2015 Ram 3500 Built For Off-Roading and Towing
James Mallios has the truck your tow rig wishes it was.
Can your 2015 Ram 3500 handle extreme backcountry trails? James Mallios built his 6.7L Cummins-powered rig to pull trailers, go on overland adventures, and rescue his dedicated trail rig, should the need arise. Read on for his story.
"It was green with a tan interior," James recalled as he described his first off-road experiences from the passenger side of his Dad's Series 1 Land Rover Discovery. "Dad went to Land Rover rallies, and we would wheel with Land Rover guys all day." The young James couldn't get enough of the trails and found even more enjoyment riding along in the Disco's rear jump seats. Let's fast-forward to the first four-by he could call his own: a 1998 Ford Ranger. "I couldn't kill it; the truck wouldnotdie!" said James of the stone-stock Ranger he used to explore the backwoods of eastern West Virginia in college. But he wanted something more than the Ranger could offer.
Enter the 2014 Ram 1500 and an increase in size, power, and cool factor. James added new wheels and tires, upgraded the suspension, and even upped the horsepower with a new intake under the hood. "It was almost built," he told us, "and then someone totaled it. I had to start fresh." James was T-boned at a high rate of speed by a small hatchback. The Ram's frame was bent, but James and company suffered no major injuries. "We walked away from that accident," is the reason why his next truck was, indeed, another Ram.
Inspiration for the new truck came from a few places. James had always wanted a diesel rig because "you can get so much out of a diesel without putting a lot into it." He also had the cover shot ofFour Wheeler's April 2014 issue burned into his memory: AEV's Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. When he found a 2015 Ram 3500 for sale at a local Pennsylvania dealership, there was no hesitation. The Cummins-powered machine would become as much of an off-roader as it was a trailer puller. After breathing new life into the Ram's suspension with remote-reservoir ICON shocks and a Carli drop bracket and sway bar, James bulked up the truck's front. His full-coverage bumper gives him protection from damage and a mounting place for the essentials: LED lights and a 16,500-pound winch. In addition to his overland-equipped M101 military trailer, James often pulls a 20-foot steel-deck car trailer loaded down with his hardcore trail rig, a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Rausch Creek Off Road Park, in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, is one of his favorite off-road destinations, and should the ZJ ever be rendered immobile somewhere in the 3,000-acre park, he's confident the Ram could get deep enough into the trails to perform a recovery.
When we met James atFour Wheeler's Overland Adventure East, he demonstrated the truck's abilities on some of the obstacles at Rausch Creek Off Road Park and was impressed with how it handled its nearly 9,000-pound weight while grabbing onto the wet and muddy rocks. Now that he's roamed all over the Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey, his adventure plans have broadened. One dream expedition is across North America, working in stops at the Rubicon Trail and Moab, Utah. On a global scale, it's his dream to get his truck to the bush of Australia for some exploring down under. We saw James and his Ram in action at Overland Adventure East; read on for more on how he outfitted the 2015 Ram 3500 to pull trailers and conquer the backcountry.
Even after rolling over 87,000 hard miles, the 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel in James' 2015 Ram 3500 is running strong. Breathing is a bit easier thanks to the AFE Stage 2 cold air intake and the Kory Willis tuner from PPEI boosts horsepower and fuel economy. You'll also find a radiator and intercooler from Mishimoto, and a pair of Odyssey AGM batteries. The engine exhales through a set of Magnaflow exhaust pipes.
James quickly did away with the set of highway tires and imitation chrome wheels that came from the 2015 Ram 3500's previous owner. In their place went Toyo Open Country rubbers sized 35x12.50R17 with KMC Pulley alloy wheels. The combination gets him through the slimy mud and rocks of the East and even inspires confidence when the ground turns to white in the winter. To keep the mud-terrains as fresh as possible for off-road use, James swaps on a separate set of wheels and tires for when the truck will be strictly be used for on-road towing.
Rocker protection on the 2015 Ram 3500 comes from Maple Offroad rocksliders featuring kickouts at the rear wheels. James put the armor to use on the trail during Overland Adventure East when he pivoted about a mid-trail hunk of rock, emerging with mere scratches to the sliders.
James opted for the ARB front bumper on his 2015 Ram 3500 for two reasons. First, he needed a bumper with added protection for the radiator and other low-hanging goods under the front. Second, "I wanted a full guard on the front," and the ARB's upright bars and sweeping wings keep the grille and headlamps free of damage. The ARB bumper serves as a mounting location for James' Warn 16.5ti-S winch with its Factor 55 fairlead and also gives easy access to the truck's recovery points. A pair of ARB Intensity LED lights live in front of the grille and provide ample forward illumination.
