PC1P's 1998 Jeep TJ Build - "Ophelia"

Rear is a TeraLow (now TeraFlex) CRD60 rear and a Ford HP44 that has been narrowed to Wagoneer width for ease of finding axle shafts. 5.13 gears with ARB lockers in both. Rear axle is a semi-float configuration.
Nice! Sounds like a solid setup for sure, any issues with the stub shaft in the front??

I have a D60KP and a 14B left over from my YJ project. Like I said I'm gonna throw the 14B under my Dodge (it only has a baby 30-spline rear Dana 60 currently) but I'm going to keep the D60KP front for sure. I mean it's cleaned, stripped, painted and ready to be built, plus I have all GM kingpin parts, knuckles, spindles, etc. For what I paid for it, it can sit in my future shop for as long as it needs :)
 
Nice! Sounds like a solid setup for sure, any issues with the stub shaft in the front??

I have a D60KP and a 14B left over from my YJ project. Like I said I'm gonna throw the 14B under my Dodge (it only has a baby 30-spline rear Dana 60 currently) but I'm going to keep the D60KP front for sure. I mean it's cleaned, stripped, painted and ready to be built, plus I have all GM kingpin parts, knuckles, spindles, etc. For what I paid for it, it can sit in my future shop for as long as it needs :)


No I haven't had issues with stub shafts on the front axle. I broke the passenger side shaft once but I was running stock u-joints at the time. I had Alloy USA axle shafts at the time so they replaced the shaft. I upgraded to Longfield u-joints after that but not long after that my Jeep got parked. Now I have RCV shafts in the front and ball joint eliminators so I wonder what will break next.

I've broken the ring gear in the CRD60 twice now but it might have been bad setup both times. I have 30 spline shafts also so have but have not had any issues YET.
 
...I have 30 spline shafts also so have but have not had any issues YET.
The RamCharger is a bit of a beefcake - plus with true-to-size 37"s and a 408 stroker pumping out ~500hp/575tq (hope to tune and dyno it soon!), I don't want to find out should I decide to take her out on a Full Size Invasion adventure to Moab :) I had considered boring out the rear to 35-spline and building it up some (since the ground clearance of the "HD" casting is quite nice) but with the 14B sitting here doing nothing, I might as well put it to use!

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That RamCharger is a GREAT truck and I like them but I like some Blazers & Broncos too.

I'm worried that my HP60 rear isn't going to hold up to this 408 I'm building but if it breaks I guess it just gives me a reason to build a 14 Bolt or something else stronger but since I have a TJ and didn't stretch the rear that much I'd be a little worried what my driveline angles. will be.
 
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Got lucky on a Facebook Marketplace listing - got a factory Jeep Instatrunk for $80:
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Dropped the Racelines off at my local Discount Tire to have the inner bead pressed off. The new 35" MT/R's arrived the same day, so they added some soap and pushed them on for me too...

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Unfortunately, after checking fitment on two separate tires, the single 1/8" plastic ring spacer is just too thin. I had to order 10 sets (5 wheels x 2 sets/wheel) to get 1/4" of spacing. I guess this isn't uncommon on MT/R and KM3's due to their thick sidewalls.
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I need the room in the garage, so I'll be wheeling these to the back porch until the new spacers come (hopefully this week). Garage space is the priority right now since it's about to get real...

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... real busy that is! My buddy @Dale W and my YJ buddy came over this Sunday to help me get some things wrapped up (mainly finish building the F8.8 and Dana 30 I have in here for my landscaper who I'm helping out!). This coming weekend we are going to get the Jeep backed into the garage, pull the front clip, and get the drivetrain pulled! This will let me prep the firewall and paint it while it's empty, then begin prepping the frame for the Hemi mounts. Luckily, I saved the wheels and tires that came on the TJ when I bought it, so those will make it easier to work on...
 
After having some issues with the beadlock ring spacers, I finally got it all figured out. I had to trim up the inner lip and then everything fell into place...

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Been working on the Hemi swap some too... getting the mounts roughed in and ready to test-fit the motor soon. I also picked up a Novak TJ30H radiator brand new off of Marketplace at a nicely discounted price.

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With the Dana 30/8.8 combo I built for a friend out of the garage, as well as the old drivetrain out and sold, and now the beadlocks moved out to the side yard, I can do some proper cleaning and reorganizing. It's "organized chaos" as I called it since it rained on and off for about 3 weeks in a row, forcing me to somewhat quickly move everything inside temporarily. As I get deeper into this project, I need all the space I can get :)
 
Really like the Red Lock rings. The MTR's are what I want to run next. Like the build also!

What are the plans for the 14 Bolt?
 
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Really like the Red Lock rings. The MTR's are what I want to run next. Like the build also!
Thanks! I was unsure originally but they came out sharper than I was expecting... certainly better than the neon green!

