CB's 2012 PW ST Build Thread

[2012 PW ST]

Starting my build thread over here....

First post, originally posted 4/26/12

The 8 week wait on my PW ST factory order is finally over!! Picked it up a couple days ago.

Thought I'd start my build thread with a few picks of it all brand new with 15 miles on it before I drove it home.

The dark gray grille, monochrome paint, and "tailgate only" PW decal are how the ST's come standard.

I love how it looks stock now, but can't wait to get the chrome bumpers off and have gloss black Ranch Hands on!

No inside pics yet, but loving the vinyl floor. Dropped some black Husky liners over top. They fit great and vinyl on vinyl movement is minimal.

Just had the solid rear glass swapped for a Mopar manual slider today. Much better. (Solid rear glass now for sale so let me know if anyone is interested/needs a replacement.) Also just dropped a bed mat in and put a plastic Mopar bedliner tailgate cap on the gate to give the spray in liner some added protection.

Will post more pics & write ups as mods get done.

CB

[2012 PW ST]

2nd post...originally 4/26/12

Yeah, I've always liked solid white. Easy choice since my other fave of non-metallic desert sand/creme is a non-standard color that you have to wait until there are at least 5 total in the build queue for that color before they'll produce.

The interior is pretty much same looks-wise as an SLT, although they only offer the ST in the dark graystone/black interior. Another easy choice. There are little differences like no map light/power slider switch console overhead, no upper glovebox lid, no armrest in middle of backseat. The door panels are solid black rather than two-tone like SLT, and there's no leather wheel which I wanted since leather wheels get worn out faster with dirty hands, offroad use, etc.

Options I ordered were roof clearance lights, power TT mirrors, Uconnect, block heater, and spray in bedliner. I think that's all the options they offer on the ST anyway. The ST actually does come standard with carpet. But, just like the SLT and Laramie, the vinyl floor is a no-cost factory option.

3rd post...originally 4/27/12

Thanks. Yeah, agreed the chrome bumpers don't look so bad with the solid white. Those will both be gone in a couple weeks though so it will be chrome free, save the little bit on the badges.

To answer your other question on $$, bottom line MSRP was $44,900. Chrysler Affiliate Reward pricing brought that down to $40,615, then after rebate that I locked in at time of order it came down to $37,365.

[2012 PW ST]

Fourth post...originally 5/11/12

Been an insane last couple weeks but finally managed to get my aux switch bank, WiredWagon bussed relay panel and CB all hooked up in my ST.

Posting a bunch of pics here in order so hopefully easy to follow along.

To power the aux switch bank I used 2 of the 3 wires from the unused plug that was plugged into back of RAM plate. The red/white was constant hot but oh well, maybe more functional in long run as long as I don't leave things on. Used the black/green ground and left the white/green in dead plug.

I wired the switch bank according to the diagram that myoung84 and others have used (originally from M. Penrod on Diesel Truck Resource forum I believe).

The WiredWagon relay panel was built by Erik Johnson/WiredWagon in West Jordan, UT. He actually specializes in custom wiring harnesses & relay sets for Land Cruisers.
After finding out about his custom relay panel and carefully measuring clearance under the hood of a 2500 (before mine even arrived) I knew it would be a great fit for the PW to sit right on top of factory fuse box. He built mine all ground switched to be compatible with the factory aux switch bank. It has 5 35a fused relays in that water resistant case. $95 + $15 shipping for that relay panel is unbeatable, and his workmanship is awesome. I prewired 4 of the 5 to connect all 4 aux switches, although I'll only use aux 1 & 2 (yellow & orange wires visible) for time being on front/rear lighting.

Once I got dash panel off I realized how much dead space the ST has underneath radio. Perfect place for the remote control box of my CB. There was already a small hidden hole at bottom of that dash panel I could run the CB mic out of once I Dremel'd it out just a touch.

Ran all the aux switch wiring, CB power leads, and coax all in one loom out from behind dash along edge of vinyl floor (tucked in nice) over to drivers kick panel area. Split the coax out there since it will go to back of cab where antenna will be. Then ran rest of wiring through that tiny unused rubber wire boot in firewall.

