Trucks, Tech, Reviews, ADV Travel
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Heading down the east side of Hagerman Pass, near Leadville, Colorado, after crossing the continental divide.
I’m in my 2017 Ram/Cummins with Hallmark Nevada flatbed camper, following my buddy Brad, pulling his Kimberley Karavan trailer with his second generation Toyota Sequoia, and Tony in his 6.4L F-250 with a Four Wheel Campers Hawk on the back.
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James Langan
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The custom auxiliary fuel tank project for our 2017 Ram/Cummins 2500 is underway! June 2019 I added two additional aluminum toolboxes aft-axle on my Hallmark Nevada Hillsboro flatbed camper outfit. My idea was to eventually remove one of the large, 30-inch-long front boxes and replace it with a fuel tank, preferably a commercially available aluminum saddle tank for a medium-duty truck.
The tank project was moved to the back burner and a year passed quickly. For a while I considered a much smaller 10 or 12-gallon tank, hoping to fit one under the chassis between the frame rails, and in front of the spare tire. Just 100 miles of additional range would be a game changer during long highway trips.
Evan a commercially available tank would have required custom mounts and modifications, and surely some compromises. After discussing the project with Chris at High Sierra Fabrication several weeks ago, we decided on a custom tank for my original under-bed location. The goal was to fabricate a tank that looks extremely similar to the toolbox that was removed, and the matching 30-inch box still on the passenger-side.
Custom costs more, takes time, and is never snag-free, but if you have the right business and people involved, the results can be fantastic.
A beautiful tank was constructed using 3/16-inch diamond plate aluminum. Then High Sierra Fabrication proceeded to drill and cut holes in the box, weld-in fittings, a sump, and clean-out port, etc. We are getting close, but still working on it.
After High Sierra Fabrication completes most of installation, I will still need to plumb and wire the external pump to transfer the auxiliary fuel into the 2017 Ram’s factory tank.
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High Sierra Fabrication (Facebook page)
Question: How much spare tire can you fit under your truck?
Answer: It depends.
This post is about squeezing a large (35.4-inches) tire into the stock location on a late-model, fourth-generation, Dodge Ram Cummins pickup.
Both my Ram 2500 trucks (2014 and 2017) have had the tailpipe heat shield removed to facilitate winching a much larger tire into the factory spot. Obviously a bigger tire sits closer to the tailpipe. Only you can decide if it’s too close for you and your application. This Cooper Tires STT PRO is only about one-inch from the tailpipe; close!
For several years I have carried oversized rubber in the factory location on my fourth-generation Ram/Cummins trucks, mostly tires that were 34.8-inches tall. The 295/65R20 Cooper Discoverer STT PRO is substantially taller.
My 2017 has less room overall than my 2014, as the factory trailer hitch receiver is still in place. (It was removed on the 2014.) There are also steel plates on the inside of the frame to mount the Hillsboro 2000-Series aluminum flatbed. The 3/8-inch plates, one on each side, consume 0.75-inches.
There are advantages to choosing 35-inch or smaller tires on late-model, heavy-duty trucks instead of the popular 37-inch versions, particularly if they will fit in the factory spare location. These include, but are not limited to, not needing an additional tire carrier or pushing a truck camper further aft to fit a spare in front of the camper (which increases rear-overhang, tail-swing, and impacts weight distribution). Unless your rig is geared low—and most new vehicles have tall gearing—the taller overall gearing that results from fitting larger diameter tires is often a negative, as it results in less torque at the wheels.
Many should ask themselves if they really need the extra clearance provided by 37-inch rubber, or are they just following the crowd, and potentially making unnecessary compromises. There are positives and negatives for nearly every modification and upgrade choice. Generally we need to give something to get something. Everyone should decide for themselves if the juice is worth the squeeze.
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Attempted to establish a baseline for fuel economy/mpg at 65 mph, with the 35.4″-tall, 295/65R20 Cooper STT PRO tires under a heavy Hallmark flatbed truck camper outfit. There was too much wind for this to be a true baseline, but efficiency was still good for this not-aerodynamic configuration; just under 13 mpg. I probably will revisit this in the future.
Subsequent test with better conditions can be viewed here: Truck Camper MPG Testing
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Mount and balance, and first look at the 35.4-inch tall, LT295/65R20 Cooper Discoverer STT PRO tires I’m running on my diesel truck(s). There will be more in the weeks and months ahead, here, and also @RoadTraveler on Instagram (typically extra content in Instagram stories).
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Quick weight and size comparison of the Rope Retention Pulley from Factor 55 and traditional 4WD pulley blocks.
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James Langan
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