Lots of HP

ramhughes · Sep 21, 2014

I am recently leaving the jeep game and geting into the dodge game. Just bought my 01 ram and have been doing regular maintance to it and fixing the problems it had. now its time to turn it into a mud bogger. I will be lifting it 10", and running at least 40's, but first i want to start with the motor. No point in having a truck that big if it doesnt have the power to push it.
As of now the only mods I see are cold air intake and a muffler. Does anyone have an idea on how I should go about building this 5.9? I dont know much about dodge and would like some info. I want serious power and no junkyard jimmyriggin ideas. all parts i put on this truck will be brand new and high quality. Also thinking about supercharging it so pros and cons on that idea as well. And anything else i may need to get the full potential of the supercharger. thank you for any info provided.

MoparMagic'00 · Sep 21, 2014

i would do a cummins swap for that application if it was me.. do you want to stay with fuel injection? are you wanting/do you care about staying street legal?

ramhughes · Sep 21, 2014

it seems like everyone has diesel. i know stock and turbo diesel obviously have more power, but i want something different. Im not really into diesel trucks. I want people to doubt the truck cause they know its gas, but then be amazed in its performance when i romp on it. as of now its my daily driver so i need it to be street legal. Eventually it will be built for mud bog racing and at that point it obviously wont be street legal, but i will need another truck to tow it before it gets to that point. If you fully modify this motor and its still not comparable to a cummings then i might consider switching, but i would prefer to stick to gas if i could. Would it even be worth doing the swap, or would it be cheaper to just buy a truck with a cummings in it?

B-Shot · Sep 21, 2014

What gears are you going to be running? 456 or 512's? Cam and valve spring combo is a must (the 5.9 weakest link imo)A Hughes / EDELBROCK FI AIRGAP kit would on my list too.
Figure out your running gear ratios and stall you want to run and build the engine accordingly (match hp and torque to the rpm ranges you plan on running will determine your cam options)

Merc225hp · Sep 21, 2014

What's your $$$ for this build, because it's not going to be cheap.

Johnn123 · Sep 21, 2014

All im gonna say is fun costs money, how hard do you wanna laugh?

Magnums are very expensive motors to build, CAI is worthless, muffler is just for sound.

For 40" tires gonna need a gear ratio at least in the 5.xx range and 1 ton axles bare minimum.

ramhughes · Sep 21, 2014

ok. so what are the stock axles and which axles should i buy? brand names and specs? can i order them with the gear ratio that i want or do it seperatly afterwards? I want something bulletproof and not going to fail on me. And you all would say to start there? As far as money goes, i know its not cheap. especially if im putting high quality name brand parts it. This winter the build will start off slow. Few new parts here and there. But i just moved here to idaho and when work picks back up in the spring i make pretty good money so it wont be an issue.

Johnn123 · Sep 21, 2014

Stock axles are Dana 44 front Chrysler 9.25 rear. They are usually 3.55 ratio, though a few had 4.10's. For this build, I would be using a Ford High Pinion King Pin Trussed 60 front axle and Dodge Dana 70 rear. The front is going to be a custom swap, you'll need to weld everything from control arm mounts to coil buckets in the correct spot. For this build I would look at a 3 link front. Need to decide if you want coil springs, leaves or coil overs. Coil overs are your best bet but very expensive. What gear ratio you plannin on using? 5.13 should be the bare minimum you use, anything else is simply not sufficient to turn 40" tires and will put a lot of extra unnecessary stress on your driveline. I would look real good 5.38. I would start from the ground up, do you axles first, then gears, then tires, x-case than worry about motor and trans. Thats what Id do anyways.

Be sure to post lots of pics and ask any questions tthat come to mind! Hope that helps ya out some!

dodge dude94 · Sep 21, 2014

I'd put rockwells in that ***** and run 44s.

Decomputer it and run a built 440 if you wanna really git r done.

ramhughes · Sep 22, 2014

Rockwells? I take it thats a brand of axles? Now obviously if i went that route, im not gona dish out the money on a new create motor and then build it, so what years and what vehicles had the 440 in them. what is the 5.9 considered? Why build a 440? I know the big blocks can produce more horsepower, but my muscle car buddys like to built up small blocks cause they say they can get more tourqe. wouldnt i want more tourqe for deep mud? Like i said, this is a new game to me. I came from jeeps, and all we did were trails and hillclimbs, so if im asking dumb questions i am sorry. And i apperciate everyones imput. Just keep in mind this isnt going to be a pavement pounder or a show car.. just well built mud slinger. Ive noticed no one had anything to say about the supercharger idea. And i will start posting pics!

Another question is ive seen mud boggers running tractor tires. Tractor tires typically have paddle like tread that would seem great for mud. what would it take to do that, and would it be worth it or will supper swampers be just fine.

