Built to Live On the Road: A Cummins-Powered Dodge 3500 Rig

A Cummins-Powered Dodge 3500 Adventuremobile

Aaron Wirth works events all over the country, mostly for Ninkasi Brewing, and was in need of a new office and home on wheels. He and his wife Renee decided that they’d sell their home in Eugene, Oregon, and hit the road full time. This meant that the new rig would need to be both comfortable and capable, while housing two humans and two large dogs, and hauling a plethora of adventure sports equipment and event infrastructure. After looking at all the different overland vehicles available, and utilizing his previous experience with truck campers, Wirth decided the best bang for his buck would be to build a truck camper specifically tailored to his needs.

After many speed bumps and over ten months of putting in long hours, Wirth was able to create this truly unique Cummins-powered Dodge 3500 Trades-man-based overland adventuremobile. The finished vehicle—if a vehicle like this is ever truly finished—debuted at the 2017 SEMA Show as a featured vehicle for Hellwig Products. It was built to be a workhorse that can get to remote off-road locations, be comfortable on long highway road trips, pull a heavily loaded gear trailer with ease, be fully self-sufficient for long-range travels and have ample storage for life and work on the road. Now, let’s dive into how this impressive vehicle manages to pull-off that laundry list of requirements.

“WIRTH HAS BUILT A HOME FOR HIS FAMILY THAT HE CAN BE PROUD OF AND SHOULD TAKE THEM ON MANY FUN ADVENTURES FOR YEARS TO COME.”

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Base Vehicle

A brand new ‘16 RAM 3500 chassis Tradesman crew cab, a hard-to-find fully appointed version featuring the 6.7L Cummins turbo diesel, AISIN HD 6-speed automatic transmission, 4×4 and single rear-wheel option, is the basis for this overland vehicle build. This chassis was chosen for its large load capacity, smooth and powerful engine/ transmission and refined quiet and spacious cabin. The Tradesman model is designed for tough work environments, and is built with durable materials that are meant to take a beating. An added bonus was the lack of a truck bed, as the truck would be fitted with a custom flatbed for this build.

Nothing on this build came easy, as there is an extreme lack of aftermarket options designed to work on the RAM Tradesman cab and chassis base truck. There are a lot of RAM 3500 parts that will generally work, but there are enough differences on this chassis to make even the most basic bolt-on accessories turn into a major job. Wirth managed the project well, however, and was able to find the right people along the way to help make his vision a reality.

Go Anywhere

The tall order of setting up this large, heavy vehicle to handle equally well on road and off was the first order of business. A 3-inch AEV lift kit, utilizing Bilstein 5100 shocks, was the first install. This lift allowed Wirth to fit big 37×12.5-inch Falken Wildpeak M/T tires, which he wrapped on AEV Salta HD Wheels. To further refine the ride, add a level of adjustability and handle the large load, Hellwig Rear Air Bags and a custom Hellwig Rear Sway Bar were installed. This setup provides an extremely comfortable and controllable ride while traversing a wide range of surfaces, at a wide range of speeds.

While a lift, big tires, and quality suspension are a great start to off-road capability, the next order of business was to properly set up the truck to handle the impacts, obstacles and terrain it would experience when exploring off the beaten path. It was armored up with an AEV Front Bumper, Phatty Fab Custom Rear Bumper and AEV Diff Covers. Bushwacker Fender Flares and Rocker Panel Protection Plates added another level of impact and abrasion resistance. A Warn 16.5ti-S winch was fitted in the front bumper for that extra level of confidence, especially when traveling solo off road. In order to keep cool, fresh air flowing into that big diesel powerplant, an AEV Snorkel was fitted. To complete the off-road package, a full complement of PIAA LED lighting was installed all around the vehicle.

Ergonomics

It’s important when traveling full time to be comfortable, especially when accompanied by loved ones and pets. A few key amenities make this truck much easier to live with on a daily basis. First is a set of AMP Research Power Steps, which allow for everyone to get up into and down out of this very tall truck with ease. The amenity that Renee said has already saved the couple’s marriage is the two backup cameras, one wide-angle up high and a second down low, specifically designed to make it easy to hook up a trailer.

