# new plow rig...02 libby with 4.7v8!



## JeepCoMJ

Couple guys have done a 4.7 swap, but there's still no tech on it since they're all selfish.

I'm about set to start the wiring on the swap, engine is already in.

I'll post pics on that once I'm done.

Anyways, picked up a set of diesel liberty front struts with 19k miles on them to toss in and take up the weight difference.

Today I picked up a 2 year old Meyer DP-68 plow assembly without truck mount or controls/body wiring for $500. As I build pumps, and have built E58's before, I know what they sell for and are worth. this was a steal with the nite sabers etc. it looks brand new.


Ordered the mounts for a liberty already off ebay for $200. can't go wrong with that. need to get a controller and body side wiring, then i'm good to go.


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## JeepCoMJ




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## JeepCoMJ

can't do much better for $500


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## JeepCoMJ

here's the jeep


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## 1olddogtwo

what's up with the larger motor?


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## JeepCoMJ

lol. i can see that's not even mounted.

I build liberties. Wanted a 4.7 because I've driven WJ's with them and liked the power. it's almost a bolt in swap as well...grand cherokee engine mounts, bolts right to the 45RFE, power steering bolts up, hoses all line up, wiring all connects right up except for having to extend two cylinders worth of wires, and add two in. ECU plugs in, too.

only PITA is that there are no bolt-in exhaust manifolds, so I'll make my own out of stainless.


I need a tow rig, do not like car payments, do not need a 40,000 vehicle, and don't need a 10,000 pile of junk with a ton of miles. the liberty with 4.7 will be rated at 6500lbs towing capacity, get the same gas mileage as a suburban doing it. Pulling a 1200lb featherlite with another liberty or whatever will be just fine on it.

already has a 29 spline 8.25 in the rear, too. perfect for what i need.


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## 1olddogtwo

I must say we are a Ford family but we love the Liberty. Its a 02 with 150k, bought new. Its on its 3rd set of tires and other then the 3 water pumps and regular oil changes, its been problem free.

We good luck with the swap and the plow.


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## JeepCoMJ

Thanks man! It's good to hear some support.

I personally am not a liberty guy. I'm an XJ/MJ guy who fell into liberties. I like the interior in these liberties and the creature comforts, and i know first hand that they take a roll like a champ.

There are 4 liberties here right now...one we built out of two (the rolled 02 renegade and an 02 limited with a bad motor) and it's on 32" Hankook MT's on it, one I just finished building a new 3.7 for that will get sold, the orange one, and the rolled chassis is still floating around.


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## theplowmeister

So your going not only put all that extra power through difes and axles that where meant for a 6 cyl but your going to plow and tow with it?

Its amazing what you can brake with a V8


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## JeepCoMJ

it's 30 more hp.

my xj had an 8.25 with a bored and stroked 4.0 pushing more power than this v8 has got, never broke. never had an issue witht he d30, either.

If I break the front D30, it will be time to consider something else.


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## theplowmeister

JeepCoMJ;1629755 said:


> it's 30 more hp.
> 
> my xj had an 8.25 with a bored and stroked 4.0 pushing more power than this v8 has got, never broke. never had an issue witht he d30, either.
> 
> If I break the front D30, it will be time to consider something else.


That is a lot of work for 30 HP..

but its the torque that breaks things


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## JeepCoMJ

it's actually not that much work. it bolts to the trans. it bolts into the motor mounts. wiring is the same except a couple connectors are wrong but have the proper pins, and you have to repin the cylinders and add 2 more cylinders of wiring.

cooling pretty similar, just need an aftermarket cooling fan.


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## theplowmeister

Hope it works good for you, and its a conversation piece.


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## Sawboy

Amazing how there is never a shortage of "poo-pooers". Go for it dude. Sounds like you have experience in your corner and the ability as well. Post pics too!


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## 1olddogtwo

theplowmeister;1629857 said:


> That is a lot of work for 30 HP..
> 
> but its the torque that breaks things


That's part of the fun.

This negativity coming from a jeep guy is kind of surprising.


