Upgrading from a 1500 to a PW for the RamBox?

[olyelr]

The pw has had an 8speed since 2019.

No, the pw does not have 4wd auto.

 

[corneileous]

Looking around, I see quite a few RAMs out there, but I'd say just about 10-20% of them have RamBoxes, if that. So while I agree with you on the practicality (which is why I want them), seems like few people actually choose them. And if those are the people who buy trucks with the shorter bed, there you go.

I haven’t really paid that much attention but yeah I think I have seen a lot more of the ram pickups that don’t have the ram boxes versus the ones that do have them.

I could see them being extremely useful for the right application but I can also see them being quite the opposite if you had other plans in mind to do with your bed which means that you can’t use certain tonneau covers because of how wide the bed rails are, probably wouldn’t be able to use a camper shell or any kind of slide in camper, and I don’t think there’s any options for aftermarket bed rail covers which means you’re stuck with the original ones. I guess you can still mount a ladder rack on that bed but I wouldn’t imagine you’d be able to put a headache rack on it.

But then again as the other guy said, if they have to build a whole separate bed just for the half-tons and if their popularity really isn’t at that big that they’re probably not going to invest extra time and money into having to make a whole separate the bed with Ram boxes for the half-tons if not enough people want them.

And I really appreciate the 8-speed gearbox on my 1500, so the PW wouldn't be an option if they still had the 6-speed gearboxes. But with the new generation (>2020, I think), that has changed.

Since I stumbled on it, the PW doesn't come with Auto-4WD, does it?

Even though this has been answered already- yeah, I wouldn’t think the power wagons would come with that automatic transfer case because even though I wasn’t aware of that supposedly the heavy duty trucks come with that auto four-wheel-drive and if they worked the same way the auto four-wheel-drive does in the half-tons and if you’re buying an off-road ready vehicle like the power wagon, you wouldn’t want that in the first place because it’s not a transfer case that was intended to do real off-road with which is pretty much why the ram 1500 rebel doesn’t even come with that and why it has the other transfer case.

 

[DrTron]

True, practicality aside, the RamBoxes do limit you in what you can put on top of the bed. There are enough tonneau covers available, but if you want a camper or those 2'-high hardtops (currently eludes me what those are called), you're out of luck.

 

[Airmousam]

Seems like a lot of work for Ram boxes, but I get it you like em...looked at other storage options for your current 1500? What would mainly use the boxes for? You like the long bed, but you be giving up bed space for the ram boxes...as you know

 

[DrTron]

Seems like a lot of work for Ram boxes, but I get it you like em...looked at other storage options for your current 1500? What would mainly use the boxes for? You like the long bed, but you be giving up bed space for the ram boxes...as you know

Yeah, maybe, that's why I'm trying to get insights into a PW here. Besides the coolness factor of one.

I never had a truck with them, but friends who do tell me that one doesn't really give up much space as the boxes only go over the wheel wells. So you only "lose" those four awkward spots in front and behind the wells. The bed is still wide enough to accommodate a 4x8' of plywood, a 250 gallon tote, an ATV or the like. Just to list a few things that I've hauled in the past. Especially for the former ones I like the long bed as they don't hang out so much.
On the other hand, I always have a aluminum box on the bed with "stuff" like jumper cables, straps, towing insert and such that's somehow always in the way. I've looked into swing cases but those have the disadvantage that you lose the rear tiedown points. Add to that that one wouldn't have to put the groceries behind the front seat anymore...
(Technically, I often violate the open container law as here it's even illegal to have an unopened case of beer in the cab. Putting it on the bed isn't a really good option, either, and I have to get it home from the grocery store somehow...)

 

[Airmousam]

All I heard was beer! Lol...personally the ram boxes hurt my eyes...the lines drive me nuts and they seem flimsy.....its an ocd thing...that and factory decals of any kind on paint...nope...lol you will love the PW tho...I came from a 1/2 ton Chevy and the PW is so much better...good luck

 

[DrTron]

All I heard was beer! Lol..

I admit that the ease of transportation of beer on the bed depends strongly on the transported amount...


(looks like they're not done securing the load, though)

 

[corneileous]

Yeah, maybe, that's why I'm trying to get insights into a PW here. Besides the coolness factor of one.

I never had a truck with them, but friends who do tell me that one doesn't really give up much space as the boxes only go over the wheel wells. So you only "lose" those four awkward spots in front and behind the wells. The bed is still wide enough to accommodate a 4x8' of plywood, a 250 gallon tote, an ATV or the like. Just to list a few things that I've hauled in the past. Especially for the former ones I like the long bed as they don't hang out so much.
On the other hand, I always have a aluminum box on the bed with "stuff" like jumper cables, straps, towing insert and such that's somehow always in the way. I've looked into swing cases but those have the disadvantage that you lose the rear tiedown points. Add to that that one wouldn't have to put the groceries behind the front seat anymore...
(Technically, I often violate the open container law as here it's even illegal to have an unopened case of beer in the cab. Putting it on the bed isn't a really good option, either, and I have to get it home from the grocery store somehow...)

