A 2023 Ram TRX Adventure Truck

AS SEEN IN OUR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 ISSUE – Buy Now!

Jacob Merrell’s 2023 Ram TRX Blends Supercharged Performance, Overland Capability, and a Little SEMA Excess

There are plenty of capable platforms to start with when building an overland truck. Few of them leave the factory with 702 horsepower, long-travel suspension, four-wheel drive, and a supercharged V-8 under the hood.

For Jacob Merrell, that made the 2023 Ram TRX a pretty damn good place to start. His objective was straightforward. He wanted a fast, go-anywhere truck capable of carrying his gear and getting him to some of the best shooting ranges he could find, including the ones that require leaving pavement well behind.

The TRX already checked a lot of those boxes from the factory, but “factory” wasn’t where Jacob intended to leave it. He’s been around the custom vehicle world long enough to know exactly how quickly a good starting point can turn into a full build. This TRX represents his 14th SEMA build, and over roughly a year, it evolved into a purpose-built combination of high-speed performance, trail capability, and overland utility.

Then there’s the carbon fiber. A lot of it.

CARBON COPY
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking Jacob replaced the TRX’s bodywork with exposed carbon fiber panels. Get closer, though, and one of the most distinctive details of the entire build starts to reveal itself.

Rather than replacing the bodywork, Jacob had the factory black paint covered in clear carbon fiber PPF from STEK DYNOcarbon. Luis at Final Touch NV in Pahrump, Nevada, handled the wrap and ceramic coating, creating a finish that gives the entire truck an incredibly deep carbon fiber appearance without losing the original body underneath.

It’s one of those modifications that completely changes the personality of the truck. From a distance, the TRX remains dark and aggressive. Up close, the carbon pattern adds another layer of detail that rewards anyone who takes the time to actually look at it.

The blue graphics break up the dark exterior, while the functional hardware makes it clear this isn’t simply a show build wearing an outdoors costume.

ADD supplied the bumpers, with a Stealth winch bumper up front and a Bomber setup at the rear. Seven Rigid lights are positioned around the bumpers and ditch-light locations to provide illumination when pavement and streetlights disappear. And with a truck intended to travel well beyond either of those things, that’s exactly where Jacob wanted it.

MORE THAN 702
A stock TRX isn’t exactly hurting for power. Its supercharged 6.2L V-8 already made the platform one of the most ridiculous factory pickups ever offered, but Jacob wasn’t interested in leaving all of that potential untouched.

Rogue Offroad in Las Vegas handled the performance work, adding a Ripatuned lower pulley along with American Racing Headers. A Vance & Hines 3-inch exhaust gives the blown V-8 a considerably less subtle voice, with the system splitting and exiting through the bed.

The result keeps the character that made the TRX special in the first place while turning the volume up a few clicks. And Jacob still wants more. When asked what he would change about the truck, his answer required all of two words: More power. Some problems apparently never go away.

MAKING A TRX MORE TRX
Power is only useful off pavement when the rest of the truck can keep up, and this is where Jacob’s build starts moving away from a modified street truck and toward something meant to be used.

Eibach coils provide the additional height, with 2.7-inch front springs and 1.5-inch +200 rear springs helping create room for the larger tire package. Kibbetech billet upper control arms add another layer of strength and control to the front suspension, with Rogue Offroad handling the suspension installation.

The factory shoes were replaced by a set of 20×10 Fittipaldi FB153 wheels wrapped in massive 37×13.50R20 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tires. Do the 37s rub? According to Jacob, “Damn near everywhere.” We’ll call that an honest build sheet.

More important is what those tires bring to the truck. The Baja Boss A/Ts provide the footprint, sidewall, and all-terrain capability expected from a rig designed to transition from highway speeds to dirt without requiring an entirely different personality.

Stopping performance received attention as well, with a Wilwood big-brake kit helping rein in the TRX and the additional equipment it now carries.

PACKED FOR THE RANGE
The bed is where the purpose behind the entire build becomes especially clear. Instead of filling it with equipment simply because it looks appropriate on an overland truck, Jacob built the storage system around what he actually wanted to do with it.

