NovA Prospekt's Build - 2007 Power Wagon "Vengeance"

[NovA ProspekT]

Greetings comrades!

My name is Mike, I'm from a small rural town in New Hampshire. I purchased my truck in November of 2015 from a dealership in Georgia. The truck was in excellent condition overall, with ~84,000 miles, no rust and only a few minor dings and scratches. Full-leather interior, Infinity sound system w/ navigation & 6-disc CD changer, sunroof, fold-flat rear-seats, heated front seats and power rear-window.

Currently, the truck is my daily driver, utility vehicle(it's a truck after all!) and off-road toy. Eventually it will be used as a expedition/overland vehicle as well. Therefore, the plan is to improve it's capabilities both on-road and off-road.

Out here, the trails are typically slow speed, boulder strewn, ocassionally muddy and many-times narrow. No high-speed stuff unfortunately.

Reading through build threads on various forums has helped me many times in the past, hopefully someone will find something here useful. A bit of shameless self-promotion may have something to do with it as well.


---- CURRENT MODIFICATIONS----
-- Exterior / Body / Armor --
- White Knuckle Offroad Rock Sliders - .188" DOM Outer Rail, Semi-Gloss Black Powdercoat, Diamond Top Plate
- Aluminess Front Bumper W/ 2" Main Tube & Extra Crossbar
- Carli Front Diff. Guard
- BackRack Original
- BackRack Siderails, Full Length
- Truxedo Lo-Pro QT Tonneau Cover
- Pop N Lock tailgate lock
- MOPAR under-rail drop in bed-liner
- Vent Visors
- MOPAR drop-in, under-rail bed liner

-- Communications / Navigation --
- Uniden Bearcat 980SSB CB Radio W/ SSB & Weather
- 4ft. Firstik II CB Antenna - Red, White & Blue
- Custom mount W/ Firestik FireRing coax
- iPhone 6 w/ Gaia GPS app

-- Suspension / Tires --
- Cooper S/T MAXX 37x12.5r17
- Carli Extreme Duty Upper and Lower Ball Joints

-- Performance --
- Spintech Super Pro Street 9000 Muffler, 3" Single-In/Single-Out
- QuickTime Performance electric exhaust cutout w/ Pypes Stainless Y-pipe

-- Interior --
- GearKeeper for CB Microphone
- ProClip USA Dash-Mount - Tilt/Swivel Charging Holder for iPhone6 W/ Otterbox
- Rugged Ridge Floor Liners Front & Rear
- PAC iSimple Auxiliary Audio Input

-- Miscellaneous --
- MOPAR Engine Block Heater
- Bussmann RFRM auxiliary fuse & relay module W/ custom mount
- ARB CKMTA12 dual air-compressor
- Viair 2.5 gallon air-tank

-- Illumination --
- OEM headlights w/ Philips X-treme Vision +130 bulbs, upgraded wiring harness w/ 12ga. wire and relays
- Bosch Compact 100 Fog lights w/ Narva Rangepower +50 H3 bulbs
- JW Speaker TS4000 LED Auxiliary High Beam "Driving" lights (x2)
- Grote 30" LED off-road light bar
- Grote BriteZone Slim Rear-facing LED Work lights

FUTURE MODS
- Black PlastiDip for all chrome, including wheels, grills & badging
- Amateur Radio
- Wheel Spacers 1.25"-2"
- Bushwacker Pocket Style Fender Flares
- TireGate Hitch Mount Tire Carrier
- High Clearance rear-bumper(Mercenary Offroad)
- ARH Stainless Tri-Y Longtube Headers W/ High Flow Cats
- Aftermarket Intake(Undecided)
- Ported Throttle-Body (Undecided)
- Diablosport Trinity W/ Custom Tune
- Carli or Thuren 3" lift
- Rear Diff. Guard
- Heavy Duty Steering System - Including Steering Shaft & Box
- Rear traction bars
- Carli Extended High Clearance Front Control Arms
- Upgraded Shocks
Anything I missed?
PHOTOS
PAST
PW_1 by Michael L, on Flickr
PW_3 by Michael L, on Flickr
PW_6 by Michael L, on Flickr
PW_5 by Michael L, on Flickr

PRESENT
IMG_4301 by Michael L, on Flickr
IMG_4293 by Michael L, on Flickr

ACTION/POSER

PW_action_003 by Michael L, on Flickr
PW_action_002 by Michael L, on Flickr
PW_action_001 by Michael L, on Flickr

[Colibri]

Looking good! Welcome to the insanity lol

[coder]

Welcome nice truck, I'm partial to red 07's myself! Great list of mods, one thought you might want to consider replacing wheel spacers with a set of offset or indented control arms, they accomplish the same thing in a much better way. Anyway good luck!

