Help With Power Wagon, What Is A Power Wagon?

[mangorockfish]

I just bought my first Ram a couple of months ago. 2025 2500 Tradesman and absolutely love it. Now, can or will someone tell me is the difference in a PW and my truck? Actually what makes a PW a PW? Thank you in advance.

 

[mikeru]

The ramtrucks.com website has a compare tool. It still has 2025 models listed, so you can just use that to compare your Tradesman with any other model.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/model-compare.ram_2500.2025.html#/model/codes=CUT202514DJ2L62A,2TA%7CCUT202514DJ2H62D,2TZ%7CCUT202514DJ2P91A,2TH%7CCUT202514DJ7X91B,2TR

 

[olyelr]

power wagon basically adds front and rear lockers, sway bar disconnect, front winch, taller/softer suspension, and 285/70/17 duratrac tires. Hemi is the only motor available, and crew cab shortbox is the only configuration.

 

[Redthies]

Power Wagon is basically the best out of the box off-road pickup built. If you don’t spend a ton of time in the dirt, and challenging dirt at that, a regular 2500 is just fine.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

If you have to ask....

 

[bcbouy]

power wagon basically adds front and rear lockers, sway bar disconnect, front winch, taller/softer suspension, and 285/70/17 duratrac tires. Hemi is the only motor available, and crew cab shortbox is the only configuration.

and a lift. I tell people to think of it like a jeep Rubicon on steroids.depending on the trim level,you also get the front and rear cameras,pitch and roll,off road gauges,probably a few other things I'm forgetting like bilstein shocks.I got mine fully loaded with every available option except for the ramboxes so I'm not positive what the level differences are.mine's listed as a level 2.

 

[mtnrider]

The biggest difference over a standard 2500 is going to be the locking differentials, higher articulating radius arms, softer springs, a winch, and lower axle gearing, Those are the major differences. There will be other small items but it's all the same engine, frame, body etc.

.

 

[62Blazer]

The biggest difference over a standard 2500 is going to be the locking differentials, higher articulating radius arms, softer springs, a winch, and lower axle gearing, Those are the major differences. There will be other small items but it's all the same engine, frame, body etc.

.

Just to clarify on the axle gearing. I believe up to 2013 PW's had 4.56 gears which were unique to that model and not available in a regular 2500. But since 2014 the PW's come with 4.10's which are available as an option on a regular 2500.

 

[mtnrider]

Just to clarify on the axle gearing. I believe up to 2013 PW's had 4.56 gears which were unique to that model and not available in a regular 2500. But since 2014 the PW's come with 4.10's which are available as an option on a regular 2500.

Correct, he didn't specify a year so wasn't sure. Can also add the sway bar disconnect to my list, forgot that

 

[olyelr]

and a lift. I tell people to think of it like a jeep Rubicon on steroids.depending on the trim level,you also get the front and rear cameras,pitch and roll,off road gauges,probably a few other things I'm forgetting like bilstein shocks.I got mine fully loaded with every available option except for the ramboxes so I'm not positive what the level differences are.mine's listed as a level 2.

Yes. Which is why i stated taller/softer suspension.

 

[bcbouy]

Yes. Which is why i stated taller/softer suspension.

lol,feel better now?

 

[diymirage]

It's really a misnomer, they take a regular truck, and lower it's payload

As for as towing and hauling goes, a power wagon is less 'powerfull' then the truck it was build from

And it's also not a wagon...it's a truck

 

[Docwagon1776]

It's really a misnomer, they take a regular truck, and lower it's payload

As for as towing and hauling goes, a power wagon is less 'powerfull' then the truck it was build from

And it's also not a wagon...it's a truck

It's outdated terminology that stuck around, same as "station wagon". A conveyance for people was a carriage, a conveyance for cargo was a wagon. Didn't matter if it was horse drawn or self propelled in the early days.

Station wagons were for both, carrying people and cargo (luggage) to or from a train station. So the "cars" that had room for more people than just the driver and a shotgun seat plus a protected space for luggage became 'station wagons' even when motor propelled and the name stuck (country dependent, other countries have never used the terminology preferring "estate wagon" or something).

Also remember that 4wd in a light truck was a pretty new concept going into WW2, when the first Power Wagon hit the scene. It, in pretty short order, became the only 4wd 1/2 ton truck with a 3/4 ton truck motor.

 

[olyelr]

It's really a misnomer, they take a regular truck, and lower it's payload

As for as towing and hauling goes, a power wagon is less 'powerfull' then the truck it was build from

And it's also not a wagon...it's a truck

A power wagon wasnt built for towing and hauling heavy loads. It was built for offroading.

In which…it is much more “powerful” than a non-power wagon, for what it was built for.

 

[diymirage]

A power wagon wasnt built for towing and hauling heavy loads. It was built for offroading.

In which…it is much more “powerful” than a non-power wagon, for what it was built for.

By that definition a miata is more powerful than a power wagon because i can corner better

Sorry, but words have meaning

 

[olyelr]

By that definition a miata is more powerful than a power wagon because i can corner better

Sorry, but words have meaning

Since when does cornering at high speeds have a damn thing to do with slow moving offroading?

 

[bcbouy]

Since when does cornering at high speeds have a damn thing to do with slow moving offroading?

you're arguing with a moron.there's a reason I've got him on my ignore list.

 

[jkjet]

In 2023 they introduced a Power Wagon Rebel 2500. You give up some of the off road capability in favor of towing capabilites. I have a 2024 that has a 2964 lb payload capacity, Rear Diff locker and winch. No sway bar disconnect though, and much stiffer Bilstien suspension. My window sticker lists it as Power Wagon but there is nothing on the truck stating power wagon just Rebel.

 

[Docwagon1776]

In 2023 they introduced a Power Wagon Rebel 2500. You give up some of the off road capability in favor of towing capabilites. I have a 2024 that has a 2964 lb payload capacity, Rear Diff locker and winch. No sway bar disconnect though, and much stiffer Bilstien suspension. My window sticker lists it as Power Wagon but there is nothing on the truck stating power wagon just Rebel.

Yeah, that was a confusing marketing decision by Stellantis. The Rebel in the 1500s is the top end offroader for that market segment. The Power Wagon is the top end for the 2500. The Rebel/PW for the 2500 is a mid-tier offroader. Figure that one out.

Ford and GMC have a progression they stick with regardless of market segment. An FX4 is an FX4, midsize, half ton, 3/4 ton, doesn't matter, it's the mid-tier. Tremor is the top, again, regardless. Chevy, ZR2 is always the top offroad for that segment. Ram just decided, nah, let's not make it that easy....

 

[diymirage]

Since when does cornering at high speeds have a damn thing to do with slow moving offroading?

Great, now your thinking...now use that same skill and see why power doesn't have anything to do with ground clearance