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## WingPlow

1olddogtwo;1629946 said:


> That's part of the fun.
> 
> This negativity coming from a jeep guy is kind of surprising.


thats cuz a liberty isnt a real jeep ! xysport


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## 1olddogtwo

That's a different debate altogether.....

My point is most users of "real jeeps" do some type of modifying to suit their needs such as the poster who's knocking the OP's project. How many have put 300hp plus in their jeeps for mudding, crawling not what not. Mine jeep(she drove it) was her everyday ride to work and now we just use it to haul the dogs around. It actually tows fairly too.


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## JeepCoMJ

theplowmeister;1629934 said:


> Hope it works good for you, and its a conversation piece.


It will work out just fine. as stated, the only issue will be how long the front diff holds up before I custom build a IFS d44 to replace it, because God knows I'm not dropping $1500 on a steel dana 30.


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## JeepCoMJ

Sawboy;1629944 said:


> Amazing how there is never a shortage of "poo-pooers". Go for it dude. Sounds like you have experience in your corner and the ability as well. Post pics too!


Thanks, it's definitely under control. as far aas my skill level, I've built many 4.0's to different standards, and my 86 Comanche is stoicly convinced that it's a 96 camaro with a buick 3800 s2.

I reman Meyer pumps for a living, and do some light residential plowing, so i've got a clue what's going on there too.

here's a link to my liberty build thread that's never ending

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f222/02-liberty-renegade-limited-resurrection-53070/


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## JeepCoMJ

1olddogtwo;1629946 said:


> That's part of the fun.
> 
> This negativity coming from a jeep guy is kind of surprising.


meh



WingPlow;1629976 said:


> thats cuz a liberty isnt a real jeep ! xysport


nope, it's not.

I don't like the drivetrain options, the IFS, the triangulated 3 link rear.

these things fell into my lap because of my brother's rolled one. But after driving his, I gotta say...they are WAY more comfortable to drive than any cherokee or grand cherokee out there.

and heated leather seats are the ****.


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## theplowmeister

1olddogtwo;1629946 said:


> That's part of the fun.
> 
> This negativity coming from a jeep guy is kind of surprising.


When you grow up,  you will learn that braking things is braking things and just eats up time and $$ especially when it brakes 2 states away at 3 in the morning.

I go jeeping to get to out of the way places NOT to see what I can brake.


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## 1olddogtwo

theplowmeister;1630271 said:


> When you grow up,  you will learn that braking things is braking things and just eats up time and $$ especially when it brakes 2 states away at 3 in the morning.
> 
> I go jeeping to get to out of the way places NOT to see what I can brake.


That's funny, if you only new what I do for a living!!


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## Sawboy

"Break".....not brake. If you're gonna bash someone, at least spell it right


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## 1olddogtwo

Sawboy;1630284 said:


> "Break".....not brake. If you're gonna bash someone, at least spell it right


hahaha, I guess I should have also say' if you only *K*new what I do for a living!!

Anyways....To each, their own.


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## Sawboy

Wasn't directed at you Pat....


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## Hubjeep

Geez if people would only get there spelling and grammer in line! :yow!: 


Teh 4.7L swap sounds great, keep us posted with pictures.


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## theplowmeister

so if I dont say 

WOW that awesome man, your the bomb, brilliant idea!!!!!


it bashing?


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## JeepCoMJ

theplowmeister;1630271 said:


> When you grow up,  you will learn that braking things is braking things and just eats up time and $$ especially when it brakes 2 states away at 3 in the morning.
> 
> I go jeeping to get to out of the way places NOT to see what I can brake.


Well.

I appreciate your opinion, but i've broken just about everything you could on trail, on road, etc. I've never once delayed the group more than about 15 minutes doing that, even when i mildly hydrolocked or when I bent my front axle. always ways past things.

