What we love about our Ram 3500
Our Ram 3500 is a beast of a truck, and there are a few things about it that really stand out as being exceptional. Read on for what we love about our truck!
We’ve had our truck for over six months now, and while we thought it would be paired with our dreamer camper at this point, we’re grateful to have had a nice, long time to grow accustomed to driving without it.
Like any new vehicle, it took some time to adjust to the driving experience, quirks, and joys of our 2024 Ram 3500. After half a year, however, we feel like we have a pretty strong grasp of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the things we like and dislike about it.
There’s no doubt that some of these pros and cons come down to personal preference, so don’t take our word as gold. With that in mind, let’s dive into what we love about our Ram 3500 Big Horn.
Things to know:
We’ve had our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn for over six months, and there are a handful of things that we absolutely love about it. Here, we’ll share our opinion on the best features of Ram trucks.
The best features of our Ram 3500
Is Cummins the best diesel engine?
We can’t say for sure, but we know we absolutely love it. Our Ram came equipped with the high-output 6.7L Cummins diesel engine, which is good for 420 horsepower and 1,075 pound-feet of torque. Yeah, that’s a lot!
Our truck has no shortage of power, that’s for sure.
The power is noticeable, especially on grades and when passing at highway speeds. The turbo spools, you hear that trademark diesel whistle, and next thing you know, you’re off like a rocket ship. It is addictive, and we love how it gives us a little extra boost on the highway to drive defensively and get out of questionable situations before they devolve.
While we don’t have the camper yet, we know that’s when we’ll truly appreciate the power of the Cummins. We can’t wait to experience it under load!
What gas mileage does a Ram 3500 get?
When people see our big ol’ truck and hear about our plans to travel full-time, one of the first questions is, “What kind of gas mileage do you get?”
This is a loaded question because it is affected by a variety of factors ranging from elevation and load to tire type and pressure. So, we can only give you our findings so far with the caveat that they are likely to change once we have the camper.
As is, we average between 18.5 and 20 miles per gallon on the highway. With mixed driving, we are around 15 to 16 mpg.
You don’t buy a big truck for the gas mileage, but we’re happy with our Ram’s efficiency so far.
What factors should you be aware of when interpreting those numbers? Our truck is factory height, but is equipped with aggressive all-terrain tires that are slightly larger than 35”. Most of our driving has been mostly unloaded, and we are on the East Coast where highway speeds are around 70 miles per hour.
While we did decrease our gas mileage by around 10% when we opted for much more aggressive tires, we are very happy with our Ram 3500 fuel economy so far, especially after driving Jeeps for so long!
Vehicle storage galore
Forget, for a moment, the 8’ bed this behemoth of a truck is equipped with. The interior alone has enough storage to transport a one-bedroom apartment, and we’re hardly exaggerating.
The cabin of our Ram 3500 has a generous center console, upper and lower glove boxes, in-floor storage boxes, underseat storage, and even a fold-flat floor (which we bought used). While we do have some complaints (looking at you, center console), the sheer volume of storage available in the cab is shocking.
Not only does this give us ample opportunity to transport all of Chowder’s very necessary and not at all excessive belongings, but it also gives Riley the opportunity to do what he loves–organize our lives. When we’re fully nomadic, all of this organized storage will be truly invaluable.
Interior comfort and styling
While we’re on the topic of the interior, we love both the design and functionality the cabin of the Ram 3500 offers. From silly things like loving the column shifter to more practical features like the adjustable headrests, there is a lot to like inside the Ram.
A few of the highlights are:
The seats are phenomenal. They’re exceptionally comfortable, and make long drives more than bearable.
The adjustable headrests contribute to the overall comfort of the seats.
The interior is spacious and doesn’t feel claustrophobic, even after hours on the road.
The dash is nicely appointed, and we appreciate the analog dials.
The auxiliary switches allow for easy wiring and control of accessories.
How does the Ram 3500 drive?
Looking at the Ram from the exterior, you would assume it is cumbersome and difficult to drive thanks to its size and long wheelbase. In some ways, you would be correct.
Smooth enough to enjoy a Baconator on the go.
In many respects, however, the 3500 is a joy to drive. On the highway, it simply glides, making the miles fly by without beating you up over the course of hours. The visibility from the driver’s seat is also superb thanks to the redesigned mirrors, large windows, and suite of cameras.