Had to cut tip off that and split a bit to accommodate the bundle I passed through it but it's a super tight, noise free fit I didn't have to drill any holes for. (Putting that bundle through there and keeping it loomed on the interior was a real pain but worth all the effort.)

The CB negative & positive leads can be seen in gray heatshrink coming out of the loom that runs along the battery so they're connected directly to it. Then connected the single hot lead (that has a built in fusible link) for the relay bank to the hot side of the battery too.

Nice to have the factory look in the end but, man how hard would it be for Chrysler to just offer those switches as a factory option like Ford does??

Up next week are the full Ranch Hand treatment along with all the suspension/steering upgrades. Also planning on 35/12.5/17 BFG KM2's instead now that Wrangler Dura Tracs in 315 are apparently on national back order. They were priced too good to be true so not surprised. Oh well, wanted to try them but the BFGs are actually a better fit all the way around for the PW anyway.

[2012 PW ST]

Remaining pics from fourth post...originally 5/11/12

[2012 PW ST]

Fifth post...originally 5/12/12

I was glad to know about that relay box through my Toyota connections and was excited to know it fit under the PW hood with lots of room to spare. Very little other good space to mount relays in these things.

Yeah, the gasket seal on that box is insanely tight. Apart from complete submersion it should remain moisture free. I'll snap a couple pics with the cap off and post up.

I've used the Cobra 75 for years with no issues so hopefully just as reliable on this rig. I didn't post the antenna/mount pics because it's not on yet. Will post pics of it all once done.
Waiting for the headache rack to go on this week as the antenna will go on that. Coax will run underneath plastic door sill panels then behind back seat and out little existing hole through plastic vent louvers on lower rear cab and up.

**Couple things to note when mounting the CB control box to a plastic surface as done here.
Cobra recommended I add another ground wire to the box because of that. That's the short black ground visible in install pics behind dash. Just built one with ring connectors & heatshrink then attached to factory ground point there.

I also zip-tied the connected mic & control box cable to an existing metal anchor hole down in bottom of that empty space behind dash. This "suspends" that cable to prevent it rattling against lower inside part of dash.

Only minor drag here is I'm pretty sure I'll have to take dash back off to check SWR on CB once antenna is on. I might have a work-around for that as my antenna coax is actually split in two and the break falls near back seat where easy to get to. We'll see. The coax off back of control box is a little tight to get to as well.

Lots more mods to come...

CB

[2012 PW ST]

Adapting 6th post here and then adding a few new quicky driveway pics...posted here first!

Truck's not even clean, but wanted to get some pics up. Driveway is more sloped than you can tell so giving the truck a bit of lean.

Carli doesn't sell direct so best to go through 8 Lug Truck Gear online. Kept it pretty basic but went with the following:
Front:
Hemi coils ("3-4" lift for non PW")
Bilstein 5100s matched to these
Upper/lower Chromoly control arms
Adj. track bar
Low mount steering stabilizer (wanted their high mount but it won't work with Smart Bar)
Upper/lower ball joints
Front diff guard

Rear:
Progressive full leaf packs
Bilstein 5100s

Also added DT Pro Fab steering brace

Diamond Antenna K400 3/8 CB mount on headache rack w/ Francis antenna. Routed loomed coax underneath cab door sills inside then out of cab behind rear seat back.
More detailed pics of all that to come once I get SWR issue ironed out. It's driving me insane! Can't figure out if I have a short in the mount or what deal is. SWR is about 2.75:1 in lower channels and about 3:1 or just over at channel 40. Not sure if I should just use my 5.5' antenna instead of 4'. Of course my 5.5' antenna is back in Utah.

It only netted me maybe about an inch, but nicely clears the 35" KM2s and the ride/handling is very "crisp" with the added weight. Rides almost level with the additional weight of tools, recovery gear, portable compressor, hi-lift, shovel, etc in toolbox. Haven't had chance to fully load with gear, fuel/water cans, etc. We'll see soon.