A Kuat IBEX rack system forms the backbone of the setup. Mounted above it are Pelican V800 cases providing protected storage, while in-bed MOLLE panels create additional mounting space without sacrificing organization.

Bourne Off-Road traction boards are carried for self-recovery, along with a Hi-Lift jack and RotopaX mounts for the kind of trips where the nearest gas station or helping hand might not be particularly close. It’s a setup that complements the truck instead of overwhelming it.

The TRX still has a usable bed. It still has room for equipment. And most importantly, everything has a reason for being there. For Jacob, that means having a truck capable of loading up his gear, leaving the highway, and reaching shooting locations that aren’t necessarily sitting at the end of a paved road. The TRX simply lets him get there a lot faster.

The TRX still has a usable bed. It still has room for equipment. And most importantly, everything has a reason for being there. For Jacob, that means having a truck capable of loading up his gear, leaving the highway, and reaching shooting locations that aren’t necessarily sitting at the end of a paved road. The TRX simply lets him get there a lot faster.

THE TRX TAX
Building on a high-performance factory platform comes with one unavoidable reality: parts tend to get expensive as soon as the application line says “TRX.” Jacob calls it the TRX tax.

His advice for anyone planning a similar build is simple: figure out what you think everything should cost, then start adding zeros simply because the part says it’s for a TRX. He learned that lesson firsthand. The build took approximately a year and added roughly $15,000 in modifications, with Jacob joking that most problems encountered along the way were ultimately solved by spending more money than he originally wanted.

Working with Cris Payne, better known as Truck Guru, helped make the process considerably easier. And despite the truck’s obvious off-road intentions, it hasn’t lived exclusively in the dirt. Jacob has taken the TRX to SEMA, Gears and Grinds, Cars and Coffee events, and other shows around Las Vegas. With the truck now in Florida, a new collection of shows and destinations lies ahead.

BUILD IT. USE IT.
Overlanding doesn’t have to mean building the same truck everyone else is building. Jacob’s TRX proves the point. It has recovery equipment, additional lighting, protected storage, 37-inch all-terrain tires, and the hardware necessary to venture well beyond pavement. But underneath all of that remains the thing that made Jacob choose the platform in the first place: a supercharged V-8 pickup that’s hilariously fast.

More importantly, Jacob didn’t build the truck around a checklist of what an overland rig is supposed to have. He built it around what he actually does. He wanted something that could carry his gear, tackle rough terrain, reach remote ranges, and still put a smile on his face every time the supercharger starts making noise. The storage, recovery equipment, lighting, suspension, and tire package all serve that purpose without taking away the personality that made the TRX worth starting with in the first place.

After fourteen SEMA builds into this hobby, Jacob says this one finally taught him something—that he’s done. Sure he is.

UPGRADES

2023 Ram TRX

Owner: Jacob Merrell

ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN: Supercharged 6.2L V-8; Ripatuned lower pulley; American Racing Headers; Vance & Hines 3-inch exhaust; Split exhaust exiting through bed; Performance work by Rogue Offroad, Las Vegas

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION: Eibach coil setup; Eibach 2.7-inch front springs; Eibach 1.5-inch +200 rear springs; Kibbetech billet upper control arms; Suspension installation by Rogue Offroad; Wilwood big-brake kit

WHEELS & TIRES: 20×10 Fittipaldi FB153 wheels; 37×13.50R20 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tires

BODY & PAINT: STEK DYNOcarbon clear carbon fiber PPF; Ceramic coating; Wrap and finish work by Final Touch NV; ADD Stealth winch front bumper; ADD Bomber rear bumper; Seven Rigid lights; Custom blue graphics; Kuat IBEX rack system; Pelican V800 cases; In-bed MOLLE panels; Bourne Offroad traction boards; Hi-Lift jack; RotopaX mounts
STEERING: Factory Ford three-bolt steering box with 2.5-inch ram assist
CHASSIS: Front shock mounts, engine cage, bed cage, and rear shock mounts

INTERIOR: OEM upholstery

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Corey Decker

Corey Decker is a photographer and storyteller who views the world through a lens of authenticity. With a passion for capturing the raw beauty of landscapes and the quiet moments in between, Corey’s ...