Contributing to our positive driving impressions–particularly on the highway–is the exhaust brake. This feature provides additional braking power, helps hold your speed on steep descents, and should be a game-changer once the truck is equipped with a camper. It’s one of the top highlights of the truck overall.
The best-looking HD truck
Here’s where things get really subjective. We strongly feel that Ram makes the best-looking trucks in the HD segment. There, we said it–let the debate commence.
The exterior design of the Ram 3500 is aggressive and bold, with tall, strong shoulders, a looming grille, and a stance that appears ready to pounce. Factor in the new mirrors, and we think the styling is nearly perfect.
The Ram stylish is top-notch, if you ask us.
Shockingly, we even prefer the long bed. In the past, we thought they looked a little silly, but after experiencing the functionality of an 8’ bed and seeing the side profile of the 3500 every day, we’ve grown to adore it. Now, standard beds just don’t look quite right!
If it isn’t apparent by now, allow us to say it plainly–we LOVE our new Ram. While we do have a list of things we wish were different (tune in next week for that one), we are ecstatic about our choice and have no regrets so far. You can also check out the video below for a more in-depth look at everything we like (and dislike) about the truck.
With our camper nearing completion, the Ram will soon fulfill its purpose of being the foundation for our home on wheels. We can’t wait to see the finished product and share the results with you. It’s going to be epic!
Until then, feel free to drop your thoughts below, check out our adventures on Instagram and YouTube, and otherwise join us on this exciting journey of full-time travel we are about to embark on.
All our best,
- Riley + Hanna
We bought a truck!
We bought a new truck for our switch to full-time travel!
It’s been a long time coming.
If you’ve been following along, you know we’ve been exploring the various considerations that go into making a major purchase–in this case, a one-ton truck platform for the camper that we’ll be living out of starting in 2025. If you haven’t read those ramblings yet, be sure to check them out as they document our journey to this moment–the big reveal.
We’ve picked and purchased our future home, and we have to say, it might be our favorite rig so far (and we’ve had way too many).
Introducing our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn.
Our 2024 Ram 3500 Big Horn.
Things to know:
We’ve finally landed on a truck for our full-time travels, and it sure is a doozy. It had to check some pretty specific boxes to fit the needs we foresee, but we feel confident that we found the perfect truck that works for us and landed (almost) within our budget.
Why we bought a RAM
It’s sure to be a controversial decision–the truck brand tribalism seems to be as strong as ever–but we bought a Ram. Here, we’ll detail the specifications of our new truck, as well as why we made the decision we did.
A detailed look at our new Ram
First things first, let’s lay out the specifics of the Ram we purchased. This foundation will provide context so we can dive into our thought processes as we made this massive decision for our new full-time RV lifestyle.
The Basics
Our Ram is a 2024 Ram 3500 with the Big Horn package. It is a crew cab with a long bed and single rear wheel–a shockingly rare combination, it seems (more long bed Rams come with dual rear wheels).
It is equipped with a high-output 6.7L Cummins diesel engine, 6-speed Aisin transmission, and (of course) a 4x4 transfer case.
The Packages
Outside of the Big Horn package (which is essentially a glorified Tradesman), our truck features a handful of upgrades and equipment packages. We didn’t have much interest in adding a bunch of features to our truck (more on that later), so we were more than happy with the additional options on this one.
On top of the Big Horn package and high-output engine, our truck came equipped with:
Billet Silver Metallic paint
Cloth bucket seats
Towing Technology Group
Night Edition package
Level 1 Equipment Group
Auxiliary Switches
Clearance Lamps
Side Steps
50-Gallon Fuel Tank
Alpine Sound System
Trailer Surround-View Camera System
The Ram may be huge, but it is still a capable rig.
Our thoughts on our Ram’s features
To be totally transparent, we were not looking for anything more than a base model. Our budget was the biggest factor in our search for a truck, and we would have been content with a bare-bones truck that fit our functional needs.
With that in mind, we have some initial thoughts on the options our truck came equipped with–including things we’re glad it has, wish it didn’t have, and might have opted for given the chance.
Features we love
Despite not personally selecting the options our Ram was equipped with, it does have a handful of packages that we’re grateful for. We didn’t seek them out, but given that the truck has them, we are happy to have them!
Towing Technology Group. This package includes some very useful features. We personally love the Surround-View Camera System (great for tight spaces and parking), as well as the Blind-Spot Detection. Both of these features make navigating this massive machine just a little less stressful.
