2013 5500 SRW pickup
 

Getting rid of the dually and building the truck I wish someone would build. Just ordered a 13 5500 crew Laramie with 60" cab to axle with 4.88's and 4x4 with auto. Two pickup beds are enroute, rickson drw to super single wheels are 6 weeks out, toyo M608z tires are going on in summer which are ordered, and swamped irok 36x13.5x19.5 tires will be studded and siped for the winter, blue lake off road winch bumper for front and rear tow bumper, 40 gallon mid tank, and gooseneck hitch. Prob be ready around may time frame. 30k tow package in a single rear wheel. Thought about doing a 3500, but 5500 was cheaper by 5k and by time all said and done, will be much beefier and turn much better with wider front axle. Thought long and hard about 4.44s, but I tow a lot more and will be better at 60 mph speeds. I will post pics and updates as they come.

Looking forward to updates.

Son just ordered a 2013 3500 and when I told him about what you are doing he's very interested in doing the same thing, so you are going to have to finish it before his 2013 comes in.

Well I just bookmarked this thread [laugh]

I was doing some research and the Crew cab is only available in the 173.4 inch wheel base, is that the one you are going to use? Also the truck boxes are they SRW or Duallies. Thanks.[coffee]

173 wheel base. Single rear bed. I will keep ya posted.

Be sure to go to the body-builders site and follow the electrical requirements on the bed lighting..

Lower left icon here (link was not working at post time)

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/2012/ram...ty/easy_upfit/

Colorado,

Thanks for that site. havent seen that yet. Lots of good info. It looks like if you get a laramie, you dont get upfitter switches. that stinks. I was looking forward to easy hook ups.

Rid,

Glad to help, I ran into problems with my LED lights, at the time of the bed build the only lights they said I needed to be concerned with was the tail and turns. The tails had enough lights to give me my 2 amp minimum / 4 amp maximum draw. The turns did not so I installed the resisters to put me into the 2-4 amp range. After a year of no codes / problems I started throwing a code.. The dealer found out through Detroit that all lamps need to be in the 2-4 range so I had to install the resistors in the B/U light circuit as well.

Dodge has made some changes to their system since "08" so be sure to read up on it prior to the install of lights/beds.

Here is my bed build:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...t213006p2.html

While your in the build mode you might want to consider installing a modultite for the trailer lights to save the $1,000 TIPM (from a shorted trailer wire hookup) down the road. The up-fitters harness has separate fused circuits that could power the modulite.

Modulite:

http://www.etrailer.com/Custom-Fit-V...119190KIT.html

Towards the bottom right side of the page is a PDF of the instructions if you want to look before you buy

Let me know if you have anymore questions,

CRR

Colorado,

The pick up beds I bought were brand new take offs from guys that were going to install flat beds on a 2500. When I bought the pick up boxes, the guy gave me the plugs for the light bulbs that he cut off of the pick ups that will be putting flat beds on. The part that the bulb plugs into that twists into the tail light covers.

If I just use regular bulbs, i shouldnt have any issues as far as wiring. Correct? I dont plan on using LED's.

Also, do you have a laramie? Says laramies dont come with up fitter switches. Not sure why. Tow/haul button, exhaust brake/ heated driver seat/ heated passenger seat/ heated steering wheel/ maybe cooled seats. I thought there were two rows of buttons.

Rid

Rid,

The lights should be fine, just make sure you splice the new bed into the factory C&C light harness keeping each circuits +/- wiring the same. Do not use a universal ground unless the newer BB guide says you can (that is how the puter monitors for a light out)

I have an 08 Sterling this was the Red-Headed Step Child to the Dodge C&C It has the "06" ST interior. It has no up-fitter switches, just the extra circuits I mentioned with a separate fuse block (next to the firewall) for them.

All of this is subject to change on your "13" model.

Here is some switches you could add for your accs:

http://www.delcity.net/store/Square-...-Hole/p_788849

I like the round hole for ease of installation (just use a step bit to drill the soft plastic) The square face matches my 08 switches..

The glob of wires you see at the back frame rail in this pic has the R-L Light harness, the up-fitter harness and the tow harness:

Attachment 54919

Attachment 40834

Attachment 40835

Well, truck bed just showed up at the port. Both pick up beds, 285/70.19.5 toyo M608 tires, and my 40 gal mid fuel tank. Starting to come together. The tailgate is the metalic grey. That is the color of the truck.

Progress [guitar]

Keep in mind your trailer electrical will be a harness with terminated wires and not the conventional plug on the p/u's. what are your plans for a g/n Or fiver hookup?

I've been looking for crew cab and chassis for the last 3 days and there is nothing out there. I did learn some things though, like the 22 gallon mid tank option, if you click on that, you don't get both tanks you only get the 22 gallon mid tank,[duhhh] both tanks are not an option. When I try to build one on line the 4500 gives 4.44 as the highest rear end with a 4.88 option and it seemed as though the 4.88 was the only option on the 5500. One dealer did tell me that a 4.10 is also an option for 2013. I was thinking a 3500 was going to be the way to go because of the 4.10's but having that option in the larger trucks might sway me. If we do go the cab and chassis route we are going to keep the dual rear wheels and just use a flat deck to maintain the GVWR.

I copied Col_River_Rams pics, I had seen them before and liked the deck, I do believe I copied them then, I just couldn't find them now[laugh] Thanks for posting the link again.

When I ordered mine, 4.88's were not an option on the 4500. Everytime i go to the site to build, it only does the 12's. if so, i would have gotten a 4500. just because later down the road i plan on putting on the air ride suspension.

Colorado,

the wiring coming off the rear harness will have to be spliced into the dodge connector. I will just order the flip style for the ram. it will look just like a 1 ton or 3/4 ton. The bumper being built has that built in. The rear camera provision will be fit on the bumper as well. or the tailgate. who knows. The bumper wiring or 7 way will look like this:
http://bluelakeoffroad.com/pinnacle/...=153&parent=54
I just ordered this: http://www.extremeoutback.com/produc...TINE+BELT.html

and these tires: http://firematic.com/fireshop/store1...6.1361481509.8

These tires are for the winter. they will be studded and siped. The M608z will be my summer tires.

Busboy, the 22 gallon midship is too small and the 52 wont work with the pick up bed. I went to these guys and they make a 40 mid tank that fits the cab and chassis. http://www.transferflow.com/fuel-tan...lacement-tanks