What are the plans for the 14 Bolt?
I have a new MIK, a Grizzly Locker and 5.38's for it. For the D60KP front axle already underneath the RC, I will throw in the Detroit I have on the shelf, some matching 5.38's, and likely some CM shafts just in case. I'll also be adding the 9/16" wheel studs that I've had one the shelf for a year now (for some reason, the guys at Dodge thought it a good idea to go with 1/2" studs on their W250 and W350 trucks, but 5/18" on their diesel W350s.
 
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Thanks! I was unsure originally but they came out sharper than I was expecting... certainly better than the neon green!


I have a new MIK, a Grizzly Locker and 5.38's for it. For the D60KP front axle already underneath the RC, I will throw in the Detroit I have on the shelf, some matching 5.38's, and likely some CM shafts just in case. I'll also be adding the 9/16" wheel studs that I've had one the shelf for a year now (for some reason, the guys at Dodge thought it a good idea to go with 1/2" studs on their W250 and W350 trucks, but 5/18" on their diesel W350s.
Nice! I am running a Grizzly in my 14 Bolt in a 79 k10 I have. It is really quiet and smooth for what it is. I have heard that the 5.38's "may" require some grinding of the pinion support for clearance. I wanted 5.38 and was going to order that ratio for mine also, but I found a crazy closeout price on Yukon 5.13's complete Dana 60/14bFF kit and bought it instead.
 
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I decided to throw the 35" MT/Rs on the Jeep. Oddly enough, with the 31"s on, the drivetrain was too short for my tall jack stands, and too tall for my short jackstands. With the 35"s, I can just barely squeak the adjustable screw jacks underneath, which I like to use since I can tweak and adjust as needed.

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We tried test-fitting the Hemi + 65RFE but were not lucky. The Holley instructions say to set the motor in place from above, then mate up the trans from below. We tried to shimmy them both in there together since I don't have a trans jack and was hoping not to have to buy one (I don't care about the cost, I just don't want to store yet another piece of rarely-used equipment in the garage).

I have a few options at the moment but I think my best bet is to remove the tub. I need to strip the interior and tub for a number of reasons - the HVAP box needs to be removed to replace the evaporator, I need to remove the dash to swap the brake pedals, and I need to rework the wiring harness for the gauge cluster, NVLD and the fuel pump. The real big reason - I still need to paint this thing! I can do the remaining body work with the body on some sawhorses and then setup my impromptu paint booth and get it all sprayed before transplanting back in place. I may still get the engine dropped in place (sans transmission) get confirm the mounts are solid and stay levels (per Holley's instructions).

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The 65RFE that came with my engine was a 2WD configuration. Thankfully, the 545/65RFE is a completely 'modular' transmission, so I simply need to swap the 2WD tailshaft for a 4x4 t-case adapter so I can mate up my NP231.

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I need to clean up the flange and then RTV the adapter in place. Once done, I will need to verify the output shaft stickout. The AX15 had ~1/2" of stickout. I have heard, though no one has neatly documented, that the NP231 needs a 1/2" spacer.
 
Got the Hemi dropped in place - still need to set the trans in from the underside. Looks like everything should clear though it is tight for sure!

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Lots of space directly behind the flexplate but the valve covers do get close..
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A/C compressor outlets are close to the frame rails but may be able to work with modified factory lines.
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Got the 65RFE t-case adapter mounted up!
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I got the trans installed, thanks to a newly acquired transmission jack being on sale at Harbor Freight (not that I normally trust HF stuff, but this one is all mechanical with a screw drive!).
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The trans pan was ever so slightly touching the UCF Ultra High skid plate. I had to notch the skid slightly, which was easily accomplished with a jigsaw and drill bit.
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I saw a thread one time about the 05-06 gas tanks having issues with the ROV. Thanks to some advice from you all, I was able to get this taken care of before I forgot about it!
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With the motor in a good spot and trans in a happy place, I put enough welds on the mount to keep them in place. Next up is to pull the trans and motor out and fully burn these in...
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The mounts are fully burned in and the motor is in her permanent home!

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I have been working on getting the the engine accessories buttoned up. The intake has been installed, as well as the new Mopar water pump. I also hooked up the new return line from the PSC reservoir and the PSC pump I took from the 4.0L.

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I figured there's no better time than the present to get the harness work going. I have a few diagrams, including an electronic copy of the FSM, but the circuitry is hard to make out (the resolution of the scan/conversion makes it hard to distinguish some of the circuit IDs). As a result, I'm using an older 2005-ish NGC pinout and am verifying colors and IDs as I go along.

It looks complicated but wiring is quite simple. The biggest mistake I see people make is that they start focusing on what the wire is connected to, rather than what it does. Some wires are a control, some are a trigger, some are sense wires, etc. For anyone looking to do a conversion, do yourself a favor and stop worrying about where a "wire goes to" and start thinking about "what does this wire/circuit do?" and you'll quickly (and more accurately) figure out what connection is needed and where.

