My 5.7L Hemi Gladiator Conversion

[stickshifter]

Well we ripped my 2021 JTRD to the frame almost for kevlar and the suspension and other than moving things around (washer fil, air box etc) the springs were a bit stiffer and the transfer case in a slightly different location, yes it was a bit heavier. We weighed it at all 4 corners at King for the proper valving and Rebel dialed it right in with the springs and such.

How do you like the diesel, and what are your plans with the truck? Did you go King just to match your paint job Looks like its going to be awesome!

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[Pizziola29]

How do you like the diesel, and what are your plans with the truck? Did you go King just to match your paint job Looks like its going to be awesome!

Thanks! Been a bit over a month since its all done and have over 6000 on the OD. Been on a few epic road trips to Idaho in -6 weather with snow all over and some rock crawling. Mostly for overland adventures. We love it. Had the 2020 JT in gas and loved it, put 20K miles on it in a year so I have a true apples to apples comparison and by far for me, its amazing. I love the fuel mileage and mostly the torque. It is endless.

 

[Mopar King]

You misunderstood my post: I was saying that the Ecodiesel is ~130 HP down from the 5.7 Hemi, and that it has ~30 more pound/feet of torque. I was comparing the EcoDiesel to the 5.7 because Jeep is already offering the EcoDiesel in the Gladiator, so I was asking how much they would need to change if they offered the Hemi. Make sense?

ahh, got it now!

 

[Mopar King]

Thanks! Been a bit over a month since its all done and have over 6000 on the OD. Been on a few epic road trips to Idaho in -6 weather with snow all over and some rock crawling. Mostly for overland adventures. We love it. Had the 2020 JT in gas and loved it, put 20K miles on it in a year so I have a true apples to apples comparison and by far for me, its amazing. I love the fuel mileage and mostly the torque. It is endless.

Thats one sexy build my friend! Looking forward to meeting up here in coming months and trailing!

 

[Pizziola29]

Thats one sexy build my friend! Looking forward to meeting up here in coming months and trailing!

We need @Mopar King meet in the middle lol

 

[shrinkhead]

I think discussing a 5.7 from the factory is a bit pointless as it's next to impossible we will get it. if anything we get the 392 in the Mojave where it makes most sense and shares so much with the wrangler 392 already and it will be a similar markup than on the wrangler. you need a lift for both V8 HEMIs as they won't fit otherwise (hence the lift on the wrangler 392).

 

[shrinkhead]

Thanks! Been a bit over a month since its all done and have over 6000 on the OD. Been on a few epic road trips to Idaho in -6 weather with snow all over and some rock crawling. Mostly for overland adventures. We love it. Had the 2020 JT in gas and loved it, put 20K miles on it in a year so I have a true apples to apples comparison and by far for me, its amazing. I love the fuel mileage and mostly the torque. It is endless.

That's an amazing build. What's your cap and what's the trailer? Been looking at the small Vorsheer but it's so pricy for a small trailer ha ha.

 

[stickshifter]

ahh, got it now!

You know more about this than me - so what do you think? If the JT chassis can handle the EcoDiesel couldn't it handle a 5.7 Hemi? Sure, you'd need different engine mounts, but would you need to upgrade expensive stuff like axles? I think the EcoDiesel JT comes with the heavier duty 8-speed (when compared to the trans paired with the 3.6), so that is something that they have already successfully stuffed into the chassis!

 

[Pizziola29]

That's an amazing build. What's your cap and what's the trailer? Been looking at the small Vorsheer but it's so pricy for a small trailer ha ha.

Thank you. Its the RSI Smartcap. The Trailer is the Tuff Stuff XT. They are not cheap for sure. I realized when talking to people about the trailers you pay for what you get. Mine is about the lowest price point for independent suspension as well as all the pull out drawers etc with the off road hitch. Trailer performs so well and I dont even notice it on my diesel.

 

[stickshifter]

Thanks! Been a bit over a month since its all done and have over 6000 on the OD. Been on a few epic road trips to Idaho in -6 weather with snow all over and some rock crawling. Mostly for overland adventures. We love it. Had the 2020 JT in gas and loved it, put 20K miles on it in a year so I have a true apples to apples comparison and by far for me, its amazing. I love the fuel mileage and mostly the torque. It is endless.

Thank you. Its the RSI Smartcap. The Trailer is the Tuff Stuff XT. They are not cheap for sure. I realized when talking to people about the trailers you pay for what you get. Mine is about the lowest price point for independent suspension as well as all the pull out drawers etc with the off road hitch. Trailer performs so well and I dont even notice it on my diesel.

