8 Customizations to Master Any Terrain in Your Ram 2500

Is heading off the beaten path your passion? Then, finding a Ram 2500 for sale is just your first step to making one of the best trucks for off-roading a true outdoor and off-the-trail warrior. After you’ve found the right Ram for you, then it’s time to start looking at your options for customization. With the right upgrades, swaps, and additions, you can elevate the Ram 2500’s already superior skills off the road to a sublime experience in outdoor adventuring.

Some of these upgrades are simple enough for a beginner with a well-stocked toolbox to do over the weekend. A few, however, might require a trip to our certified service center to get the best results. But the time and effort will be well worth it to unleash the true power of the Ram 2500 out on the trails, in the mud, and in the snow––or wherever else adventure calls for you to go.

#1 – Lift Kits: Rise Above the Challenges

If you’re going to be traveling through terrain that might have obstacles, such as rocks and branches, a lift kit can help you clear those challenges with ease. A lift kit can also let you add larger tires to raise your truck even higher. With the addition of a skid plate, the combination of clearance and reinforced safety of the undercarriage will have your Ram 2500 dominating the trails.

This modification is best done by a professional if you’re new to customization. There are decisions to make that a service technician can help you with, like whether you need a body lift or a suspension lift. However, a knowledgeable professional with access to the right tools should have no issue getting the job done. Some Ram 2500 models come with a factory lift kit, such as the two-inch lift in the Power Wagon.

#2 – Skid Plates: Under Armor for Your Truck

Protecting your Ram is just as important as all of the customizations that add to performance. Skid plates protect the undercarriage of your truck from damage while off-roading, including the drivetrain, radiator, and oil pan. Since those are such vital parts of your Ram, it just makes sense for them to have protection. After all, every warrior needs their own set of armor. The Ram 2500 Rebel and Power Wagon come with factory skid plates, although some off-roaders prefer to add even more protection.

#3 – Winches: The MVP of the Unexpected

Winch kits are something you might not have considered before or haven’t quite seen the need for. That’s fair; we often don’t see the need for things we don’t use every day. But if your Ram 2500 ends up in a sticky situation out in the middle of nowhere, you’ll be glad you took the time to install one.

A winch is a safety tool that can help pull your truck out of a ditch, right it after a rollover, or help move it out of other precarious positions. It’s also handy for clearing debris in your path. You might not do these things every time you go off-roading, but being prepared is the best safety precaution of all. The good news is that some Ram 2500 trims offer an available winch from the factory.

#4 – Suspension: Strength Is Key

Making sure your suspension system can handle the bumps and bounces of off-roading is essential to having a good experience. Who wants to waste a beautiful day on the side of the road trying to figure out how to get your truck close enough to the main roads to be towed home? This can be prevented by changing up your bushings, springs, and hardware with more durable, heavy-duty versions. Even more so when you swap out the rubber bushings for polyurethane and upgrade the bolts to high-tensile, corrosion-proof metals.

#5 – Tires: Your Friend for Tough Terrain

All Terrain (also known as A/T) tires are an important upgrade for off-roading. Your safety relies on your tires keeping a good grip on the trail. That’s why you should consider what conditions you are planning on encountering (snow, ice, mud, etc) and make purchasing tires that will accommodate those surfaces a top priority. There are the basic A/T tires, which are good for most terrains, but muddy roads might require M/T (Mud Terrain) tires. There are also specialty tires for snow and sand if you plan on spending long periods in those conditions with your Ram 2500. Our parts team can help you determine the perfect tires for your adventures.

#6 – Bumpers: Bump Up the Protection

If you’ve ever been in a fender bender, you know just how much the bumper protects the front and rear of your truck. The chances of encountering something that might strike your Ram 2500 are higher when you’re off-roading. However, the right choice of front and rear bumpers can provide a surprising amount of protection. A strong front bumper will also allow you to attach a winch. With an increase in approach and departure angles, your truck will have greater clearance. In addition, there are times when off-roading that you might have to go through instead of over or around. A bull bar can help protect your truck’s front end and provide a little extra heft to push aside whatever is blocking your way.

#7 – Fender Flares: Keep the Mud on the Road

Fender flares are molded strips that curve around the wheel wells. They shield the tires and protect the body of the truck from dirt, mud, and other debris. We’re not only talking about catching small rocks and other projectiles that could be kicked up by the tires. Fender flares can also help protect your paint job from mud and sand. Your Ram 2500 might be a master of off-roading, but that doesn’t mean it can also look ready for a night on the town after you wash the dust off it. In fact, fender flares can make that post-trip wash a little easier by keeping more of the mud on the road and less of it on your truck.

#8 – Roof Racks: Keep It Organized

Most of the customizations we’ve talked about have been geared at durability, which is one of the most important things to consider while looking at options for enhancing your Ram 2500 for off-roading. A roof rack, however, is just a plain and simple convenience. If you’re planning on adding camping to your off-roading trips, the extra storage space can come in handy to make sure you have everything you’ll need on your adventures.

The extra cabin room is another bonus, especially if you’re planning on having passengers along for the ride. If you run into an unexpected situation, knowing exactly where tools, emergency kits, and more are can be essential. And let’s be honest, no one wants a sleeping bag bouncing off their heads on a bumpy trail. Keep your stuff organized, secured, and in place with a roof rack. Your future self and future passengers will thank you.

Customization Can Make the Off-Roader of Your Dreams

The Ram 2500 is an excellent choice for off-roading. When you choose the right kind of customization, you can take a truck already primed for all-terrain capability to a whole new level of performance and durability. The first step is assessing what you want to do with your Ram and where you’re going to do it. After that, customization can be as simple as a few hours of work in your garage or a quick trip to our service center. Ram even offers many important upgrades straight from the factory. There are many options to consider. Take your time and enjoy the process of crafting your ultimate off-road warrior.