2022 AEV Gladiator Rubicon build

[Flyin6]

Well, that was interesting...the total knee replacement. id OK for a few days, then things went south. Infection, major swelling, and pain off the chart (While on Oxycodone)! I can't stand putting drugs in my body, so I was fighting the psychological aspect of that, but in the end, there is a real purpose for drugs, which can easily be found in the "street" pharmaceuticals. So, infection (Staff) is under control and gone, and I am feeling GREAT. Walking without a walker and doing a light workout,

All that has given me some major planning and YouTube time.

So far, I have made several decisions.
I am going to long-arm the front and the back. I will likely be using the Clayton radius arm setup for the front. For the rear, WFO is standing pretty high as another not-so-well-known kit. I will use the rear long arms with the Terra Flex axle brackets, which correct the pinion angle at droop, allowing for even more downward movement.

I am going to do a 2.5" Coil over suspension for the front with hydraulic bump stops.
I am going to replace the Rubicon sway bar with a dual-stage unit that keeps a "little" inner bar connected on the trail, as the rock-jock unit does.

For the supercharger, once it is sorted (easy), I am pulling the exhaust from the engine rearward. Since I plan to shove a ton more air into that motor, I think I will accidentally drop the down pipes and then not be able to find the catalytic converter ceramics. (too bad). Then I will probably build my own Y-pipe from 2.25" tube merging into a 3" collector and then add a new 3" exhaust.

I may be tossing H2O/Methanol injection to quiet things down and get that sorted for what is to come...

That's the near-term stuff, along with tossing on the RSE steps, but looking down the road, I think I want to do something really interesting.

I think I'll have the power I want, but-
I plan to swap to 39" BFGs soon so that power will get eaten up. So, I will have my transmission built to something like the Hemi uses, and for the big piece...Build a forged, bigger-cu-in Pentastar with some port work, lower compression, and aim for around 18 psi boost.

The result: It should make 800+ horsepower, using just a portion of that for daily work, while still delivering great power at 12,000 feet.

Why, you ask? Well, mostly because nobody else is doing it. I have a lot of time in 800+ hp V6s, and man, are they fun. The package will remain close to the factory engineering perspective because I am maintaining near factory weights.

I do not plan to add D60's because I am NEVER going to pedal it hard over rocks with a wheel off the ground. And also because those RCV axles are guaranteed up to a 43" tire.

This is going to be one heck of a sleeper and what I believe could be a "lead the fleet" small motor version of the herd.

Leg is healing fast. Gonna get wrenching hopefully in a week

YIPPEE!

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[Lrowe]

Glad to hear you are up and about, and that you beat that staf infection. I am still following and the thread should get even more interesting once you start molesting the internals of the pentastar!

 

[Flyin6]

Glad to hear you are up and about, and that you beat that staf infection. I am still following and the thread should get even more interesting once you start molesting the internals of the pentastar!

Yhea, I know!
The problem with
Having a lot of time to think about stuff
and
Being retired (Lotza time)
and
Being in a good financial spot

Is
that

I tend to go a little crazy and start to think creatively

I don't think the platform has nearly the limits everyone seemingly adopts as "No one will ever go faster than the speed of sound"!
Well, someday, mankind will exceed the speed of light. We're at a point in between those two worlds
I have, for a very long time, wanted to build a rear low-pressure turbocharger feeding a supercharger. Looking at this body, it is easy. With a bigger and super strong block/crank/rods/pistons, head gaskets, you could boost this engine to 1000 HP or more.
Given that, you could safely boost it to 500 HP and use V6-sized parts like this Vortech V3 unit I have installed.
I could build such an engine and transmission for $10K, give or take, and learn a whole lot more about what is inside this thing.

So that is where my head is at, figurin' out stuff about the powerplant/propulsion system

The easy part for me is the suspension. That should all come together over the spring/summer.

So sure, this is going to be a lot of fun for me, and answer some questions people haven't thought to ask...

 

[smlobx]

I too am glad you’re feeling better and getting over that staff infection. Those can be a bitch to deal with.
Regarding the kitty, have you considered going with a 200 cell cat as opposed to the 400 cell (standard) that you have now? I used them in my race cars and it didn’t affect performance and kept the ecu happy.
Just a thought…

 

[Flyin6]

I too am glad you’re feeling better and getting over that staff infection. Those can be a bitch to deal with.
Regarding the kitty, have you considered going with a 200 cell cat as opposed to the 400 cell (standard) that you have now? I used them in my race cars and it didn’t affect performance and kept the ecu happy.
Just a thought…

-Good thought!
Here's where I was going, thinking

I have been able to completely remove the cats (Z06 vette), use the aft O2 simulators, but-
With HP tuners and a dyno, I was able to get the A/F ratio, timing, and everything else to where the motor ran super clean, with very little emissions, though not perfect. So, in my way of thinking, I was giving a conscious nod to air quality while doing it differently.

