"Mothership"

Mr. Leary

Adventurist
Founding Member
It took me years of traveling in my 4Runner to get it built just right... Then my needs changed. :)

The 4Runner is just too small a vehicle for me to comfortably travel in with my family or friends. It's also far more capable an off reader than I need at this point in my life. I need a large, comfy 4x4 that can haul multiple adults out to remote kayaking put ins, hiking or mountain biking trailheads, and it has to return acceptable fuel economy. I require a solid, reliable drivetrain and plenty of payload. Given the fact that I have lots of friends and with dedicated wheeling rigs, my next vehicle will be expected to tow the toys out to the trails while fulfilling the role of base camp at the end of the day. I examined a options including the new Dodge Eco-diesel 1500, 2500, and 3500, Ford F-150, F-250 and F-350, Toyota Runner, and the DC Toyota Tacoma, in a quest to determine what would be the best fit for a truck that fits my needs now and gives me room to grow.

I spent hours and hours online, researching, "building", and working through the available options on the candidate vehicles plus the after market solutions. I constructed a matrix to rate the vehicles against each other, and a winner emerged.

I went to the the dealerships with a pretty exact list of requirements for my next vehicle, and one was able to deliver.

The "Mothership" is a 2014 Dodge 2500. Her stock equipment is as follows:

6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel engine.
6 speed shiftable automatic transmission.
4 corner coil spring suspension, including new 3 link front.
Dual 220 amp alternators with factory dual batteries.
Tow package, including engine brake option.
Factory underbody armor
32" tires on 17" steelies
Bedliner
Back up camera
Mommy boards
Satellite radio
Power windows, doors, mirrors.
Cloth interior
3.42 gear sets with "locking" rear carrier (I don't have very high expectations).
White exterior.

She will be delivered next week. Pictures to follow. :)
 
Congratulations on purchasing "her" Mike. So what do the kids mean when they say "Mommy boards," these days? Are those side steps?
 
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Yes, side steps or running boards. Either way they are coming off before they become part of the bottom of the door panels. :)
 
You will like that truck. We just bought a 2013 6.7 cummins 2500 for our business. We were going to get a 2014 but the deal on the 2013 was too good to pass up. My only complaint is the auto trans tend to shift too early for my preference. That new coil link rear suspension looks pretty stout.
 
A brief update: I have put 10k miles on the truck, shoved gear in it, and put a 2" leveling lift on it along with 285/75/17 tires (34").

I like it, but due to a job change, have had almost zero vacation to burn.

I posted some pics in another thread as well, from a family trip to southern NM.

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Sent from a mud puddle
 
Cool pics, thanks for sharing. I really like the landscape pic with the pine tree on the right.
 
I got the topper installed in hopes that one of my planned trips this year would actually turn I to a reality!

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Oversized windoors with sliding screen, LED lighting, Yakima bars up top. I love it already!


Sent from a mud puddle
 
Truck looks good. I really like your new crew member! I just got a 2014 like yours except a 3500 dually to replace my chevy as my daily driver. I am pleased with the new "rams".
 
A shell with windoors is a great addition to any "overland" truck. No surprise that your build is coming along so nicely Mike - great looking truck and Crew! :thumbsup
 
In one of the threads on this board (I think), someone dropped a line about rear swing out for a spare tire for the Dodge 3/4 ton. I can't find it... A little help, please!


Sent from a mud puddle
 
Tire gate makes some good stuff. Tactical armor group makes a bumper/swingout combo for our trucks for roughly $750, but reviews of thier business tend to be less than stellar.
 
An update on my pickup:

She has just over 20k miles now, and I added a cargo management arrangement. For those who don't know me personally, I am an industrial engineer by trade, and design manufacturing, supply chain, and warehousing systems. Efficiency and multi-functionality is very central to my outlook on life.

At The front of The bed is a heavy cargo area. The stuff that lives here stays in The truck all the time. Residents are: iron man portable air compressor, husky wrench and ratchet set, tool bag of fixing +2, fluids and cleaning supplies, trickle charger that allows me to use shore power or chargr, and a die hard marine battery in box. These see limited use that involves moving them, except for the air compressor which can be easily accessed through the windoor, and thus have been homed in an area ideal for weight distribution and where they do not need to be moved unless they are to be used.

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Behind the heavy cargo is a platform with storage underneath, sleeping platform above. 4 front runner wolf boxes and my easy up gazebo live below. Cargo box contents: power tools (front driver), misc. Camping equipment (front passenger), dehydrated and canned "meal foods" (rear driver), "no cook meals" and coffee / snacks (rear passenger).

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The power tools don't get much use, so they are located forward, as is the container with misc camping stuff like water pump, backpacking fishing pole and tackle box, extra poo bags, etc. The meal food box is behind the Chuck box, which will need to Move only if I'm cooking a meal. The snack box is behind the cooler, which I usually pull onto the tailgate for side of the trail munchies.

The gazebo sticks out far enough to grab from The ground, and the area on top of it behind the platform is used for my campfire in a can, which will probably be replaced by my new cadac grill, per tango's recommendation.

Behind that, against the tailgate is the reliant water jug 7G. Cooler and Chuck box straddle the gazebo, and the pett toilet and my square bucket hug either side.

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Under the platform is a shelf that can be pulled out to make the base of The bed. The shelf is supported by two front runner boxes, and my double sleeping bag folds down for bedding.

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I'm anal about keeping cargo from shifting, and my Tetris arrangement both minimizes unnecessary movement and potential for cargo shifting. It has worked very well thus far without needing additional securement.

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Normal park to sleeping deployment is between 1.5 and 2 minutes. Kitchen deployment takes about 2 additional minutes. Packing up takes about 6 minutes including kitchen... So about as long as it takes for my coffee to boil.

My arrangement in the cab is pretty simple, just using what is already there. My travel bag lives on the rear driver floor with the tripod, with my day hike bag above it. The puppy kennel lives in the back seat driver side when he comes along. First aid kit lives in the little cubby below the floor mat.

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The rear passenger seat has a car seat in it most of the time. My boots live there along with my wifes travel bag when she comes along.

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In the rear center lives my trash bag, pelican case with bang bang, and my camera accessory bag.

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Front driver view. Cup holder ram mount holds phone or garmin 60csx. Cubby holes in center dash hold gum and headlamp. If you look closely, you can see my zippo 4 in 1 poking out near the 4wd shifter.

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Passenger front view. Large cubby holds napkins, flashlight, gloves, and whatever else gets thrown up there. My yaesu 8800 is mounted below the dash in the center.

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Various gear lives below the rear seat, but that will have to wait for another day.

Stealth camping requires moving the cooler, water jug, bucket, and Chuck box into the cab.

I have roof bars that can carry kayaks, canoe, or cargo box as needed.

Perfect for me and my family, and it helped me keep up the pace on my recent 4500 mile trip across the western states.
 
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