[NovA ProspekT]

Thanks guys!

Thanks for the suggestion regarding the wheel spacers, however my intentions are primarily to increase the track width and therefore stability of my truck. Track width of a stock 3rd. Gen Ram 2500 is ~69", a set of 1.5" spacers would increase my track width to ~72", for comparison the Hummer H1 has a track width of ~71.62". That along with 3/4" lift should result a good balance between ground clearance and stability. I'll proably go 37's when my current tires wear out, so I do see a set of Carli or Thuren high clearance short-arms in my future!

[gun45boat]

Cool... Another project/dream to follow... Subscribed:) I see a bigger than 3/4" lift in your future;) as these trucks are very stable rigs. I run a 3" total lift on my rig with 40's and it is INCREDIBLY stable untill I roll/flop it, but I blame that on my beer intake, and my lack of caring

[NovA ProspekT]

***** CB Radio Install *****
- Uniden Bearcat 980SSB
- Firestik II USA 4-foot.(FS4-USA)
- Firestik Stainless Steel Extended Stakehole Mount(SS-194)
- Firestik 2-piece "EZ-Install" 18' Coax Cable W/ FireRing(MU-8R18)

I chose to mount my CB Radio to underside of the large insert in the middle of the dash. This location is out of the way, provides easy access for both driver and passenger, wont cause any noticeable glare at night and provides for an easy and clean install. I used a Dremel with a cut-off wheel for cutting the plastic. Keep an assortment of zip-ties handy to secure the coax where necessary. The coax will be run behind the dash from the radio, up through the drivers side A-pillar, above the headliner, down the driver's side C-pillar and out the drivers side cab vent to the antenna.

NOTE:Due to the size of the Bearcat 980 it is necessary to mount it to the rightmost side of the panel, otherwise it will interfere with the transfercase shift-lever when moved to Neutral or 4-Low. It is also necessary for the radio to sit at a slight upwards angle, in order for the power and coax cables to clear behind the dash.



I apologize in advance for the lack of pictures for some steps, I didn't take any while everything was torn apart as I didn't know I would be doing a write-up at the time.


Start by removing the entire center console, including the large dash-insert the CB radio will be mounted to.

The insert will need to be cut-out for the radio to fit through, measure the height and width of the radio body and cut as necessary. Because the radio must sit at a slight angle, I cut the hole lower in the panel. I then mounted the radio bracket to the top of the insert with two short bolts, using fender washers to lessen the stress of the radio's weight on the plastic. The bracket is mounted as far forward as it would go, keeping the front lip of the bracket and dash insert even.


A section of the dash behind the insert will need to be cut-out similar to the insert. There are two metal supports that run horizontally behind the dash, the top portion of the cut-out runs just below the the top support and just above the bottom support.


Install the antenna mount. My plastic bed-rail covers do not have stakehole cut-outs, so a bit of work with the Dremel was necessary. I used Loctite 242(Blue) threadlocker on all 4 mounting bolts to help keep them from loosening up. I spray-painted the mount black, making sure to remove any primer/paint underneath the bolt heads, in order to properly ground the mount to the vehicle. I also scuffed up the bottom of the lip inside of the stakehole.


Remove the rear seats. Each seat is secured through the floorpan with 4 bolts, these can be removed with an 18mm wrench or socket. There are several wide "hooks" which attach through metal loops mounted to the rear wall of the cab, lift the seats straight up and voila!





Carefully move the drivers side of the insulation/sound-deadening panel away from the rear wall of the cab, removing the entire panel is not necessary.


