So I have been living out of my V2 on my '16 Ram powerwagon for a week now and I just wanted to post a review here. It was installed on May 21st and original deposit was back in April of '20 (I am the original buyer). It was a long wait, but I was very happy that I waited and got the V2. Apparently I was the second V2 installed on a Ram. So here are some thoughts:
It is a big jump inside if you don’t have a step to get on the bed. I have a decked system and it is perfect height for me, but my wife will need a step. I also have side doors and a ladder, but I have been camping solo so I am just going through the floor.
On a powerwagon with 35s, you will need a step just to get on the tailgate. Even closing the doors is a stretch and I am 5’10". I am planning on installing a strap on the rear door to make it easier to close when I get inside.
A lot of water drips inside when you open the rear cab doors in wet weather. I will be looking into the drip rail extensions.
It does get a lot of condensation inside in weather, but it’s a tent. Bring a towel.
There are a 2 pinholes in the tent by the front hinge that let in water while driving. It was enough to get the mattress wet at the front corner. I’m just going to get some sealer, not a big deal.
You can fry eggs on the black panels in the heat. Wear gloves. I wanted black for easier truck swap. I am questioning my sanity after the Washington heat wave.
My truck has Thuren front springs, tuned fox shocks, stock rear springs and airbags. With heavy rock sliders, a loaded decked system, other cargo and the V2, it feels heavy. It was scaled at 9000 pounds, so it will not drive like a stock wagon. It feels like I am driving an old baja truck when I hit bumps on 80mph interstates.
The camper does have a slight wind noise, but I really only noticed for the first couple of days. Gas mileage has not noticeably changed, but I have never been able to pass a gas station in this truck anyway.
Overall this camper is amazing and I am extremely happy. If you are on the fence and you own a powerwagon, buy it! Thanks for reading.
John,
Thank you for sharing your review. In my opinion you have a fantastic platform and the GFC just complements your rig(I am bias since I too own a Ram).
Enjoy your rig and Make some memories!
Robert
Nice set up and thanks for sharing. We have been considering a Decked system as well but we haven’t pulled the trigger yet. We are picking up ours this Saturday and plan on taking 5 days on our way back to Colorado.
Patrick,
You have mentioned in the past that you too have a Power Wagon. Post some pictures after install!
I mostly like the decked system, but it is heavy even empty and there’s a lot of wasted space. My wife and I fulltime in this truck and a classic airstream, so I am considering building a system to better suit our needs. When this was just my daily driver, the decked system was awesome.
There are not a whole lot of good plug and play options for bed storage so at this current time, I think the decked is great for most people. It is heavy but not quite as heavy as some of the wood based platform ideas out there. I also concur that most people who daily the truck love the decked and those who spend more time int he bed typically wish they had done something different to better suit their specific needs. We can all agree that the GFC is a great addition to any bed, for just about anyone!
@Mike_GFCUSA Is there a sealant GFC recommends for those of us with small holes in the front corners of our tents?
This is the first I’ve heard of this so I’m going to confer with the rest of the minds In the service department. Can you shoot me an email to mike@gfcengineering.com with a photo of exactly where you ware talking about? That will help for sure.
Will do. Getting stuff ready to head out in the morning. Super stoked.
Once you guys dig into this and find a solution, can you post an update as to what was determined? Cheers.
Absolutely we can do that!
I will get some pics of the holes when I set up camp in a couple of hours.
Not to highjack this thread but I am guessing you are talking about the corners of the tent where they attach to the floor ? See pics.
With advice from GFC I was able to relax the tension on the tent by partially closing it and manipulate/slide the tent material to close the gaps. A bit of sealant might be good too. Hope this helps.
Did you put a Ram drip rail on the back door of the GFC, or did that come stock? Now I’m second guessing myself on the black as we get serious heatwaves here in the central interior of BC, canada. But I would hazard to guess that my truck body is just as hot. As for the condensation, have you tried opening the doors a bit, or a little 12v fan? That’s my plan, otherwise I might put in a dometic fan if I feel brave enough to cut the roof.
Order up your @jedgar drip rails before they’re gone, they just came back into stock 
Rig looks great, look forward to my BigHorn 1500 install in September 
My camper is all stock, ordered with every option. I had 2 windows open, but with the temperature and humidity it got damp. A couple of hours of sun and all was good. I don’t plan on any fans, just wasn’t that big of a deal for me.
I’m pretty sure that is a drain hole, and from what I’ve read; I believe there are two in the extrusion as well. Which is probably where the water drips out and into your rear door when it rains.
Thanks Dignon, I figured it was a drain. Had the camper for a few weeks and just noticed it.
looks good. we hated going up on the inside, it would be fine for one person but a pain with two. We like the ladder entry much better. It is funny when you see guys in Tacomas and Rangers etc being able to reach up and do stuff but ain’t very easy in a PW. I use a Gorilla ladder to get on the tail gate. it is sturdy, light and pretty much the length of the tailgate and folds flat. It doubles as a table too.
