Ram Power Wagon
source: ShutterStock
If big, bad, and excessive is your sort of thing, then you would quickly agree that the Ram Power Wagon is easily one of the best off-road vehicles. The latest Power Wagon boasts an astounding 14.3 inches of ground clearance (for comparison, the standard sedan offers about 5” of clearance), thanks to its massively upgraded suspension and big, burly 33” Goodyear tires. When we say “big”, we mean heavy, too. The Power Wagon weighs in at over 7,000 pounds, which is all put to a stop with huge 14” brakes.
Making such a big, heavy truck capable off-road took some unique engineering. The Power Wagon, therefore, incorporates technology usually only found on heavily modified vehicles like Wranglers and trophy trucks. Some of that tech includes electronically disconnecting roll bars which offer the Wagon up to 26” of articulation. A big, 11.5” rear axle helps the Power Wagon transfer all of its 6.4L Hemi’s 429 torques to the rear wheels with ease. Of course, to make the Power Wagon a proper off-road vehicle, Dodge equipped the truck’s axles with electronic lockers that can be turned on and off with the flick of a switch. Without locking axles, the Power Wagon’s brute force would mean each wheel would spin hopelessly the moment they encountered loose gravel, dirt, or rocky terrain.
Helping control those beefy axles are sets of Bilstein shocks and revised coil springs. These upgraded dampers and their increased height provide the Power Wagon with some impressive 4×4 figures: Approach angle is 33.6”, departure angle is 26.2”, and breakover angle is 23.5”. In the unlikely event, you’re ballsy enough to test the limits of those advertised angles, you won’t necessarily be stuck for good. The Power Wagon includes an integrated winch, rated to recover at 12,000 pounds.
source: ShutterStock
Obviously, getting stuck likely means you’ve planted your front or rear bumpers into some terrain, so they come powder coated from the factory for extra protection on the trails. Even though the Power Wagon uses coil springs in lieu of traditional leaf springs, this big, bad truck can still haul plenty of weight. Maximum payload is 10,030 pounds, which is more than enough for any ATV trailer or privately-owned boat.
In case you were wondering how the truck got its name, the Power Wagon was one of Dodge’s original creations. The “O.G.” Wagon was also a massive four-wheel-drive truck that was based heavily on Dodge’s ¾-ton WC Series WWII truck. The civilian version of this military mover was one of the first commercially available 4×4’s and it helped start the pickup truck craze in earnest, making the modern Power Wagon a fitting descendant on our list.
