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Cowboy Medic's Green Outdoorsman 2500

5K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  Rich859 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought the truck brand new in March of 2011. It is the Outdoorsman package Crew Cab Short Box. It came factory with a ton of features including the touch screen radio, power adjustable pedals, factory spray in bedliner and backup camera.

As part of the purchase deal, I got installed the following items.

1. B&W Gooseneck hitch
2. Molded Mud flaps for both front and rear
3. Power Folding Running Boards
4. Vent Visors
5. Tonneau Cover
6. Power Locking Tailgate
7. BFG AT 265/70/R17 Tires
8. Front side windows tinted.

I then immediately transferred from my old truck the IPF Off-Road lights that I mounted behind the grill. I also transferred my Hi-Lift Jack and the mounting rack that hangs it on the inside wall of the bed of the truck.

Shortly after that came a new DeeZee in bed tool box to haul all of my hitches, tow straps, etc. At the same time I also added the EZDown so that opening the tailgate is extremely easy as I do not have to try and catch it and lower it if I am holding things.

Sylvania silver star bulbs went into the headlights and then setup a relay control so that the fog lights can be turned on with the high beams to help light up the roadside ditches a litte better ( a must for the many late night drives across South Dakota). I also added LED lights under the bed rails and a trailer plug in the bed for the gooseneck trailers.

Next came the MyGig adapter for the radio which supply the video signal to the Alpine headrest monitors that I installed myself. I wired in a switch on the little console that sits in front of the bench seat so that if the kids are not behaving then the TV's can be turned off by me and not turned back on by them.

In the last few months, I had a bracket built that mounts on the frame and Tow Hooks area for a front hitch reciever. I then also wired up the power for jumper cables and my winch. The winch is a Warn 10,000 lb with synthetic line and can be used on either the front or the back of the truck.
The power to the front and rear is controlled in the cab with the auxilliary switch bank that is found in the cab and chassis trucks. So far I am only using two swtiches, one for the off road lights and one for the winch power relays. I also installed a bumper mounted plug for the block heater so I don't have to have a cord hanging around, just open the plug cover and plug it in.

I also added the Truck Vault under the center seat to secure my handguns and other valuables when we are traveling.

Last week I added the Trinity controller but have not actually mounted the unit yet. Planning to do that in the next few days. I also upgraded the tires to BFG AT's in the 285/70/R17. I definitely like the slightly larger size and I switched these around to have the black to the outside instead of the white letters. I think it looks better with the dark green and black elements of the truck.

Sitting on the bench in the garage waiting to be installed are the heated seat elements and the cab clearance lights.

I debadged the truck right after I got it. I have been contemplating doing the plastidip on the front and rear Ram's Heads. Still not sure on that though.

On to the pictures.



This was when the truck was brand new. Sitting next to my old 99 that I traded in. You can still see the Outdoorsman sticker that was on the bed. It was debadged the next day after these pictures.



Right after it was debadged.
 
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#3 ·


The power plug for the winch and or jumper cables mounted under the rear bumper.



The Gooseneck hitch is down and stored here, but you can also see the tool box near it. If you look you can see that I installed a second backup camera in the toolbox so that I can easily see when hitching up the gooseneck and don't have to guess where I am at lining it up.

 
#4 ·


The EZ Down strut is so incredibly helpful, I cannot imagine for the cheap price of it why they have not just made this a standard feature for these trucks. I know it will be a standard add on for me for any future trucks.



Truck Vault is very nice and secure. Probably won't stop someone who has time, but certainly gonna defeat your common smash and grab types.





Even though I have the touch screen, mine didn't come with NAV. That has not really bothered me because I never had it before and always used Google Maps on my smart phone. With the cell phone mount, navigation is in view as well as the phone for the U-Connect supported calls which works great when driving.
 
#5 · (Edited)


I love this auxilliary switch panel. I just wish the back lighting was there like on the other switches above it. I have really been considering going back up to a 1-Ton with the diesel as I am starting to pull some bigger loads again. If I do I will probably go with a new 2013 and I will miss that I can't easily install a switch bank like this.



Absolutely love the power running boards for these trucks. I will absolutely have these on my next truck as well. Even my two year old can get in the truck on her own with these. They come down so much lower and make getting into the truck feel comfortable and natural versus a higher step like the factory tubes. Wife made fun of me and groused about the price until after the first few weeks and now she won't let me get another truck without them either.



Hard to see in the daylight, but there are LED lights that light up the boards when they are down. I just thought it was just extra fluff, but I really like them at night, especially when you have someone riding with you that doesn't know about the boards lowering down. Helps draw attention and stopped banged shins.
 
#6 ·


Well, that is my current truck for cruising the Black Hills. As I stated at the beginning, I will be mounting up the Trinity, the heated seats and the cab clearance lights in the near future. I will update the thread then as I keep adding the goodies.

Thanks for looking!!!

