a plow on a power wagon. Light springs I'm guessing. It's an easy enough fix for the winter though. toss some normal ones in.

 

[retired]

So I don't know why people can't get past the GVWR number on the power wagon. They are every bit as capable as a normal 3/4 and even more so. Just toss some bags in the back to help the load. Now will it be legal if you get stopped? No. Unless you are in a picky ass state I would find it amazing if you get pulled over for pulling a big load with a power wagon. Having said all that I don't know if anyone has managed to do a 5th wheel conversion in a power wagon. Also I guess they don't recommend putting a plow on a power wagon. Light springs I'm guessing. It's an easy enough fix for the winter though. toss some normal ones in.

The owner of AEV told me that the issue with trying to increase the PW payload with rear coils or air bags is that the front end tends to list (like a ship) the dude makes millions doing this and I tend to believe what he says. I think for many including myself is the liability of being overloaded comes into play as well. it does not take much for these to be over weight. For me it is a weekend of camping gear.

 

[General Clortho]

OP here, can we table the GVWR discussion that has been beat to death thousands and thousands of times on multiple forums? Lol.

 

[4xdad]

Apple to orange people who buy a pw usually knows what they are paying for you would hope

 

[Big Cheddar]

Apple to orange people who buy a pw usually knows what they are paying for you would hope

I knew exactly what I was getting. If I wanted a Trailer Dragger . I would have gotten one. I wanted the most capable Mountain Climbing, Hunting/Fishing Truck I could get.

 

[4xdad]

When I bought mine I had to explain to the sales guy what options the truck had and what they were lol

 

[olyelr]

When I bought mine I had to explain to the sales guy what options the truck had and what they were lol

Does not surprise me one bit…i have found, at least in my area, most salesman know much less than i do about the particular vehicle i am looking at.

 

[Grand Mesa]

.

 

[4xdad]

People will still find a way to build their own things a true gearhead will always have to be faster climb higher

 

[Grand Mesa]

.

 

[Docwagon1776]

So I don't know why people can't get past the GVWR number on the power wagon. They are every bit as capable as a normal 3/4 and even more so. Just toss some bags in the back to help the load. Now will it be legal if you get stopped? No. Unless you are in a picky ass state I would find it amazing if you get pulled over for pulling a big load with a power wagon. Having said all that I don't know if anyone has managed to do a 5th wheel conversion in a power wagon. Also I guess they don't recommend putting a plow on a power wagon. Light springs I'm guessing. It's an easy enough fix for the winter though. toss some normal ones in.

Just my experience, getting pulled over isn't as likely to be the issue as being in a crash. Especially SBI/possible fatal. Lots of things aren't an issue until they are an issue.

 

[Big Cheddar]

Someday all personal vehicles will be built on just a handful of different manufacturers' autonomous driving electric skateboard platforms. All will have identical handling, performance, braking, mountain climbing, and trailer dragger capabilities to meet car insurance requirements. There will be only a few differences for range and to meet the state law enforcement agencies requirements. Otherwise, everyone will be riding in toasters attached on top of nearly the exact same skateboards. The salesman will need some basic knowledge of the latest body styles and internal features of the toasters. The Power Wagon will be the same as any other truck.

Unfortunately. I think you're right. If there are any doubters. Just look at today's SUV. Without the Trademark Emblems . Most look almost Identical to eachother.

 

[4xdad]

The pw is a special truck nothing else is like it people who buy them know what they want

 

[thkbaron]

I wouldn’t buy one if wanted to routinely pull 13k but if I needed to every once and a while I wouldn’t be concerned with airbags.

 

[4xdad]

You are right and I wouldn’t buy a crew cab duality to go wheeling

 

[2020PW]

Have a Jeep JL and a Power Wagon I can say I would rather off road in my Power Wagon. The power of the 3.6 in the JL doesn’t cut it. As far as towing with a 2500 in general, get a 3500 if you plan on doing it speaking from experience having a 18 CTD 2500.

 

[2020PW]

Early this year, I placed a PW on order just how I wanted it (Tradesman base model, all vinyl bench seats and floor, 8.4, marker lights, no graphics) after about a year of research and saving. I like my vehicles utilitarian and simple. Once I had narrowed it down to a RAM 2500, I went back and forth on a PW or a 4wd diesel. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, etc. They both cost about the same, and I wanted one or the other for all the reasons they offer what they do. In the end, I went with the PW for the off-road goodies and darn do they look great.

Was it the right decision? Maybe this will help someone, because I wish I would have read this before deciding.

My other rig is a modified Wrangler on 35's for reference, but not a Rubicon, and it still has a front open diff and fixed sway bars. My thought process being that it sucked to drive the Wrangler for hundreds of miles at a time and because the PW had lockers, disco's and a winch, it should be able to handle most of the off-road activities I like to do. Plus, I needed the room for the family. I can drive the PW at 80mph in comfort with all the room my family needs for hours and hours, so that is a big check box checked.

Two weeks into ownership I am walking out with the PW suck in a field with both diffs locked and nothing to winch to. I thought, "I messed up. I should have seen that coming, but I didn't think I would get stuck there in this beast with lockers. The stock tires suck anyway so I will upgrade those." I chalked it up to inexperience with a mammoth sized truck. It wasn't that far, I got some help, and picked up the Wrangler to pull out the PW. The Wrangler did circles around the PW in the field and pulled it right out. I learned a big lesson about how much a rig's weight degrades its off-road performance in the soft stuff given the same basic tire. The PW sunk like a rock in the mud but the Wrangler danced over it. For reference, I would not have taken the diesel version back there at all. My 12V Cummins 3500 dually would get stuck in wet grass.

Fast forward a few months and with 35's, and I am backing out of a climb due to lack of breakover. The air dam was a victim, and I wasn't willing to drag the belly of the truck anymore that I already had. If I had of "sent it", I could of made it over, but just didn't think it was worth it. That and the 3 point turns to fit on the trail and folding in mirrors were getting tiresome. I had learned lesson numbers 2 and 3. The truck was too darn wide and too darn long. She climbed up the incline like a goat though. The next time I was in the Wrangler, and it was a cake walk, but the PW did climb better.

The coined phase "Power Wagon don't care" is not as true as I had hoped. Power Wagon is darn capable, and awesome truck, gobs of power, great on long trips and on the highway, looks killer and I love it, but it does care. It is just too darn big and heavy and hard to see out for me on the trail. I suppose some would call it a challenge to navigate the behemoth through where smaller rigs go, and I respect that. I also don't have the off-road camera's and that would be a big help. I just don't know how much I will be using the off-road goodies on the PW to justify the cost of them now. On the other hand, the PW is fairly unique, mine especially is rare, and I love driving it.

Looking back, I would have been better off to get the diesel and tow the Wrangler to the trail, which I still plan on doing (setting up the Wrangler now to flat tow). The diesel would have checked the long travel boxes, the towing box and the utility boxes better, but not the "cool" factor box. I have been looking at travel trailers and the consideration of air bags, and that would not have been a factor with the diesel. If I were to rewind, I would have opted for the diesel, but the smile I get when driving the PW daily is a bonus, so I am keeping her.

Get an anchor, you can make them or buy them. You can even use your spare tire. Think outside the box. Also may wanna air down.

I have been “stuck” many times and have never let anyone pull me out. I know my Jeep won’t pull it out just due to the static weight difference.