Night Edition. Call us shallow, but we are glad our truck doesn’t have any chrome on it. The Night Edition package is practically useless (and there’s no way we’d choose it for over $4,000), but the painted bumpers and blacked-out trim are aesthetically pleasing.
Level 1 Equipment Group. While we could do without most of the things included in this package, we do appreciate the power mirrors. Manually adjusting all four mirrors–including telescoping and folding them–gets old real quick, and this package eliminates that annoyance.
Auxiliary Switches. Easy wiring and control of accessories? Sign us up!
50-Gallon Fuel Tank. 1,000-mile unloaded range. Do we need to say more?
Features we could do without
This section is going to be a little lengthy, so we won’t go into as much detail as we did in the one above. Just because a feature makes this list doesn’t mean it’s inherently bad or not worth the money; it just means that we don’t need it and wouldn’t pay for it if we optioned our truck from the factory.
Night Edition. Do we like how it looks? Absolutely. Would we pay the premium for it if we were given the option? Absolutely not.
12-Inch Display. Does it look nifty? Yep, but we prefer a smaller screen with more physical buttons, dials, and knobs.
Level 1 Equipment Group. Outside of those handy power mirrors, the majority of the features included in this package are not worth it to us.
Alpine Sound System. This system sounds wonderful, but it is $600 and eliminates a substantial amount of storage space beneath the rear seat.
Trailer Surround-View Camera System. This package is intended for those who tow often and want a (you guessed it) surround view of their trailer. At $1,000, it is just excessive–especially when you can find them online for less than half of that price.
Premium Cloth Bucket Seats. Having a center console is nice, but we would have been happy with a bench seat.
Feature we wished we had
While we aren’t too picky, we would have liked it if a couple of additional features were included–especially with the ridiculous prices of trucks these days.
An inverter. Okay, Ram–seriously?? What modern truck doesn’t have an inverter?
LED headlights. If a truck costs more than about $5, it should come standard with LED headlights.
Remote start. We know, we know–this particular feature is a bit “extra,” as the kids say. Still, it would be nice to let the diesel warm up before hopping into the cab.
Heated seats. This is a Hanna specialty. She loves heated seats, and though we’ve rarely had them, she always appreciates it when we do.
It sure is a beautiful truck.
Why we chose Ram
Ultimately, we chose Ram because we preferred it to the other options after a few test drives and the price made sense. We got a great deal (as far as cars go these days) at about 25% off MSRP. Heck, Riley flew down to Florida just to snag it.
We will go into more detail in the future, including why we chose Ram over Ford. For now, we just wanted to introduce our new rig and move on to talking about campers. After all, that’s the next big purchase–we need a camper to pair with the truck!
If you have experience with full-time RV travel, diesel trucks, or simply want to share your insights and opinions, please drop a comment below. We’d love to hear from you and engage with our little travel community!
We can’t wait to share our journey with you. From selecting a truck and a camper to adjusting to life on the road, we’ll be documenting every aspect of our experience with full-time travel. We hope you’ll follow along!
- Riley + Hanna
Choosing a truck for full-time travel - Sizes and capacities
Do we need a crew cab? What about a long bed? How much payload and towing do we need? We explore these questions and more as we choose a truck for full-time travel.
The bigger the truck, the better, right? This is America, after all!
All jokes aside, the size and capacities of our future home-on-wheels matter quite a bit. From cab size and bed length to towing and payload capabilities, the potential configurations are many, especially if you factor in the differences between the major manufacturers.
Some of these factors–namely the towing and payload ratings–are primarily dictated by how you intend to use the truck. Others–like interior space–are more up to personal preference.
In this post, we dive into our thoughts on truck sizes and capacities as we try to determine the perfect fit for our full-time travel starting in 2025.
Things to know:
With full-time travel on the horizon, we need to choose a truck that can help us thrive on the road. The capacities and size of the truck are integral parts of our decision-making process, as they determine what the vehicle is capable of and how well it can perform the jobs we ask it to do.
Note: By the time you read this, we might already have a truck. Our intent is not to mislead you, we simply wrote these blogs well in advance!
Picking a truck for full-time travel
If you are familiar with our history, you know that we have owned exactly one full-size truck–a Ford F-250 Tremor with the 7.3-liter “Godzilla” engine.
A fair question to ask is, “Why didn’t you just keep that truck?”
There are a few answers to that question, and they seem worth mentioning before diving into this facet of our decision-making process.
Our F-250 was a phenomenal truck, and we definitely miss it!