Stegs · Sep 22, 2014

first of all you never leave the jeep game, your hooked into it for life, I give it less than a year and you will have a jeep again....trust me I tried to get out....they are addicting LOL

as far as mods, if you can find a 12v cummins, that's your best motor

otherwise, 408 stroker with some 4.xx gears will do the trick!

of course you can ad a supercharger to your 360 or 408 for even better results!

Merc225hp · Sep 22, 2014

I would not use a 3 link for a mud truck, but thats my op (thats WN crap). Rockwell diff's are used under most older military trucks they come in 2.5 ton and 5 ton sizes. Coil-over shocks is nice but not what I would use for a mud truck, stick to the stock style coil spring suspension or go leaf-spring. If this is not going to be a DD or road use truck then you have all kinds of opts as to how you build it. Big blocks are all about tq way better than any small block, but mud bogger motors like high rpm so a small block built to rev is the other opt. These trucks never came with a big block so that install would be custom, not hard but there will be parts that would have to be made.

As for the supercharger there are very few kits out there that fit our magnum motors and those kits start at $3000. Est to build a blown Mag motor would be close to $10,000 by the time you are all said and done.

My short list of parts to build a mud bogger

500+ cid big block efi motor or a Viper V10 motor swap.
5 spd standard tranny
Divorced Oshkosh Xcase
5 ton rockwells

Johnn123 · Sep 22, 2014

Merc225hp said:
I would not use a 3 link for a mud truck, but thats my op (thats WN crap). Rockwell diff's are used under most older military trucks they come in 2.5 ton and 5 ton sizes. Coil-over shocks is nice but not what I would use for a mud truck, stick to the stock style coil spring suspension or go leaf-spring. If this is not going to be a DD or road use truck then you have all kinds of opts as to how you build it. Big blocks are all about tq way better than any small block, but mud bogger motors like high rpm so a small block built to rev is the other opt. These trucks never came with a big block so that install would be custom, not hard but there will be parts that would have to be made.

As for the supercharger there are very few kits out there that fit our magnum motors and those kits start at $3000. Est to build a blown Mag motor would be close to $10,000 by the time you are all said and done.

My short list of parts to build a mud bogger

500+ cid big block efi motor or a Viper V10 motor swap.
5 spd standard tranny
Divorced Oshkosh Xcase
5 ton rockwells

He did do 3-link on coil overs didnt he? LOL I had totally forgotten about that. Thats probably why ive had that setup in my head :roflsquared:

Coils or leaves would be easier, I guess you wouldnt the wheel travel that 3 link coil over set up provides for a mudder. V10 is another good option for swap, maybe even the magnum V10?

Id listen to Merc he knows his stuff when it comes to this

Merc225hp · Sep 22, 2014

I do believe so yes.

Way back in my younger years mud wheeling was what we did back in toba (good old toba gumbo) and I know how hard I beat that truck and what broke and what did not break. Back then it was a built, 428scj, 4 spd stick granny low, dana 60's, 14" lift, 38 Hawgs typical old F250 mud truck build. Running mud holes was just a blast pin it, drop the clutch and go, this is where an high rpm motors come into play.

In short build it light weight but over build it and expect to break lots of parts. Have fun with this project and I look forward to seeing it progress.

ramhughes · Sep 23, 2014

merc, i like where your head is at. I was thinking about a v10 swap but people were telling me they are no good. Now that I think about it, they are all ford lovers and dodge haters so that would explain it. I think i might go with that build. Is there alot you have to mod or upgrade on the v10 to make it turn 40"+ tires and 10"+ lift with the right gears? Also I havent found any suspension kits over 10", is that a full custom lift? How hard is it going to be to find someone who can properly do the gears on military grade axles?

Merc225hp · Sep 23, 2014

The truck V10 and tranny would be a bolt in job, it was built to make tq and for a gas motor it does it very well. It would move 44's with ease. The down side to the truck V10 is that there are not many performance parts out there for it, I know you can get rr's for it and a few other parts but thats it. Putting in the Viper V10 is doable might take some motor mount work but that should not be too hard and there are lot's of performance parts out there for those motors. Both motor would need the wiring harness and pcm from the donor truck/car.

10" lift not to sure anymore if you can just buy a kit, maybe Mr. BBartow knows he seems to be more upto date on that stuff than I am. If no kits are out there than you will have to piece a kit together, if you go Rockwells the lift/steering and more will be all custom built/pieced together.

TO find someone that can regear the rocks that should not be hard to find they have been around for a long time.

BBartow · Sep 23, 2014

I don't know of any 10"+ kits. You'll definitely have to piece it together.

V10 would be cool.

Lots of HP

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