That said, I STOPPED wheeling because 35" tires have no business being on a stock comanche 44 rear and non-disco dana 30 front. I could break those just by looking at them funny. That in mind, i could have upgraded axles but I know that I could easily expect to break dana 44 fronts, so dana 60 would have been the next choice...

but why? so I can restrict what I can do by the body it was built off of? No thanks. I'll build a buggy, skin it to look like a comanche, and call it good.

as far as the 4.7 v8 KJ goes, it will be fine. If I could keep an ax5 together behind a buick 3800 for up to 2000 miles, this will be just fine. 8.25 29 spline is d44 strength, 45RFE is built to go behind the v8's, 242 tcase will hold up just fine

I just won't go beating on it in AWD


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## plowguy43

theplowmeister;1629748 said:


> So your going not only put all that extra power through difes and axles that where meant for a 6 cyl but your going to plow and tow with it?
> 
> Its amazing what you can brake with a V8





JeepCoMJ;1629755 said:


> it's 30 more hp.
> 
> my xj had an 8.25 with a bored and stroked 4.0 pushing more power than this v8 has got, never broke. never had an issue witht he d30, either.
> 
> If I break the front D30, it will be time to consider something else.





theplowmeister;1629857 said:


> That is a lot of work for 30 HP..
> 
> but its the torque that breaks things


This is the exact swap I plan on doing to my Wifes 03 Liberty if/when the 3.7 fails. As he mentioned, this is a simple swap considering the 3.7 is a 4.7 with 2 less cylinders. And as for the 30HP, if you've ever driven a vehicle with a 3.7 you'll realize that its a dog of a motor. Its course, loud, and underpowered even though its supposedly rated for 210HP. In comparison, the 4.7 feels much more powerful than its 230/240HP rating suggests and is best in the smaller vehicles. All the while he'll probably get better MPG's out of the V8 than he ever did with the 3.7.

Only other option I'd consider would be the HEMI as it will bolt to the 545RFE as well. Oh yeah, once you are done with this, you should have your computer flashed so you have a 545RFE and not the 45RFE (you'll get a second overdrive and better shift schedule) I have the TSB# somewhere but its off a 02 GrandCherokee shift complaint TSB.


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## JeepCoMJ

thanks. I did put this thing together with a v6 for now, because I just needed a driver. a good used 3.7 "cheap" was $1700 lol. But when your block has 4 rods through it and the girdle, you don't have the option to rebuild.

The project is still under way, but I'm rebuilding a 4.7 HO right now for the project. 60 more hp just from the cams, forged crank. I found forged non-fracture rods for it, and it's being bored .020 over. should be around 70hp/70ft/lbs torque increase over the 3.7.

Also finished the wiring harness, and found a viable factory look option for the manifolds and y-pipe...use the 01 durango manifolds and heat shields with an 04+ KJ y-pipe and catalytic converters, and it's literally bolt-in now.

ECM is being reflashed to my vin and security code, so it will communicate properly with the BCM and TCM

I'll have $1500 all told into the swap plus my time. I have a body to put it all in to test it, then I will swap the 4.7 from the extra body back into mine complete with front suspension and diff, trans tcase driveshafts exhaust down to the y-pipe (I kept my 120k mile trans/tcase/suspension etc. from the orange one, put in the extras from this body just to get mine going), then put the spare body back together as a stocker with replaced motor and resell it. 

That will get me where I want to be and allow me to recoup all of my money invested in the swap and the parts vehicle, leaving me at my initial purchase price on the orange one of $1500, plus time into the whole shebang.

I've got the original TCM being flashed to 545RFE specs as well, but that doesn't make it a 545rfe. It simply allows for more use of second second gear (yes, you read that right), and does NOT give you a higher overdrive, as the 545 does have.

Also disconnected the torque management and added a factory look toggle for it. Basically it's a power/comfort switch as the old renix and first year xj's/mj's had. I'll keep it in power, don't need the RPM drop before the shift.


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## JeepCoMJ

Here's the jeep done, after detail, before putting the plow on. still gotta take pics of the setup.

Here is a link to my Liberty builds. Understand that, Ironically, I'm not a Liberty guy. They fell in my lap out of necessity. I'm a MJ/XJ guy by nature.

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f222/02-liberty-renegade-limited-resurrection-53070/index9.html


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## Sawboy

Cool. Lets see some engine bay pics.