We didn’t plan to take the leap into full-time travel. We anticipated settling down this year and slowly building back up to part-time travel. We sold the Ford believing that our path was set, but it changed.
Even if we had kept the Ford, we might have needed to swap it for something else. More on that later in this blog and in blogs to come.
Because we thought we no longer needed the Ford, we wanted to sell it while the market was still relatively hot. We didn’t want to be stuck with an auto loan we no longer needed.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into our thoughts about truck sizes, capacities, and capabilities as we prepare to purchase a three-quarter or one-ton truck!
Interior space and overall length - comfort versus convenience
Because we like to venture off the beaten path, explore dirt roads, and occasionally tackle tough terrain, a smaller truck has some distinct advantages. The shorter the wheelbase, the better the turning radius (as a general rule), which is ideal for off-road adventures.
On the other hand, we know we will be traveling with all of our belongings and our pup, Chowder. Interior space is incredibly important for both storage and comfort. Unfortunately, larger cabs mean longer wheelbases–you see the dilemma.
Chowder is more than a little spoiled.
There are some ways to compromise. You can opt for an extended cab, which has half-doors and less space in the rear, choose the shortest possible bed length, or some combination of these options.
Given our circumstances and priorities, we decided that a crew cab was the right size for us (despite Riley’s dream of one day owning a single-cab truck). That left us with the bed size to determine the overall length of our truck.
Bed length - do you really need a long bed?
The major manufacturers offer two bed lengths on their HD trucks–standard and long. Standard tends to be around 6.5’ to 6.75’ depending on the brand, while long beds are 8’ or longer.
Many people can get away with a standard bed, especially if they are towing a trailer of reasonable weight. There are even plenty of truck campers that fit a standard bed and offer quite a bit of living space.
Keep in mind, though, that a longer bed equals a longer truck, which translates to more stability. If you are towing something extremely long and heavy, a longer truck has the advantage.
The same goes for larger truck campers–if you want to safely haul a big truck bed camper, you should probably opt for a long bed truck. They also tend to be more useful for work if you intend to use your truck outside of recreation.
Navigating tight trails in a big truck can be quite challenging, but the reward is worth it!
The downsides? Well, a long bed makes a truck much harder to turn and maneuver in tight spaces. From the trail to the parking lot, that extra length sneaks up on you and makes daily life a little more difficult and stressful.
Ultimately, we’re leaning toward a long bed because of the direction we think we’re going with our camper setup. If we were going a different route with the camper, we’d probably stick with a standard bed for the convenience.
Payload and towing capacity - just because you can…
…doesn’t mean you should. While we’re as red-blooded, stick-it-to-the-man as they come, we tend to abide by the payload and towing ratings of our vehicles. So, as we hunt for the perfect truck for our upcoming lifestyle shift, we want to make sure we’re buying one that can handle whatever challenges we throw at it.
If you’re buying a pull-behind or fifth-wheel, you’ll want to pay attention to both your payload and towing capacities.
The towing bit is obvious–you want to be safely under the limit your truck is rated for. The payload part of the equation is often overlooked–after all, you’re towing the camper, not loading it into the bed. However, a portion of the weight of your trailer is transferred to the truck, detracting from your payload. Called the hitch or pin weight, you need to account for this when loading up your truck (or in our case, purchasing one).
For truck bed campers, payload is the primary concern. Your truck is only rated to carry so much weight, and while you can compensate with things like airbags and helper springs, staying within factory limits is a good idea. This means factoring in you, your passengers (dogs included), gear, camper, and so on!
We’ve pushed the payload capacities of our Jeeps, and you can feel the effects.
These numbers can be affected by everything from the engine powering your truck to the trim level you choose. We are opting for a one-ton truck and low trim level to maximize our ratings.
What size truck do you need?
With all these things in mind, we feel relatively confident that the truck we’re searching for is a crew cab with a long bed and single rear wheel configuration. We fully recognize that this will hinder us off-road, but we want to ensure that we are just about maximizing the capabilities of our new truck without going overboard (buying a dually, for example).
What do you think–are we on the right track? Would you opt for a different configuration? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts, opinions, and pieces of advice–we’d love to learn from you and take your feedback into consideration as we make this huge decision.
Full-time travel is rapidly approaching, and we can’t wait to share every step of the journey with you. From choosing a truck and picking a camper to actually hitting the road and adjusting to our new lifestyle, we hope you’ll follow along and join our thriving little community of adventurers!
- Riley + Hanna