Ample Storage

A main requirement for this build is the ability to carry everything from the kitchen sink to event infrastructure, personal items, adventure gear, large quantities of food and water, as well as other supplies. On top of that, it has to transport and provide living quarters for two humans and two dogs. It needs to have all that space while also still being small and nimble enough to fit down city streets or maneuver through relatively technical off-road terrain. A tall order indeed!

The first order of business was setting up the truck cab to transport the dogs safely and create a home to carry all the dog supplies. This was accomplished with a custom ArcForm platform storage system, in place of the rear seats. This system creates storage under the platform while optimizing rear cab space for the dogs to live. A Bushwacker mesh cargo dog divider keeps the dogs in their new backseat-area home, which is safer for both the humans and dogs.

At this point the truck is really well-suited for adventure, but is still missing the entire back end. The next step was to create a platform to mount the truck camper, while maximizing the available storage space not taken by the camper on the vehicle. First the frame was lengthened eight inches behind the rear wheels before the ArcForm custom aluminum flatbed was installed. The flatbed is a unique system that’s designed to carry a full-size spare, between the cab and camper, and perfectly accommodate a Lance 825 slide-in camper. A very clean, custom mounting system by Sherptek makes the camper install easy and secure.

One of the true highlights of this vehicle build is the fully custom Highway Products 9-box aluminum storage system, which is installed onto the flatbed and designed to seamlessly integrate with the truck camper. This storage system truly allows the vehicle to carry everything needed for work, play and full-time life on the road. The boxes are regularly set up to carry front camper jacks, a 120 watt Zamp portable solar panel, a Magnum BBQ, two 5-gallon Front Runner jerry cans, a Warn HD Epic Off Road Recovery Kit, a full mechanics tool kit, air tools, a built-in compressor system, firewood and a plethora of adventure sports gear. The storage boxes also hide the DEF and diesel fill, which have been relocated inside a locking box over the wheel well. All of the storage boxes feature LED lighting that automatically activate when the doors are opened. The slide out 12v beer fridge just might be the system’s best feature—and probably most used.

“THE CAMPER SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATES WITH THE FLATBED AND STORAGE BOX SYSTEM, CREATING AN EXTREMELY CLEAN-LOOKING AND FUNCTIONAL OVERLAND VEHICLE.”

Home On The Road

A Lance 825 short bed slide-in truck camper perfectly finishes off this build. The camper seamlessly integrates with the flatbed and storage box system, creating an extremely clean looking and functional overland vehicle. The Lance 825 has all the creature comforts of home, featuring: 30-gallon fresh water tank, full bathroom, dual burner stove top, kitchen sink, 3 cubic-feet refrigerator with ice box, room to sleep four, 300 watts of solar, 18K BTU propane furnace, rear and side awnings, dual pane insulated windows and a super comfortable cabover queen-size bed. To ensure year-round comfort, the camper was also fitted with the Lance Cold Weather Package, which includes heated tanks, dual pane windows, advanced duct heating, an insulated bed pad and more. To refine the camper even further for his specific purposes, Wirth removed the microwave, TV antenna and air conditioner, mostly for weight savings and to optimize storage space. For those warm days at the beach or for getting the dogs all cleaned off, the camper also features an outdoor shower.

Weight

One of the main goals of this build was to keep the vehicle reliable, while also being capable. In order to best accomplish that goal, it was extremely important to keep the vehicle as light as possible, not an easy task with the laundry list of options this truck and camper have. The truck weighed in at around 12,500 lbs, fully loaded and wet, when showed at SEMA, which is well below the vehicle’s 14,000-lb Gross Vehicle Weight rating. While Wirth expects this number to go up a bit as he continues to refine the build and his gear load, it should still stay well below the limits of the chassis.

“NOTHING ON THIS BUILD CAME EASY, AS THERE IS AN EXTREME LACK OF AFTERMARKET OPTIONS DESIGNED TO WORK ON THE RAM TRADESMAN CAB AND CHASSIS BASE TRUCK.”

