Ram Boxes - Would you choose them in my situation?

Trying to decide whether to order a '21 Limited EcoDiesel with or without the Ram Boxes. I am worried I'd miss the extra space in the box, but also think it would be nice to have them for structured storage or even use as an ice cooler and the like. Honestly the rear of my truck will be used mostly like a trunk if ever. We could take my truck on a trip if necessary as I'll have a tri-fold tonneau eventually. Maybe I'd wish for more space back there for luggage and the like if we have the full crew?

My uses are less work and more typical suburban dad stuff. We have some ranch land about 4 hours away, but really all I'll be taking up there would be tree cutters, gas cans, a minor amount of tools, a few storage boxes etc. The rest of the stuff sits at the ranch for the most part. I can see wanting wire stretchers, gloves, waders, clips, etc. in a Ram Box when needed but honestly as often as I'll use them they'd be just fine tossed in the bed with a tonneau cover, etc. I don't go up so often that I'd just leave them in the Ram Boxes I don't think.

I would be loading up the bikes for the kids etc in the bed from time to time as well and maybe transporting a piece of furniture here and there or a mower to take care of my in-laws etc. Nothing major, but I could see wishing I didn't have the Ram Boxes the first time I can't fit something width wise in the box.

My first hunch has been to get the Ram Boxes and it's not about the money, but I just don't know that I will have THAT much stuff that I'd want to store in them all the time (Jumper cables, tow strap, etc?). As far as ranch stuff, like I said, I bet I'd pull that stuff out most of the time because I don't make THAT many trips up there that I would just leave it all in there.

Any perspective is much appreciated!

 

Greetings from a neighbor to the north! I'm up in Sioux Falls.

I thought the Ramboxes were a silly thing until I got them by chance on a used 2014 Ram I bought back in early 2016. I'll never buy another truck without them.
For the few times I miss the extra bed space throughout the years, I use the Ramboxes waaaaaaaaaay more. In the winter, my passenger side Rambox is always full; recovery ropes, shackle (D-ring) hitch, tire inflator, jump box, windshield scrapers, etc.

They're handy for throwing smaller bits of luggage into as well, and not taking up bed space you can use for other items.

Everyone's different, only you can decide if they are worth it to you. However, most that have them find them very handy and don't regret them. I bet you'd find other uses for them too if you had them.

 

Full disclosure: i have them and am a fan.
I use my truck for regular suburban house stuff - mulch, rock, dirt, furniture, etc. I also use it for hunting. I went from a QC without ramboxes to a CC with boxes, so I now have a shorter bed as well. I can fit a yard and a half of mulch at a time no problem, so each is trip is a half yard less than the old truck. No problem for me, just means I get to drive it more. I can fit sheets of drywall or plywood flat, so no problem there.

The boxes themselves are awesome. They are watertight, so you can keep stuff in them dry in any weather. I have a gun mount in one of them, but can easily remove it if I needed. I keep a small tool kit, ratchet straps and bungees, and jumper cables in there. Always had that stuff shoved under the backseat before.

Have yet to find something I need that that little extra space around the wheel wells would gain me if I didn’t have them. But I know others use their trucks differently where it would be a problem.

 

I assume you're ordering the 5'7'' bed because the 6'4" size is not available with ramboxes...

 

Excellent point I forgot about. On the DS Rams, starting around 2014-2015, you could get the 6.4' bed. Shortly after, they also started offering Ramboxes on the 6.4' foot bed (they had already been offering them on the 5.7' box, obviously).

With the DT new body style Rams, 2019-2020, they did not offer the 6.4' bed with the Ramboxes. If you picked the 5.7' bed, you got the the option; if you picked the 6.4', you did not. I do not know if they changed that for model year 2021, but if they did, I have not seen it documented yet.

 

I recommend getting them too, and agree with everything that was said above. I'd also like to add that if you include the bed utility group you also get the bed divider, which can be positioned and locked into one of the many positions in the bed. If you are going to use your truck bed more like a trunk the divider is extremely useful. It keeps things from sliding towards the front of the bed. Very useful if you have a bed cover. Include the multi function tailgate and it becomes even more useful.

On the DS models, the bed divider was automatically included. With the DT models you have to include the bed utility group to get the divider.

 

This is one of the big detractors for me to consider a new model. I’ve got a 2018 1500 CC 6.4 with ramboxes and we love the ramboxes, but also love the 6.4 bed size. Prior to this we owned a 2012 1500 CC 5.7 with ramboxes. Having the larger ramboxes on the 6.4 along with the increased bed size was important to us. I suppose we are in the minority though since the ramboxes are no longer available with the 6.4 standard bed.


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Agreed I use the bed divider constantly. I usually have it installed about halfway up the bed so anything we put in the bed stays close enough to the tailgate that we can grab it easily. I didn’t realize you had to get the bed utility group with the DT models to get the divider. Good info!


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My 2018 has then, I’ll never be without again. Mic drop


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