Jon
 
#8 ·
Very nice looking truck can't wait to see some more, whenever you are ready for more mods let either myself or Andrew aka fastNugly know, we would be more than happy to get you the best deals around :)

Thanks
Jeremiah
Discount Auto Performance
 
#12 ·
I thought I had pictures of when I was installing the headrest monitors. I will keep looking for them post them if I find them.

The cords to power them are run inside the seats and then under the carpet up to the dash. The interface for the video inputs is secured underneath the radio and behind the center faceplate. I also put in a second set of video inputs in the upper glovebox by the USB port so that I can play video from an iPod as a second video channel. That way each headrest can show a different movie if I want it to. The video ports were the double female connectors off of a wall plate such as for a home theater system. Just drilled the hole and bolted them in plugged the backside with the cables from the input box and the front is clean and available with no extra cords hanging until you plug in the iPod.

With the MyGig I can also play the movie on the front screen while moving if I want to as well.

The monitors themselves, I installed by removing the headrests from the truck. I took the cloth off and then just cut the foam until I was happy with the screen placement. I then put the cloth back over the foam and then just cut diagonally across the square of removed foam. Essentially making an X across the opening so there are four triangles of cloth falling into the hole. I then screwed the monitor supports in with the excess cloth pinched underneath and the cuts allowing it to look smooth and finished. Again, If I find the pictures I will post them.

The process was one I followed from a youtube video I found on installing them. It was actually a very easy process and I wouldn't hesitate to tackle it again.

I hope I find the pictures and can put them up. If nothing else, I could pull the screen and just show how it looks underneath. I will try and get something up for them in the next couple of days.
 
#15 ·
Well, after all that work, I am now taking it apart again. But it is for a good reason. The wife and I have been doing a steady amount of shopping for a nice bunk house fifth wheel. After much discussion we decieded that we would rather have a diesel and a long box for some of our longer trips with a trailer like that. So I am trading this one in and getting a new 2012 3500.

Here is a picture of the one I just made the purchase arrangements for.



A big shout out to Thad Tucker at Dave Smith Motors for working with me while I sorted through all the details and questions of making sure I got exactly what the wife and I wanted. My family has bought from Dave Smith before and I will definitely look at doing it again. Although I am hoping this one will be like my '99 was and I drive it for many years and many miles.

I will be excited as many of my accessories will transfer easily and then of course there is the fun of setting up a new one again. Biggest thing I see to do will be getting some steel bumpers on it. That red just screams to be paired up with some black instead of the chrome. I am leaning towards either the Black Steel Elite's from Fab Four or the Sports from Ranchhand. Either way, gonna go with the bumper mounted winch for the front and use my bracket mounted one for the gooseneck flatbed and the truck rear if and when I need it.

I will put together a build thread for the red one when it gets here. Trying to plan the day to go get it, maybe the end of next week.

Just got to think of a good name for this one. It feels like it needs a name.
 
#17 ·
Just cancelled the deal on the red one. Damn the process of buying a vehicle. Why is it every damn time you have been talking numbers you get to the end and they want to start juggling and then trying to show you how even though it might seem like suddenly you are paying $2000 more really it is still a good deal. We are so close, lets just wrap this up. I DON"T THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just on principle, I will not go through that kind of run around. I get lied to and having people trying to manipulate me every day in my job. No damn need to pay someone to do it to me. You want my money and my business then you shoot straight.

Needless to say, I am still pissed.
 
#18 · (Edited)
That sucks to hear man. But I'm sure you'll find a good deal somewhere else.

Have you ever checked out billion auto up there in South Dakota? I bought my truck there and got a great deal. Plus they brought truck down to me. I'm not sure if they've got what your looking for but they are a good dealer to work with
 
#19 ·
Yeah, we actually bought the wife a 2006 Durango brand new from them. My biggest issue is we really want the Laramie and the bench seat and I am only finding a handfull of them in the 2012 3500's. It is looking like it will be a dealer trade no matter what if I can get one. Got two on my radar that I am going to see if they can get done.
 
#20 ·
I think I found a good compromise. There is a 2012 Outdoorsman that is fully loaded with all the features I like and we will just add a Katzkin leather interior to the deal. It actually gives me the leather interior I want but also gets rid of the Chrome mirrors and door handles that I abhorr about the Laramie packages. The other bonus is that it is white and grey exterior which is by far my favorite color scheme for the exterior. Trying hard to not get too excited until I have the keys in my hand, but starting to get there.
 
#22 ·
Well, I signed all of the paperwork at the dealership and at the bank. I willl pick it up tomorrow after work. I get the weekend to trade out my wheels, the DVD players and other goodies. By going with a new Outdoorsman, I essentially saved myself a few hundred more than I figured I would because all of the interior matches so I can take the brand new factory headrests and put them in the old truck and just place my DVD screen ones in the new truck. Same with some of the custom work I did to setup the Auxilliary Switches and the like. I will create a new build thread for the white one and document as much as I can.

Here are a few picks from the dealer website we traded it from. When I pick it up tomorrow I will start my pictures and post them. Then in the middle of this month my Katzkin leather will be here. Gonna be a busy summer with all of this work I got planned:)


Jon





 
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