Money

While there is little on the market that combines the off-road capability, on-road comfort, ample storage and everyday living comfort that this overland vehicle offers, the few that compare all cost north of $200,00—with most well north of $500,000. Bottom line, a truly comfortable and capable overland vehicle like this is not inexpensive. Wirth estimates that it would take about $165,000 to replicate this build, with a lot of that expense going towards the new truck, new camper and building of one-off custom parts, like the flat bed and utility box system. While Wirth saved a good chunk of change by managing this project himself, he also had to put in the blood sweat and tears to make his dreams a reality, and hire top-notch talent along the way.

Talent

While Wirth dreamed up, managed the build, and was responsible for it all coming together, he by no means built it himself. The patience and input from his wife, Renee, was a main contributor to Wirth seeing this project to its impressive conclusion. Without the custom work of quality professional companies like Kaiser Brake and Alignment, ArcForm and Highway Products it would have been impossible for this build to come together, and most importantly have the quality and refinement that Wirth requires for the years of full-time travel ahead.

Future

This overland truck camper build is ready for whatever adventures Wirth and Renee can dream up, whether they be on road or off. Continual refinement from lessons learned on the road less traveled are inevitable, as builds like this are truly never finished. Wirth is already thinking about plans to work on the throttle response and power,—through a DEF system delete—210tuner and possible re-gearing.

Wirth has built a home for his family that he can be proud of and should take them on many fun adventures for years to come. Over the next year you can expect to see this impressive vehicle at a variety of Ninkasi Brewing and overland industry events, including King of The Hammers, Overland Expo West, Northwest Overland Rally, BC Overland Rally and many more. Its first real test will be a two-month Alaska adventure this summer, with lots more adventure plans brewing.

“IT IS IMPORTANT WHEN TRAVELING FULL TIME TO BE COMFORTABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY LOVED ONES AND PETS.”

UPGRADES

2016 Ram 3500 Tradesman Crew Cab

PLATFORM: 2016 RAM 3500 CHASSIS TRADESMAN CREW CAB 60”C/A 4X4

ENGINE: 6.7L I6 CUMMINS TURBO DIESEL

SUSPENSION: AEV 3-INCH LIFT UTILIZING BILSTEIN 5100 SHOCKS

WHEELS & TIRES: AEV SALTA HD WHEELS WRAPPED IN 37X12.50 FALKEN WILDPEAK M/T

ACCESSORIES: AISIN HD 6-SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION, HELLWIG REAR SWAY BAR, HELLWIG REAR AIR BAGS, AEV FRONT BUMPER, PHATTY FAB CUSTOM REAR BUMPER, AEV DIFF COVERS, BUSHWACKER MAX COVERAGE POCKET STYLE FENDER FLARES, BUSHWACKER ROCKER PANEL PROTECTION & SILL PLATES, AVS IN-CHANNEL VENTVISOR WINDOW DEFLECTORS, WARN 16.5TI-S WINCH, AEV SNORKEL, PIAA- 2 X RF SERIES 3-INCH LED CUBE LIGHT DRIVING BEAM, 18” ION YELLOW WIDE-SPREAD FOG BEAM, 4 X RF SERIES 3-INCH LED CUBE FLOOD BEAM, ARCFORM PLATFORM/STORAGE SYSTEM, BUSHWACKER MESH CARGO/DOG DIVIDER, AMP RESEARCH POWER STEPS

TRUCK BED SYSTEM: ARCFORM CUSTOM ALUMINUM FLAT BED W/SPARE TIRE CARRIER, SHERPTEK CUSTOM CAMPER TIE DOWN SYSTEM, HIGHWAY PRODUCTS CUSTOM 9 BOX ALUMINUM STORAGE SYSTEM (LED LIGHTING, FRIDGE PULL OUT, DEF & DIESEL FILL RELOCATION, ETC.)

CAMPER: LANCE 825 SHORT BED, 30-GALLON WATER TANK, 13-GALLON GREY TANK, 14-GALLON BLACK TANK, 3 CU-FT REFRIGERATOR, 5-GALLON PROPANE TANK, 18,000 BTU PROPANE FURNACE, COLD WEATHER PACKAGE, SIDE & REAR AWNING, 3 X 100 WATT SOLAR PANELS