I don’t know if you have a tonneau cover on your truck or not but the only thing I keep in my truck bed is just one of those pretty good size plastic toolboxes with some tools in it and one of those pretty good size plastic totes that you buy at Walmart to keep a socket set, a recovery strap, some jumper cables or some tiedown straps but all of that is protected because I have one of those hard fiberglass tonneau’s on top of my bed that’s always locked and secured. I even have a bed rug in my bed so basically my truck bed is just nothing more than just an oversize trunk… Lol. I do have a little utility trailer for hauling stuff that won’t fit in the truck bed which is fine with me but I understand why most people wouldn’t want that.

 

[DrTron]

I don’t know if you have a tonneau cover on your truck or not

I have a BakFlip which is not totally break-in-proof (what really is?) but it's sturdy and locked. Plus a few anti-slip mats. But nothing you could easily put grocery bags in without them spilling all over the bed.

 

[thkbaron]

You cannot get a decent sized wheeler in your pickup bed with ramboxes. Keep the stock baby tires on and maybe. Also if you have a tonneau the rails typically go in a bit limiting options even further. I loved the storage of my ramboxes on my 18. It kept all the stuff I'd like to have not necessarily need, always available. I do not like closing and opening them in the winter. They are plastic and wouldn't surprise me if they broke eventually. I have also heard of the panels delaminating although few and far between. They also only have one catch in the middle so they warp and don't line up with the bed top rails very well. Still they are useful.

 

[corneileous]

I have a BakFlip which is not totally break-in-proof (what really is?) but it's sturdy and locked. Plus a few anti-slip mats. But nothing you could easily put grocery bags in without them spilling all over the bed.

I think the Retrax Pro retractable I had at one time on my truck was actually pretty dang secure and even though the solid fiberglass Undercover I have is pretty stout but sometimes I kinda question the way it locks to the bed but all in all, I think its pretty secure. Somebody might be able to breach it but I doubt it'll be easy.

But yeah, one thing about my setup though, I bought one of those ratcheting load securement bars from Oreiley's that's a lot like a load lock bar that OTR refrigerated or dry van trucks use to secure their loads before they close the doors and I have it locked on the bed floor between the wheel wells so with my tool box on one side and that big plastic tote I have on the other side, I can place quite a few groceries back there and they stay in place pretty good.

Edited because supposedly we can't say the word reef-er without the dash? I know what else that word means but damn, that word is also the most common nomenclature for a refrigerated semi trailer.

 

[corneileous]

You cannot get a decent sized wheeler in your pickup bed with ramboxes. Keep the stock baby tires on and maybe. Also if you have a tonneau the rails typically go in a bit limiting options even further.

That's a good point, I never thought about how the rails of most tonneaus like that making the bed even narrower unless its a cover like that Extang Trifecta Signature 2.0 I had on my last truck that didn't use rails at all.

I loved the storage of my ramboxes on my 18. It kept all the stuff I'd like to have not necessarily need, always available. I do not like closing and opening them in the winter. They are plastic and wouldn't surprise me if they broke eventually. I have also heard of the panels delaminating although few and far between. They also only have one catch in the middle so they warp and don't line up with the bed top rails very well. Still they are useful.

The lids were plastic?? I knew the liners on the inside were plastic but I always thought the lids were sheet metal just like the bed but I've heard that as well that they warp easy and are hard to line up and latch if that happens.

 

[4xdad]

Locks only keep honest people out

 

[thkbaron]

Yup. They are fiberglass I believe that is held on to the inside shell by some sort of double sided tape. They just feel fragile when it's -20. Again I never had an issue with them. The one super nice thing is if you need to stand on them, they are much wider than a normal side.

 

[SeppW]

The PW is off road capable. but that's about all. Lousy MPG, payload and towing capacity not the greatest, and rides like a log wagon. Can respring it and may be different shocks could improve ride somewhat, but it will never ride like a 1/2 ton, IMO.

 

[4xdad]

That’s the thing get what you want and add to it to make it your own

 

[thkbaron]

It’s a very good riding 2500. Better than my 1/2 Ton Chevy road.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

I moved from a 2019 1500 limited with the 6’4” box, to a 2021 power wagon. Exactly what you want to do, except i don’t have the Ram boxes. I too was worried about the ride quality. The heavier truck with the power wagon suspension was a pleasant surprise when I compared the ride to the 1500. while it’s a little stiffer, I felt like i didn’t give up very much. I’m really happy. Like you already know, gas mileage is worst and towing capacity is about the same. I doubt I’ll ever go back to a 1500.

Ditto but mine was a 2019 Laramie.
I don't even miss the 2-3mpgs I lost...

 

[Fatbob Frank]

The PW is off road capable. but that's about all. Lousy MPG, payload and towing capacity not the greatest, and rides like a log wagon. Can respring it and may be different shocks could improve ride somewhat, but it will never ride like a 1/2 ton, IMO.

False, my PW rides nicer than many 1/2tons I've owned...

 

[thkbaron]

False, my PW rides nicer than many 1/2tons I've owned...

I also agreed with this earlier but I will add more to that. If you leave a 1/2 ton stock it might ride better than a 1/2 ton but if you are in this group I'm guessing you wouldn't be leaving it stock. I had a 16 chevy that road pretty good stock. I swapped to 33 12.5 20 trail grapplers and tossed a lift in it and it road like a lumber wagon. Having said that I loved it. I still say if you own a truck you don't get them for the ride, but every truck I owned has had better seats than most cars I've owned.