Carefully feed your coax through a slot in the rear drivers side cab vent. If necessary, the rear cab vent can be easily removed. This was necessary for me in order to feed the radio side of my coax through the vent, as the FireRing on the antenna side is too large to fit through with out modification to the vent itself. At this point I would recommend installing the coax on the antenna mount to ensure you have enough fed through, leave a few more inches between the cab and bed than necessary(just in case).



Run the coax from the cab vent along the back wall to the drivers side C-pillar, tuck the coax behind the C-pillar and run it up towards the roof and into the headliner. The headliner on the driver's side must be pulled down and out of the way.
It is not necessary to remove the whole headliner, it may simply be un-tucked from the weatherstripping. It is necessary to remove the drivers side visor mount(2 torx screws) and I partially removed the B-pillar trim to help.


The drivers side A-pillar trim must be removed as well. Remove the two plastic trim plugs located above and below the grab handle and remove the bolts in each hole. The trim panel is further secured with several metal clips, carefully pull the panel away from the A-pillar and remove it. Run the coax above the headliner and down along the A-pillar. Run the coax along the underside of the dash to the radio and connect it.



Next, connect the power wire to the radio and run it to the firewall. I ran both the coax and power wires above the fixed tube(?) around the steering shaft. There is a hole in the firewall, covered by a black plastic plate secured with 2 bolts. Loosen the bolts as necessary and feed the power wires through, being careful not to cut them.
NOTE: I am eventually going to remove the plastic cover entirely and replace it with a rubber grommet like used elsewhere on the firewall.






Soon, I will be installing an auxiliary fuse-block and the radio will be powered from that. For now, the CB radio is wired straight to the battery using 2 yellow crimp-on ring terminals, attached to the bolts securing the terminal lugs. By doing this, the radio may be operated without the truck running or the key turned to Accessory, just don't forget to shut it off!


***** ProClip USA Cellphone Holder *****
- ProClip 06-09 Dodge Ram Center Dash Mount
- Tilt/Swivel Charging Holder for iPhone 6 W/ Otterbox Defender Case
This is one of those must have's IMO. The mount securely "clips" onto the dash trim, aided by a bit of adhesive tape. Takes all of 2 minutes and is very secure, no issues through hundreds of miles of backroad's and the accompanying whoops, potholes and washboard. The phone holder tilt's and swivels, allowing you to position it just right. The particular holder I purchased includes a USB adapter and a generous amount of wire, allowing the unit to be hardwired. For now, the unit is powered via an accessory plug on my dash, I'll hardwire it when I get my auxiliary fuse block.






***** White Knuckle Off Road Rock Sliders*****
- White Knuckle Offroad Rock Sliders for Dodge Power Wagon
SPECS:
- 188" DOM Outer Rail
- Semi-Gloss Black Powdercoat
- Full Diamondplate Top

[NovA ProspekT]

***** SpinTech Super Pro Street 9000 Install *****
- SpinTech Super Pro Street 9000 (Stainless Steel - 3in. Offset Inlet / 3in. Center Outlet)(#9443)
- Tenneco Mega Lap Joint Band Clamp (# 33272)
- Tenneco Mega Butt Joint Band Clamp (# 33278)
- Kooks Exhaust Turnout 12" (# 9110)

Just got my new exhaust installed a few days ago, lovin' it! It has a nice deep and aggressive tone, not very loud at idle and while coasting along it's almost silent, but when you get on it, it's beastly! Especially at WOT! A bit of drone while under load at certain RPM's, however I believe this is due to the turndown, not the muffler itself.

Install was pretty simple, support the old muffler with jack-stands or sumthin' and remove the rubber exhaust hangers. While the factory exhaust IS clamped on, they tighten the clamps enough to crush the pipes into each other, requiring the muffler to be cut-off. Remove the front skid-bars and hack-away! I cut mine of right at the muffler, leaving as much factory pipe as I could. I slipped the inlet of my new muffler over the old exhaust pipe(after a bit of deburring) and secured it using the lap joint band clamp. The outlet side of the muffler is 3" Inside Diameter and every turndown on the market is 3" ID as well, the butt joint band clamp solved that problem! I then used an old exhaust clamp and exhaust hanger I found collecting dust in my basement to furnish my own exhaust hanger, I'll probably redo it someday, but for now, it works!