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Unfortunately - or fortunately perhaps - we have delayed our new home purchase and the move to Flagstaff. The housing market is simply too crazy right now - the number of houses available is pitiful and the houses we have been looking at are selling for $75-85,000 over ask price. At the beginning of Feb, for the first two weeks of the month there was just a single house for sale in the $450-650k price range (and it was baby puke green and straight out of the 90's inside!).

For those houses that do pop up, here's a good example of the crazy that buyers are dealing with. This house originally listed at $540K, came off the market within hour and then came back on at $575k list. It closed in less than 30 days at $75,000 over list with an all-cash offer. We actually went to view this home (it happened to snow that weekend and we wanted to go play around and get out of the house anyways). It was in nice shape with a good sized lot and a pull-thru 3 car garage, but had IKEA sourced cabinets, plastic showers, old fixtures upstairs and a number of areas where the previous owner cheaped-out on.

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Rather than blow a bunch of money and go immediately in the red, we have decided to stay in the Phoenix Valley until the move makes sense (if ever at this point!). The silver lining to all this is that I am no longer in scramble mode to get the Jeep back on the road by May. So with that, I have looked over my budget spend vs planned and am doing quite well (less than 50% of budget!!).

Selling off the old 4.0L, trans and related parts has netted me some good $$ to offset some of the remaining purchases. All that remains for the engine swap is an exhaust system (budget $800), ECM reflash w/SKIM delete ($200), throttle body & intake setup ($500), A/C lines ($400), and some misc expenses like fluids, wires, loom, etc (budget $300). These budgeted amounts are likely worst-case as well. This means I have a good bit of budget left to tackle some of the other work I was waiting on until after the move. I am thinking that while the tub is off, it makes sense to get this all done at one time and be able to hit the trails hard just after summer ends.

Post Hemi build plans going forward is as follows:

1) I want to stretch the axle back as far as possible without requiring a comp cut. Moving the axle under the frame requires frame notching and a much shorter spring (OEM length is most commonly recommended to match with a 4" front spring) and from what I'm told, these often struggle to keep up with a 12" travel shock. My plan is to cut the frame just in front of body mount #4 (similar to what Solman did here), sleeve and extend 4.5-5" rearward to get the rear stretch I'm looking for while maintaining the axle-to-frame relationship. The rear of the frame that would then extend past the rear of the body would be trimmed off and an HD crossmember would replace the thin factory crossmember. Doing it this way would allow me to keep my recently relocated spring buckets and keep the 3.5" RK triple-rate springs (which I'm really happy with).

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2) Once the frame is moved, I would replace the already-beat-up factory body mounts in the center of the frame with the GenRight HD mounts. These mounts accomodate a 1" BL that I already have in place, but would just simply require factory-height body mounts in the center locations and a few hours of cutting and welding.

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3) Once the rear of the frame and body mount modifications are done, I will tackle the control arms and geometry. I am (or was) leaning towards the Savvy Mid Arm kit, but was told there are issues with the front mounts and a V8 swap. I need to investigate this more; my alternative would be some Currie/Savvy double-adjustable short arms with the Jeep West geometry correction brackets.

4) After the above, I would finish the rear off with an outboard using the commonly recommended Poly Towers. If I can make the Savvy Mid Arm work, I will try to take advantage of the movement and setup for a 14" travel shock (likely a tuned Fox). If not, I will run a 12" version. I will pair that back end with a modified front tower and match that with a 12" Fox shock (noting that I will set the front travel bias before the rear based on plenty of builders advice on the topic).

5) For fuel, I need to talk to Motobilt. They are now offering a stretch-tank for the TJ's that utilize the 05-06 pump module (which is what I need for my Hemi anyways!). They say they are emissions complaint for all year TJs but I need to see how they manage the NVLD connector. If I can't get the MB tank to work (it's a 15-gal tank), I'll have to go with one of the GenRight offerings.

That will pretty much chew up the remainder of my budget for this project, though I will still want to do a cage and some upgraded seats before pushing it hard (hopefully we have some early holiday sales this year :)). It should be about a solid a performer on 35"s and TJ-width axles as I could imagine for the trails here in AZ and the southwest.

Any thoughts? Am I missing something?? Once this goes back together, it's staying together - COVID should be hopefully behind us and the events and trails I've been wanting to hit up will be open; it's time to start crossing some of the those off my list before my work-travel schedule gets back to normal.
 
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Have you looked at my build thread? I know it got kind of long but go back to around page 30 which is where the discussion about stretching the frame is. I moved mine back 4.5" and the tires are still under the body. And since I needed the room I also just stretched the front forward with the TNT Customs steering box rotation/stretch kit.

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Let me know what measurements you might need for the Savvy mid arm kit and I'll try to get it for you. I have my front setup to clear my motor mount but haven't checked clearances of the engine yet. That is coming next once I get done with the new shock towers.

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