For years, James was a serial purchaser of ice to fill his cooler—until he attended the Mid-Atlantic Overland Festival and met the folks at Dometic. He was impressed with the dual-zone cooling capabilities of the electric fridge, among other things, and he brought one home that day along with a sliding tray. He's been ice-free since then, and the fridge lives atop the DECKED system.
"How deep of water can you go through?" is the question frequently asked of James about his AEV snorkel system. He's always glad to explain that the main function of the device is to suck in dust-free air from up high to prolong the life of his aftermarket filter under the hood and keep the engine breathing easy.
Some of James' first modifications to the truck were with the suspension because the truck's previous owner had fully exhausted the stock shocks with frequent towing. "I wanted a bit more of a higher-speed suspension," James told us acknowledging the frequency with which he encounters washouts and potholes on the Pennsylvania backroads, "so I went with ICON shocks and a Carli sway bar and drop bracket." The 2.5-inch remote-reservoir shocks are also adjustable to suit any changes in terrain James might encounter.
Because of its trim level, James told us the 2015 Ram 3500 lacked the self-monitoring readouts he wanted. "The numbers are all in the computer, but I couldn't read them," so he employed the Insight CTS2 Edge monitor, giving him access to the truck's vitals. In the name of modularity, James keeps his Magellan GPS unit and Garmin inReach Explorer on suction mounts so they can be added and removed as necessitated by the trip. Additional communication needs are fulfilled by the Midland MXT 115 GMRS radio.
To remedy its peeling paintjob, James had the Leer bed cap coated in LineX. Also on the list for LineX were the fender flares because "mud tires throw stones!" The textured surface holds up to attacking branches and road debris and adds to the rugged look of the truck. When there's too much gear under the bed cap and he's not traveling with his trailer, James looks to the Rhino-Rack and tray to carry equipment, wrapped in waterproof bags should the weather require it.
As a self-proclaimed organization enthusiast, James decided on DECKED to keep the gear in the 2015 Ram 3500's bed arranged to his liking. Simply put, "When you pull out the drawers, everythings in bags or strapped up." His ARB air compressor, tools, fullsize spare tire, recovery gear, and much more live under the bed cap, some of it further organized in Blue Ridge Overland bags.
Out in the rear of the 2015 Ram 3500, the stock leaves handle weight-bearing duties while another pair of ICON 2.5-inch shocks damp the axle's movement, and BDS Recoil traction bars are on hand to keep axlewrap at bay. AEV differential covers keep the 3.73:1 gears safe from damaging blows and give James the balance between suitable highway RPMs and trail crawling ability.
Because James often has the entire space inside the bed cap stuffed with gear, he needed somewhere else to stow adventure equipment. The solution? "I built the trailer in my friend's garage." The wheel and tire combo on the M101 military trailer is the exact same as what's on the Ram, plus, the trailer has room for an additional fullsize spare which is held in place with Mac's tiedowns. His Yakima rack holds the Simpson 3 rooftop tent and awning, both from ARB. Trailer contents can vary based on the trip. If it's a multi-day adventure, expect to see spare water, fuel, gear, and tools. Otherwise, it's an extension of the Ram's currently occupied bed area. To simplify things, James keeps the trailer weight under 3,000 pounds which does not require him to run trailer brakes.
Vehicle: 2015 Ram 3500
Owner: James Mallios
Stomping grounds: Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Build time: 2 years
Engine: Cummins 6.7L I-6 turbodiesel
Transmission: Aisin AS69RC 6-spd automatic
Transfer case(s): BorgWarner 44-46 2-spd
Low range ratio(s): 2.64:1
Crawl ratio(s): 36.9:1
Front axle/differential: AAM 9.25-in, AEV differential cover, 3.73:1 gears/open
Rear axle/differential: AAM 11.5-in, AEV differential cover, 3.73:1 gears /open
SuspensionFront: ICON leveling kit w/ coils and Carli drop bracket and sway bar
Rear: ICON 2.5-in adjustable piggyback shocks
Tires: Toyo Open Country 35x12.50R17 M/T
Wheels: 17-in KMC Pulley aluminum
Steering: Synergy Steering Box Brace, ICON steering damper
Armor: Maple Offroad rocksliders, ARB modular front bumper w/ full guard and radiator skid
Lighting: ARB Intensity flood lights, ARB bumper lights, Pro Comp rock lights
Cool Stuff: Warn 16.5ti-S winch, Factor 55 fairlead and FlatLink, Hi-Lift jack, Decked drawer system, Dometic CFX 75 DZW electric fridge, AEV Snorkel, AEV Pro-Cal tuner, Edge CTS2 monitor, Trigger Six Shooter Accessory Control System, Midland MXT 115 GMRS radio, bed-mounted fullsize spare tire, Powerstop brakes, dual Odyssey AGM batteries
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