I'll get some drive-by and in-cab video later.














Hear it HERE

[adeluca73]

Sounds awesome, love that throat!!

[Colibri]

Great sound!

[NovA ProspekT]

Thanks guys! Haven't got a chance to record a good drive-by/in-cab video, I haven't forgot about it though!

Changed my oil and installed a couple of cool decals the other day.

I also ordered my Aluminess front bumper with brush guard, crossbar and 2" pipe. Should be here within 6-8 weeks.


Nectar of the auto-gods.




Nuff' said.

[SheepdogOutdoorsman]

I really like that decal ... Nice way to represent ... Kudos


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SheepdogOutdoorsman]

Here's another good one for the tailgate ...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Will]

That's all kinds of fucked up right there.

[olyelr]

Lmao!!!!

[NovA ProspekT]

So, apparently its been over two months since I've last updated this thread; time sure does fly!

Not to worry, the Wagon's been taken good care of, including a few off-road adventures!

So first off, about a month ago I purchased a BackRack Original Rack, their Siderails and a Truxedo Lo Pro QT Tonneau Cover; this combination is extremely versatile, while keeping weight, bulk and cost to a minimum. I am more than satisfied with the quality and utility of all three and they work very well together! It also cost much less than a fiberglass cap and even some hard-folding tonneau's! I made a custom mount for my CB radio antenna using the offset stake-hole mount I already had and a small piece of flat stock from the local hardware store, I also placed some thin closed-cell foam strips between the mounts and the rack.

- BackRack Original Rack (#15006)
- BackRack Hardware Kit(#30117)
- BackRack Tonneau Cover Adapter Kit(#92517)
- BackRack Full Length Siderails(#65517)
- Truxedo Lo Pro QT Tonneau Cover(#546601)









Carli Diff Guard

Just as important as rock-sliders and skid-plates IMO. After all, your front differential is exposed to hazards more than pretty much anything else.








AND NOW - THE MAIN COURSE...

the Aluminess Front Bumper...

...with 2" Main Tube and Extra Crossbar.

Seriously, this thing is awesome. It weighs only a few pounds more than the stock bumper, while being stronger and providing much more protection for the front of your truck. The quality of materials and construction isexcellent. It has a good-bit more clearance than the factory bumper, not as much as the Thuren or Mercenary offerings, but it is more than adequate. The two recessed light-holes are sized to accept a 7" light, such as a Hell 4000 Compact and the shackle mounts accept a shackle with up-to a 1" pin diameter. Yes, it is rather expensive, however, it is comparable cost-wise to most similarly configured steel bumpers, at one-third the weight. Installation is quite simple, taking me about 2 hours total at a relaxed pace.

Now, for the big question: would I buy it again?

Answer: absolutely!

I also installed an inexpensive PA speaker, for use with my CB radio.

[Colibri]

Looks great, nice work Nova!!

[olyelr]

Moving right along!

[NovA ProspekT]

Who knows what this is?

[nts007]

Custom locker hardware kit??

[NovA ProspekT]

Came from the land down under. Two 40-amp fuses.

[Retired BLM Rig]

ARB twin air compressor wiring harness!

[NovA ProspekT]

ARB twin air compressor wiring harness!

That was quick...

I also got a 2.5-gallon Viair tank, I'm just waiting on a few other parts that should be here later this week. I should have everything installed by next Tuesday at the latest.

I've got 5 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx on order for next week as well, size 37x12.5r17 of course.

Replaced transmission fluid and filters. Transgo 545RFE-HD2 shift-kit installed.

2017 is off to a good start.

[olyelr]

Yea moving right along after the holidays!

What did you get an air tank for, plan on running power tools? Or just want the option of compressed air?

[NovA ProspekT]

Yea moving right along after the holidays!

What did you get an air tank for, plan on running power tools? Or just want the option of compressed air?

I won't be able to carry a 37" spare under the bed, that free's up a lot of space. I figured it couldn't hurt to have, I don't plan on carrying any air tools but it does give me the option.

[rkgzx9leftcoast]

Nice looking truck. I am thinking about the ARB compressor or maybe just a Power Tank CO2 tank....