Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

reddvltj said:
Fly by wire shifting... yee haww

So, in theory, a 4 pole toggle switch and an on-off-on momentary toggle switch could work.. If you're good at wiring that is... :ROFLMAO:
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Reading some of the issues people have with these transmissions not working properly even with the factory shifter I'm not sure I'd want to TRY. But DAMN it's cool as hell in some ways too.

Rickyd said:
Easy to adapt in place of the 545?
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Not sure what I'd have to do yet. But I think I'd have to send the wiring harness back into Hotwire and Chris would update it for the 8HP70/5
And I'd guess reprogram the PCM? But not sure about any of this yet.

Let me get the Hemi swap with the 545RFE done first. Jeff ( @NashvilleTJ ) has been happy with his transmission and I'm coming from having the 44RE/46RE so we'll see what I think of the 545.
 
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Wildman said:
Not sure what I'd have to do yet. But I think I'd have to send the wiring harness back into Hotwire and Chris would update it for the 8HP70/5
And I'd guess reprogram the PCM? But not sure about any of this yet.
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My uncle has a jl rubicon that just doesn't shift sometimes. He had to stop and unhook the battery for it to work right. I don't know if he ever got it sorted out but he still goes all over washington and the rural northwest with it on long backcountry runs.
 
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Rickyd said:
My uncle has a jl rubicon that just doesn't shift sometimes. He had to stop and unhook the battery for it to work right. I Don know if he ever got it sorted out but he still goes all over washington and the rural northwest with it on long backcountry runs.
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Do you know what transmission is in it? I'm not up on these newer models.
 
I’ve got the 8HP70 behind my Hemi. So far it drives like a dream.
 
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Couldn't sleep so I came out to the garage.
First on the agenda was the transmission pump.
Pulled it apart and located the spot I needed to drill a hole.

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Removed the plunger valve before drilling.

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The kit comes with a drill template and drill bit.

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The there is a deburing tool

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You find the type of plunger and install the correct one.

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Put the retainer in place.

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Pump reassembled after replacing the other springs.

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Next was the valve body shift plungers. This small valve gets replaced also.

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Once you replaced the o-rings on the plungers you put this new retainer plate on that is stronger than the stock piece.

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Then before reassembly the check balls get put in.

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Then the upper gasket.

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Valve body plate.

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Lower gasket.

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Lower half of the valve body

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All these screws have to be torqued to 60 in lbs.

Then the solenoid body bolts get torqued to 105 in lbs. The kit comes with longer bolts to replace the screws.

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JMT said:
I’ve got the 8HP70 behind my Hemi. So far it drives like a dream.
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I'll have to go test drive a rig with the 8HP70 at some point and see what I think of it compared to the 545RFE. My Dodge has a 46RE in it but it's also a the5.2 so not the same. And of course with this shift kit the 545RFE isn't going to be the same as a stock one. Jeff has a fully worked over 545RFE so all the issues with a stock one don't apply to his.

I've got to do some more investigating on what's required to swap the HP70/5 into a TJ too.

Almost done with this shift kit install. Got to pull the OD/Rev hub out and install a snap ring and I'll be done and can put the transmission back together. Some of my parts from FRP are supposed to arrive today along with the PCS power steering pump. So I can start reassembling the engine too.
 
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Wildman said:
I'll have to go test drive a rig with the 8HP70 at some point and see what I think of it compared to the 545RFE. My Dodge has a 46RE in it but it's also a the5.2 so not the same. And of course with this shift kit the 545RFE isn't going to be the same as a stock one. Jeff has a fully worked over 545RFE so all the issues with a stock one don't apply to his.

I've got to do some more investigating on what's required to swap the HP70/5 into a TJ too.

Almost done with this shift kit install. Got to pull the OD/Rev hub out and install a snap ring and I'll be done and can put the transmission back together. Some of my parts from FRP are supposed to arrive today along with the PCS power steering pump. So I can start reassembling the engine too.
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You can drive mine if you and it cross paths.

Like you said though, just finish the Hemi and get it going with this transmission. You can worry about swaps later!
 
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JMT said:
You can drive mine if you and it cross paths.

Like you said though, just finish the Hemi and get it going with this transmission. You can worry about swaps later!
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Yep, I just want to finally get the damn thing on the trail and actually driving. I'm not going to want to do any major work to the Jeep for a while.
 
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Rickyd said:
So when the dust settles is your ram going to get the stroker?
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I've thought about it..

Edit: But give me a chance to relax and enjoy the Jeep and motorhome for a while first before I even start thinking about doing something like that.
 
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Wildman said:
I'll have to go test drive a rig with the 8HP70 at some point and see what I think of it compared to the 545RFE. My Dodge has a 46RE in it but it's also a the5.2 so not the same. And of course with this shift kit the 545RFE isn't going to be the same as a stock one. Jeff has a fully worked over 545RFE so all the issues with a stock one don't apply to his.

I've got to do some more investigating on what's required to swap the HP70/5 into a TJ too.

Almost done with this shift kit install. Got to pull the OD/Rev hub out and install a snap ring and I'll be done and can put the transmission back together. Some of my parts from FRP are supposed to arrive today along with the PCS power steering pump. So I can start reassembling the engine too.
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My grandpa has a 2020 Laramie Longhorn Ram with the 8-speed auto and the 5.7. That transmission splits the powerband perfectly and makes it feel like it has more power than it really does. Like @JMT said it drives like a dream.
 
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Well I should have been here around 11AM. But then I did a brain fart and broke a part and had to disassemble the whole transmission again. But it's together and ready for filters and the modified transmission pan. Hopefully I'll get the pan done tomorrow.

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Have a doctors appointment Thursday morning. I will probably get started on the engine Friday.
 
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