Probably didn't gain any approach/departure angle advantage with those bumpers, and could well have lost ground. Oh well, lots more protection.

Also to note...had to have the skid plates adjusted to lowest most position in their slots to accommodate additional droop of rear. Still have ~1.5" clearance driveshaft to brace at full droop.

Stay tuned...more mods still in the works.

CB

[MSparks909]

Nice upgrades man!! You'll love that Carli stuff (even though I'm sure you already do). Very functional build thread.

[Cactus Red]

Very nice!

I look forward to seeing it in use!

[2012 PW ST]

Thanks all. Yeah, the Carli setup is awesome. Although still trying to get the steering stabilizer and alignment dialed in.

Had to let some pressure out of it to compensate for hard left pull and now may have gone too far. Seemed to have everything dialed, steering wheel straight and all, then half way home from shop the steering wheel went 30 degrees to the right although truck still feels aligned and not pulling. Strange. Back to shop on Tuesday.

Once I have that set, I'll actually get it out beyond the neighborhood. LOL. First trip of season to San Rafael Swell in a few weeks. Can't wait, but gotta have everything spot on before leaving.

PS...feel free to say it if you want 'cuz I'm not 100% thrilled with the way the front bumper looks and the way it entirely changed the lines of the front end.

No goin' back now, but there's lots to be said for the look and simplicity of the stock PW front bumper.

CB

[MSparks909]

Yeah...that bumper really did change the look of both the front and rear of your truck. I don't like Ranchhand bumpers for that reason...You could always put the stock one back on or sell the Ranchhands and get an Aluminess or something similar.

[2012 PW ST]

They did for sure, but it's the look I was going for. I do still like the lines of the stock bumpers too but once you pull them off and feel how light/cheap they are, you really think twice about how functional they'll really be.

Unfortunately they're designed for looks and fuel economy these days...not protection.

I thought about getting more modern plate style bumpers fab'd up front instead of Ranch Hands but decided I didn't really want that look or cost. I don't really like Aluminess, and the other custom fabricators I know that do extremely high end work would've made them pretty cost prohibitive.

[Cactus Red]

You've got plenty of road hazards up there like deer and elk - the front bumper should do a good job of protecting the truck from that type of impact. I know if I lived in an area with the amount of critters you have, I'd be looking for a tough bumper.

[Powerwagonmark]

Nice job!! Great looking truck.

[Juday]

Truck looks great man!




I guess I'll just be the poor ol' sap who still has the basically stock Power Wagon...

[2012 PW ST]

Thanks Juday. No, you're definitely not the poor ol' sap with the basically stock Wagon! Your "basically stock" SLT PW is still as badass as any, and what you did just adding the 285/75 KM2s is really smart.

You've saved yourself a lot, kept it clean, and preserved a little fuel economy too. You will most likely do at least ball joints, track bar, tie rod ends, etc. anyway at some point once all the stockers wear out.

Oh, and Cactus Red...yes, plenty of deer & elk to dodge where I roam between CO and UT but you can't forget the antelope too. LOL. Also good size and can ruin a front end in a heartbeat. Yeah, hopefully I'll never have to be one of the many Ranch Hand "testimonials", but darn glad to have it. I purposely set my 9.5" diameter Lightforces back on custom brackets so they'd sit just behind the bullnose hoops on the bumper to give them a slightly better chance of faring better in an impact like that.

[2012 PW ST]

Finally getting around to posting pics of the custom fire extinguisher bracket I had Armorology (Co. Springs) make me. (They did the steel part and machined aluminum spacers.)

They tapped the center mounting holes with threads so I could add a Drake Q/R mount and H3R Halgard bottle. Sandblasted the raw steel bracket to finish then I just shot it with a clear satin finish to protect. I upgraded the stock seat mounting bolts to grade 10 (and longer to accommodate) and Loctite'd in.

Simple, but typical Armorology work. Nails every detail and dimension to perfection.

No conflict with footroom even being 6'3" and long legged.