Did you re-gear or are you still on stock gears (3.73)? And are those 37s? If you are happy turning 37s and pulling a smallish trailer on stock gears that is a pretty strong endorsement for the 3.0!

 

[DAVECS1]

I get your point about rattling the midsize market - it would be a bit of a paradigm shift. However, I think the mid-size market needs to be rattled. For too long, buyers of midsize trucks have had to choose between a bunch of naturally aspirated V6 engines, all of which have been under-powered at elevation. I do understand that most Americans do not live at elevation... but if you load up a truck and drive uphill at 8 or 10,000 feet, naturally aspirated V6 engines struggle. And if you buy a full-size truck to get a more powerful engine, you are too big to drive the Jeep trails without constant pin-striping or worse

I don't get your second point about cooling and the chassis - given that FCA is dropping the heavier and more powerful 392 into the JL. If they can get a JL to run with a 6.4 Hemi that produces 470 HP and 470 lb/ft of torque, they should have a much easier time dropping the 5.7 into a JT; the Gladiator already has better cooling and a stronger chassis than the JL. Not trying to pick a fight - just wondering what you were thinking on this topic.

So my point about the chassis, was the following. In the jeep they are keeping the tow rating the jeep had or maybe a bit less. So having the 392 under the hood basically amounts to the wear and tear of a hyped up power plant. Putting that engine in the Gladiator now you have to think about the truck stuff people are gonna want to do and are the systems going to be adequate to do that. What is the marketability of a V8 that tows less than the V6?? At the end of the day as a hot rodders we make judgement calls and do what we want, but as an OEM FCA has to have their poop in a group.not sure if that helped to clear my point or not?

 

[Pizziola29]

Did you re-gear or are you still on stock gears (3.73)? And are those 37s? If you are happy turning 37s and pulling a smallish trailer on stock gears that is a pretty strong endorsement for the 3.0!

So...they are 40s. I did regear to 4:88. To be 100% in line from a mathematical point it was between 4:56 and 4:88. I am glad I chose the 4:88s. 70 mph no trailer I get about 22 on flat ground. With trailer about 19 ish. I rarely drop out of 8th unless its a steep hill. Axles were not ready at time of the initial tear down so that will be a project for later this year.

 

[Mopar King]

You know more about this than me - so what do you think? If the JT chassis can handle the EcoDiesel couldn't it handle a 5.7 Hemi? Sure, you'd need different engine mounts, but would you need to upgrade expensive stuff like axles? I think the EcoDiesel JT comes with the heavier duty 8-speed (when compared to the trans paired with the 3.6), so that is something that they have already successfully stuffed into the chassis!

I think the chassis can handle it for sure! I think there would be some fab to the stock chassis to get the angles of the mounts and stuff so they can drop the as is Hemi in it maybe. They would couple the Hemi with the same 8 speed they have been for years now with the 5.7 but we know from the Hemi conversions that have been done before its all doable. Its just really a price point thing at this point.

I'd LOVE to see it but......I am afraid we are years out if ever :/.

 

[Mopar King]

Did you re-gear or are you still on stock gears (3.73)? And are those 37s? If you are happy turning 37s and pulling a smallish trailer on stock gears that is a pretty strong endorsement for the 3.0!

Pizziola29 and I had a good conversation about regearing the EcoD. Even though it has all that addred torque you still should regear when running 37's and 40's.

A lot of guys think because it has extra torque a regear isn't needed.

 

[stickshifter]

So my point about the chassis, was the following. In the jeep they are keeping the tow rating the jeep had or maybe a bit less. So having the 392 under the hood basically amounts to the wear and tear of a hyped up power plant. Putting that engine in the Gladiator now you have to think about the truck stuff people are gonna want to do and are the systems going to be adequate to do that. What is the marketability of a V8 that tows less than the V6?? At the end of the day as a hot rodders we make judgement calls and do what we want, but as an OEM FCA has to have their poop in a group.not sure if that helped to clear my point or not?

Got it - thanks! Yeah, this is why I'm not a fan of the 392 in either the Wrangler or the Gladiator. Given the changes Jeep already made to the Gladiator when compared to the Wrangler, it seems like the 5.7 might work, but as some have already said - it seems pretty unlikely that it will ever happen. But let's see what the Bronco (and a Bronco truck I believe) does to Jeep sales...

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