Last year we built an '09 Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab show truck in our Project Black Sheep (Mar.- May '09). The new half-ton was built to clear 37-inch Mickey Thompson tires with as little suspension lift as possible. After a few weeks working with the shock research team at Edelbrock we were clearing the bigger rubber with just 1 3/4 inches of lift and total removal of the inner fender liners front and rear.
After the suspension work we modified the interior with Katzkin leather seat covers, and then took the Black Sheep to Randy Ellis Designs for front tube work in the form of a new front bumper and bed rails. The bumper was fitted with a row of Lightforce lights, while the bed tubes helped hauling a small four-wheeler. The final step involved a dramatic faux-armor paint job done by KC Customs in Santa Rosa, California.
The finished truck was a hit at last year's SEMA show, where it won a Design Excellence award from Chrysler, and it has since been displayed at various car shows and 4x4 events. Now it's time for Phase 2, four-wheeling!
In this episode the Black Sheep receives some better gearing and traction aids to make it go farther down the trail. Showmanship duty is pretty much finished for this machine; now it's time to get it dirty. The truck rides great, looks good, and over the next year will be souped up even more for off-road adventures.
The stock transfer case in...
The stock transfer case in the Dodge was a New Process 243. With only a 2.72:1 low range, we chose to upgrade to a deeper Chrysler case, namely an NP241J Rock-Trac from a Jeep Rubicon. The 241J is just as stout as the 243 but has a 4:1 low range and a fixed rear output yoke, and they are available through Mopar at your local Dodge/Jeep dealership.
Year In Review
The Black Sheep has become a dedicated daily driver, a tow rig, and a beginner trail machine. It still has the flash of its early days, but the bed has garnered some scratches from hauling axles, parts, and camping gear, while the trailer hitch has towed for thousands of miles. The rear coil springs get squashed when towing a heavy load but always spring back when unhooked, and a weight distributing hitch has helped immensely. Other than a pesky "check engine" light, the missing plastic tailgate trim, and a nonfunctioning 110V outlet on the dash, we've had little complaints from the trusty half-ton. Mileage has ranged from 10 to 18, depending on the load, and with just over 26,000 miles we recently rotated the tires due to some front cupping (a realignment is on the To Do list). It's still one of the best-riding trucks we've ever driven.
The Roc-Trac case is slightly...
The Roc-Trac case is slightly shorter than the old NP243, and the fixed yokes required new driveshafts from JE Reel. Due to the added length, the rear shaft is now a two-piece with a carrier bearing and a fabricated crossmember to support it part way to the rear axle.
The old transfer case was...
The old transfer case was an electrical shift and the new case is manual shift, so we removed the electric motor, plugged it into the wiring, and tied it up in the frame, then added a shifter to the new case. This currently satisfies the computer, which is looking for the old transfer case.
Next the Black Sheep was herded...
Next the Black Sheep was herded over to Off Road Unlimited, where we had new Yukon 4.56 axle gears installed front and rear. The Hemi V-8 had no problem spinning the 37s prior, but lower gearing will help the half-ton transmission survive over the long haul and make the truck that much more capable with aired-down tires off road.
To further improve dirt-ability...
To further improve dirt-ability we also added an Eaton Detroit Truetrac limited slip in the rear Chrysler 9.25 axle. The Truetrac is a helical gear differential, perfect for exploring backroads and mountain trails. Unfortunately the front independent axle has no locker options available.
With all the new gearing and...
With all the new gearing and tire sizes the speedometer is slightly off, not to mention when we shift into low range with the new 4:1 transfer case. To remedy this we are currently searching for a programmer to recalibrate everything. SuperChips has one in the works that we're excited to try out, and American Expedition Vehicles has also considered adapting its ProCal module to work on Dodge trucks.
Though the 37-inch Baja-MTZ...
Though the 37-inch Baja-MTZ tires clear the fenders 99 percent of the time, there is just the slightest rubbing when the front tires turn under full compression. By using an Eastwood Tools Fender Finisher we were able to fold up the inner wheel lip for additional clearance. The tool is easy to use, but slightly heating the area to prevent the paint from cracking is recommended.