Still need to just trim the little plastic cover that goes on outside seat rail so it will clip in around the spacer. Will do that with some special plastic trimming tools they have rather than Dremel myself so it looks/fits super clean.

[Juday]

Ooooo, I really like that setup! I just have my extinguisher in the tool box in the bed. Though I did build a box to separate all the components in there, from the medkit, extinguisher and straps. Looks great man!

[2012 PW ST]

Ooooo, I really like that setup! I just have my extinguisher in the tool box in the bed. Though I did build a box to separate all the components in there, from the medkit, extinguisher and straps. Looks great man!

Thanks. Yeah, it was either here or external on the headache rack (also using the Drake Q/R out there too). This way keeps it totally secure and is the fastest grab too.

[2012 PW ST]

Finally got my SuperHides seat covers from Marathon Seat Covers in Bozeman, MT after a 2 month wait.

Here are a few pics. They're 1000 denier real DuPont Cordura so should be very durable and water resistant. And...as I've done with as many other accessories as possible...they're made in the good ol' US of A.

The color is called "flannel". A very close match to the tan weave in the factory seat center panels. Really lightens up the inside and should hide dirt pretty well too. Very pleased with the fit and install was pretty straightforward.

[Ken G.]

Very Nice! I've got the el-cheapo Pep Boys seat covers....not nearly as squared away looking.

[cruz]

VERY NICE indeed , pricey, but they look like they're worth it.
https://www.marathonseatcovers.com/index.php

[2012 PW ST]

Thanks, and thanks for posting their link.

Yeah, definitely not cheap but well worth it I believe. Pretty much the going rate for custom covers about anywhere you look though. At least they use real Cordura for that price where you don't really know what you'd get from others. (I've actually had really good luck with some made from "Kodra" (an Asian Cordura knock off) that wore really well. Just a crapshoot unless you know you exactly what fabric you're getting up front.)

The 2 month wait was a drag, but they're super busy and I think that speaks to their quality and popularity. Each order is custom and their cuts/patterns are very precise indeed.

[Ducky's Dad]

From the Marathon web site:

100% Waterproof Cordura® Nylon is better than Neoprene

-Neoprene is waterproof yet it holds water near the surface of the cover giving you a damp place to sit.

- Cordura® is 100% water proof, non-porous, and water beads up and rolls off.

- Cordura® is also self extinguishing and will not act as an accelerant in a fire.

- Cordura® is thin but tuff as nails. This material will give you a perfect fit while retaining the comfort of your original seats.

I have had Cordura (CoverCraft, I think) and neoprene (Wet Okole), and I agree with everything they say about the differences, except the part in the last line about the "perfect fit." They can give you a pretty good fit, but it won't be perfect because Cordura does not stretch the way neoprene does. Neoprene will fit better than Cordura and will be just as comfortable (and yes, I have driven on wet seats with both covers). I think the neoprene is actually more comfortable in just about every condition, but it doesn't hold up like Cordura. My Cordura covers are 14 years old and look like they will last forever. I just ordered replacements for my 6-year old Wet Okoles that have had holes in them for the last two years..

[2012 PW ST]

Agreed...neoprene by its nature will stretch & fit better but definitely not be as durable as Cordura.

Surprised Marathon touts Cordura as being 100% waterproof and non-porous though. Never saw that on their site. It's pretty water resistant but certainly not waterproof.

[Ducky's Dad]

Surprised Marathon touts Cordura as being 100% waterproof and non-porous though. Never saw that on their site. It's pretty water resistant but certainly not waterproof.

They are probably telling the truth. I just bought some black Cordura (the actual Cordura brand, not a knock-off) for a compressor cover to keep crap out of my compressor mounted behind the grill. I was a bit surprised that almost all of the heavy Cordura I was able to find on the internet comes from the factory with a PVC coating on the back side. I had to look long and hard to find some without the PVC, because I wanted the compressor to breathe when it gets wet and I worry about the PVC melting when the cover goes on a hot compressor. Ignition point of Cordura is something over 500F, but PVC will melt at much lower temps.