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## JeepCoMJ

Meyer Drive pro install Pics

Front end removed, clevis adapter Meyer p/n 18503 and clevis installed



driver's side bracket. sorry for the blurry pic



clevis



Had to weld L brackets with bolts on here for the push plate. Design flaw with non-existant bolt holes that Meyer insists are there on KJ's


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## JeepCoMJ

passenger side bracket.



what I had to trim. Meyer offers this setup for 03-07 KJ's. Since there is no difference between 02 and 03 front bumpers, but there is between 02 and 05, I assume they used an 05 to design the mounts.



Where I chose to mount the connector and bracket. Meyer had theirs mounted through the grille...I am not cutting up even more to make this work.


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## JeepCoMJ

test fit of bumper and wiring headlight changeover modules and wiring harness for controller


installed, raised. Mounted and raised drops suspension 1.3". Not enough to be a problem.


dropped
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front
[URL=http://s248.photobucket.com/user/JeepcoMJ/media/Meyer%20Drive%20Pro%20KJ%20install/image_zps2a368b98.jpg.html][/URL


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## JeepCoMJ

lights on


controller. Didn't buy a mounting bracket for it, may do that, but I'm going to have it in my hands when I'm shifting anyways.


HFP is hands free plowing. It picks up power from the reverse light and, depending on how many times you push the button, will either raise when in reverse, or drop when in reverse. Removes a lot of thinking from the situation


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## Sawboy

I like it man! Well done


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## Banksy

That Liberty is adorable! Seriously, that's a pretty sweet build.


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## JeepCoMJ

Lol. Adorable eh? Guess that's what I get for driving a chick car. 

Still, it will do the job good as any wrangler, xj, or mj


Thanks


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## JeepCoMJ

This thing plows beautiful.


It has allowed me to discover some worn parts as well. No damage, but obvious need to replace the A arms with JBA stock height arms, as my upper ball joints are...questionable...with 126k miles on them.

The TRE's on knuckles are also worn, same miles.


So, thanks to Rich, I have CRD springs. Ordered all of the new parts, putting them all on at one time, getting alignment, then new tires. I'm also swapping the rear end for a 3.73 rear (matched to front) with trac-lock and discs. One of my wheel cylinders is leaking, I never bothered to look at the rear brakes when I put the jeep back together.


But, easily the handiest plow vehicle I've ever owned. It weighs so much more than an xj or mj that it just squats and pushes, even with crappy tires.


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## maxwellp

Dang! I keep telling my wife I am going to put a plow on her Liberty. Now I can she is going to hate me. It is a 06 CRD with a Green Diesel ECM in it. From the first time I drove it I thought it would rock for my residential drives. Now the CRD is way down on HP but Green Diesel claims 180 HP and 420 tq. The ECM real took it from turd to this is a Diesel? Tell me more how it plows, how big of and area have you done? How much snow at one time. I did not know anyone made a plow for it. That V plow pic is funny because I do that to my wife's if there is a plow in the driveway.


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## JeepCoMJ

I have plowed 4" snowfall with it, that's it.

driveway is gravel, around 750' plus the cow pad which is around 110'x45' branching off, and the top is wide mouth going to the road. takes about 25 minutes to do. No real issues with plowing, in full time or part time. Won't push for sh*t in 2wd, but it's open diff rear.


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## JeepCoMJ

Had about 9" of snow fall on saturday night, and 1-2" every night since then. That first snowfalls was pretty heavy, and we get drifts pretty bad in our drive.

In using it, I found it was a bit lacking in lift height with the chain on the last link, and there was no happy medium to allow for it to float down well if I moved it more than a link. So, back to the drawing board.

Built a new pump from an e60 core that came in with no motor, plus an e60h can, with an h cylinder out of an e47h, and a new style valve block that came in mounted to a ratty e47, put a spare used 2 pole mounting plate/cover on the side, with a brand new 2 pole motor on it. Even had the proper a valve plug from the pump the 58 valve block came in on.

End result, e61h. I will post pics tomorrow. Not exactly happy with the way it mounts...had to mount it backwards. 