I am an experimenter. Not a big deal for me to pull those down pipes, disassemble them, only to find out they didn't work out. Me: Just bolt on new ones and don't look back...Not using common sense and wasting money keeps the marital relationship sporty and gives me reason to be on my toes and further develop devious plans to continue...;-)

What I find really helpful is what just happened: your suggestion for a different cat, driven by good old personal experience...Taking the advice of the smart guys is something I never shy away from.
Eddie, that being said, it's clear you don't know what you're talking about!


Just kiddin' ;-) Blood pressure check???

 

[Flyin6]

Just started something crazy

Ordering a new RHO!

The Gladdy is really just a fun/adventure truck. I seldom drive it, and being a 2022, still has under 20K! (But, what a 20K that was!)

My daily is a 2024 Ram HD dually about 100 feet long which you cannor park anywhere. I tow my Jeep on it and put a big slide in camper that I haul to cool places to hang out in.

So I needed a daily. Was thinking forever about a 392 Wrangler. but in the end it is not a lot for the money. Cool, certainly, but practical, naw.

But this is

2026 Ram 1500 RHO

 

[NC_Overland]

Isn’t a RHO about the same price as the 392 Wrangler now that they lowered the price about $15k?

 

[Zachanadandy]

Isn’t a RHO about the same price as the 392 Wrangler now that they lowered the price about $15k?

After reading the horror stories of issues with the TT straight 6 I think I'd wait for the 2026 TRX re-release.

 

[Flyin6]

Isn’t a RHO about the same price as the 392 Wrangler now that they lowered the price about $15k?

Probably closer. Looked at a MOAB 392 @ $84K. My list for the RHO just nudges $80K.

 

[Flyin6]

After reading the horror stories of issues with the TT straight 6 I think I'd wait for the 2026 TRX re-release.

Perhaps,
However, that TRX is a different animal. Do I love those things? Heck yea! But 10 mpg makes no sense for someone who wants to drive it cross country.
Looked at TT huricanes in RHO putting down 606 TQ to the road on a tune!
RHO's get 14ish, same as my Jeep, with some folks claiming 17.
Big thing is the price. That TRX will easily go $25K more than the little RHO.

 

[NC_Overland]

Probably closer. Looked at a MOAB 392 @ $84K. My list for the RHO just nudges $80K.

I’d get the 392 and keep your Ram for towing. I’m pretty sure it’ll hold It's value better too.

 

[Flyin6]

I’d get the 392 and keep your Ram for towing. I’m pretty sure it’ll hold It's value better too.

To be clear, I am not trading anything. I'd straight purchase the RHO, adding it to my stable. The 3500 dually stays (I have a farm)

 

[NC_Overland]

I’d still get the 392 Wrangler.

 

[Zachanadandy]

I’d still get the 392 Wrangler.

His supercharged JT is going to be real close to the 392 in both performance and capability. The RHO is a different beast entirely. I might be biased as I spend a lot of time in the desert at speed, but you'll never get a JLU to handle rough terrain and/or speed in the dirt quite like a trx/rho/raptor. Wheelbase is too short being the biggest issue. We run too many tight trails to justify anything that wide, but once we move to our AZ property/retire there will definitely be one in the stable.

 

[NC_Overland]

His supercharged JT is going to be real close to the 392 in both performance and capability. The RHO is a different beast entirely. I might be biased as I spend a lot of time in the desert at speed, but you'll never get a JLU to handle rough terrain and/or speed in the dirt quite like a trx/rho/raptor. Wheelbase is too short being the biggest issue. We run too many tight trails to justify anything that wide, but once we move to our AZ property/retire there will definitely be one in the stable.

We are both talking with personal preferences and uses. I don’t like daily driving a full sized truck. A RHO/TRX would be even worse for parking with those wide fenders. Plus a 392 Wrangler is just cool and as much as I do like his Gladiator, it’ll never sound like a 392. Nor will the hurricane. They’re oddly quiet and still a 6.

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