Project White Truck: 2010 Dodge Ram 3500

131 1103 Project White Truck 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Front Three Quarter

We just needed a truck. Nothing too fancy, just a truck. These days it's harder and harder to get the basic truck that was everywhere just 15- 20 years ago. That's where the idea for this project came from. Imagine what you would want if you could get a new truck and then delete everything down to just what you needed. Our list was short: 4x4, diesel engine, four doors, 1-ton drivetrain, manual transmission. Our truck doesn't need leather seats, an expensive radio, carpet, or fancy paint. It needs to be able to repel dirt inside while working great in the dirt. And believe it or not, only one automaker offers this truck (with the manual transmission), Dodge.

131 1103 Project White Truck 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Trailer With Ua Cj17

The White Truck arrived a few days before our 2010 Ultimate Adventure.

The manual transmission is dying, and we hate to see it go. Automatics are great-some are downright amazing-but there is something about shifting gears that just feels right when driving a big truck. A manual tranny also reduces complexity by deleting the powertrain computer and using less wiring and cooling lines. Dodge is the last manufacturer that makes a fullsize pickup with a manual transmission, so we grabbed one while we still could.

131 1103 Project White Truck 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Trailer With Dodge Ram

It still had that new car smell as we loaded it up and towed 2,800 miles cross-country in 48 hours.

It still had that new car smell as we loaded it up and towed 2,800 miles cross-country in

The '10 Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab 4x4 we chose is just about perfect. It comes with a 6.7L Cummins diesel, six-speed manual Mercedes transmission, and AAM 91/4 and 111/2 axles. We chose the base ST model with Dark Slate and Medium Graystone interior colors, but vinyl seat and floor coverings. We did option a few extra items: a heavy-duty snowplow package with a 180-amp alternator and a transfer case skidplate, $135; an additional cigar lighter, $30; 3.73 gears with 265/70R17 off-road tires, $200; a bedliner, $245; and the integrated trailer brake controller, $230. These are all important upgrades for a truck destined to drag trailers, haul stuff, and serve as a backcountry explorer, highway hauler, and weekly work machine for the next several hundred thousand miles. We'll likely spruce it up, but only to make it work harder, go farther, and be more useful.

The White Truck hasn't been babied. In fact, over half of the miles put on it prior to its first oil change were with a trailer behind it.
The White Truck hasn't been babied. In fact, over half of the miles put on it prior to its
The straight-six Cummins is a brute but doesn't get excellent mileage just yet (we average 11 mpg towing), though we hear it takes about 10,000 miles to break in the engine and then mileage should increase.
The straight-six Cummins is a brute but doesn't get excellent mileage just yet (we average
Vinyl floor mats! You wouldn't believe how many of our friends were amazed that these are still available. No more worries about muddy boots on fancy carpet, though we will add Mopar floor mats in the future.
Vinyl floor mats! You wouldn't believe how many of our friends were amazed that these are

The interior of the Ram is simple. It has power windows, vinyl seats and floors, and a basic AM/FM/CD player. You can only get crank windows on the regular cab, and we needed the extra space of the crew cab for camera gear, a dog, an ARB Fridge Freezer, and stuff that needs to be locked up inside. The vinyl seats look like leather but don't have power controls.
The interior of the Ram is simple. It has power windows, vinyl seats and floors, and a bas
OK, one complaint, and it's minor. The gearshift hits our tall coffee cup when in Fourth or Sixth gear. So we use one of the other two cup holders and saved the bad one for cell phones.
OK, one complaint, and it's minor. The gearshift hits our tall coffee cup when in Fourth o
Plastic bedliners have come a long way since they were first developed and will protect the bed of the Dodge as it collects all sorts of junk. The White Truck's bed will need to haul parts and camping gear and serve as a place to sleep miles from civilization.
Plastic bedliners have come a long way since they were first developed and will protect th

One other complaint, but it's even less minor than the cup holder. We wish the chrome grille were black. All Ram heavy-duty truck packages come with chrome grilles for ease of assembly. That's reasonable, but we would still rather have black.
One other complaint, but it's even less minor than the cup holder. We wish the chrome gril
How's this for fancy? Steel 17x71/2 wheels with 31-inch BFG Rugged Trail T/A tires. Chrome don't get you home, and painted steel is just fine for the White Truck. Bigger, knobbier rubber will come, but we're keeping the hard metal.
How's this for fancy? Steel 17x71/2 wheels with 31-inch BFG Rugged Trail T/A tires. Chrome
We are glad the White Truck came with flip-up towing mirrors and integrated trailer brake controls. We've towed in other heavy-duty trucks without these goodies, and it's pathetic. We like knowing the load is still back there and under control.
We are glad the White Truck came with flip-up towing mirrors and integrated trailer brake