I bent my OEM DP kickstand last week so it is out anyways, the pump hits the mount if mounted face forwards, or hits the old adjust port plug at full height when mounted backwards. The plan is to switch out the kickstand for the newer style crank type from the lot pro setup.

Anyways, with the e61h mounted up, it stacks like a son of a gun. Very happy with the increased speed, and finally bothered to adjust drop rate to drop the blade as quick as possible. It's a better setup now.


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## magik235

Great project Pat. When did you get into the Liberty style?


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## JeepCoMJ

Thanks magic.


It was right about after I got screwed by JJ and got sick of cheap xj and MJ sob's, and gave everything I owned for jeep parts to xjwoody (Kim), automan (Rob) and jerry.


Just flat got sick of cheap jeep folks and wanted something nice and professional, even if it was girly.


Now, the 4.7 swap still is on hold (motor is ready to go)...I had to put a 3.7 in it to get it on the road as I sold my xj, both MJ's, and the other 2 KJ's which left me with no wheels. Cannot deal with not having a car. Makes me feel stranded.


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## JeepCoMJ

Well I am new to salting entirely. We have a driveway that takes around 1,000 lbs to do each time, but have spread by hand until now. It isn't a regular thing that we need to salt...the drive is gravel, and has a great runoff so it clears itself well. It's when we get freezing rain that we run into issues..

Picked up the sp325 from the local dealer.. Was actually going for the 210 that just plugs into factory 7 pin trailer plug, but two weeks of waiting and freezing rain dictated that I get something, and now.

So, came home with the 325, hooked it up, and immediately decided that the factory is wrong on what types of can't cannot be used.

Ran 12 bags (50lbs each) of rock salt, that worked good. That was as many as I could get...everyone is out of stock.
Ran 4 bags of calcium flakes through it (90lbs each....actually leftovers from when we used to need calcium to keep the plaster from cracking in the public pool that I run in the summer). Worked great.

Then ran 3 bags of ice melt, and 7 bags of rapid melt through it.

Everything I ran through it, it fee perfectly with zero issues. I am going to run in and fill it at the local co-op with bulk and prove everyone wrong there, too. I bet it works great.

The only thing I can say is that it is honestly too small for my needs...but we will use it maybe 3 times a year. This is only for my driveway, which is also my business parking lot and drive.

Was new in box but didn't come with cover...that will be here tuesday



Just a happy customer. Thought I would share


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## ken643

I have never ever seen a liberty with a plow, Nice job!


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## Mems

Looks like it could use a 3/4" coil spacer up front to prevent so much nose dive. But it looks good as is. Just think you could benefit from a little more height in the front.


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## magik235

Excellent looking Liberty.


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## JeepCoMJ

The front drops .50" with the plow on and the blade down. .750" with blade up.


Have 2.5" JBA lift to install, with CRD springs rather than gasser springs to take the weight. The rear is getting air shocks.

To put the salter on, an extension hitch was needed. I will be making one that has around 150lbs of weight built into it to give me counter squat. Salter was empty for the pic, and no salt in the back either.


And thanks guys. I could not be happier with the way this thing works.


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## bazjeepers

Any recent pictures of your Liberty?


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## JeepCoMJ

View attachment 207457


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## JeepCoMJ




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## JeepCoMJ

Tried 7 different wya to upload those pics and have them right side up, but when you resize, it flips them top for bottom.

at any rate, never did do the 4.7 swap. Then it got too rusty and needed all new suspension.

so, I ran it 7 or so years, wore it out, and found a rust free replacement body which I promptly overhauled entirely, replaced the suspension with a nice lift kit, air shocks in back, decked it all out with hidden strobes and flush mounted salter control.

became an aircraft mechanic. ONe of my customers owns Daniels plows. Working a deal with him now for a pull plow to go on it.

Never enjoyed a plow vehicle more than a Liberty. Drive pro is holding strong (and I’m ashamed to admit that I skipped 2 years of fluid changes...shame on me since I’m the Meyer guy and know better).

equipping a second Liberty to plow with same setup for my old man soon.


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