New Montero Sport Owner. [Archive]

shmabs

02-22-2011, 06:02 AM

After much research, reading, and this thread

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56840

I purchased an 2001 mitsubishi montero sport XS, with 110,000 miles on it. The vehicle is very clean, and seems to be well maintained, we purchased it from the original owners who clearly took pride in their vehicles performance and appearance. They were a pleasure to conduct buisness with and gave me much confidence in the montero after spending time with the previous owner, who was quite the accomplished mechanic and certainly had an eye towards detail.

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/RearDriverLong.jpg

This will be a dual purpose vehicle for my growing family, functioning as my wifes daily driver and our weekend camping, wheeling and adventure vehicle. It must remain somewhat fuel efficient, comfortable and above all else reliable. All modifications will be made with those requirements in mind.

Plans are as follows, in no particular order:

Maintenance: keep it reliable and working like it should, simple enough.

Wheels/Tires: a 265/75/16 all terrain variety tire seems like it would work well for us. I am also considering finding some 15 inch rims and fitting some 31 or 32 inch tires, and keeping the stock setup for daily driver/road only trip duties. The LTX michelins that its currently clad with would be well suited to the long road trips, but not much else.

Armor: I haven't yet made the determination whether or not the stock skid plating will be adequate for us. Time and some hands on experience will tell. The running boards will be removed in favor of some sturdy welded on rocker guards, even on milder trails i have found these to be a necessity. Bumpers will present a challenge for me, as i do not yet have a proper tube bender. Plans call for a rear bumper with removable tire carrier, recovery points, and maybe some better lighting. The front bumper would be much the same; protection, recovery, and tie in for a front skid. Bumpers are a long way off.

Drivetrain: intial investigations revealed what seemed to be a beefy drivetrain. I was quite please to see a large drop out third member rear axle, disc breaks all the way around, and a sizeable transmission. Current axle gears are factory 4.9:1, with open differentials. Plans call for a rear locker, its looking as though my options are an ARB, or fit a factory mitsu locker. I have found one locally but its from a 94 SR, which from my research should have 4.6:1 gears. Other than the locker, my plans are maintenance and repairs as required.

Suspension: I understand that the torsion bar front end isn't exactly known for having gobs of travel, im willing to deal with that. I would like to investigate some sort of sway bar disconnects to help extract what little travel is there. Currently all suspension is stock, with somewhat fresh bilstein shocks. The previous owner gave me some gabriel air adjuster shocks that he had installed when his scooter was on a hitch mounted carrier, i have no plans of installing them unless i really need them. Ideally some high rate torsion bars, OME medium duty coils, along with some quality shocks would find their way underneath the rig.

Interior: time will really dictate what we need, right off the bat i know we will need some sort of a mat for the cargo area to keep the carpet in decent shape. Proper floor mats, rubber and able to hold some mud/dirt/liquids are a must. The previous owners used seat covers since day one, i plan to re-install them. I was a little dissapointed to see that with the rear seats folded, the cargo area isn't perfectly flat. I had the idea to create a sort of false floor, to make a nice flat area, and gain storage at the same time. I have to measure to see just how much of a ridge i have, to see if the gain would be worth the time and effort.

Exterior: Lighting upgrades are in the works, no confirmed details yet. I am contemplating removing the factory fender flares and mud flaps. Both are very rigid, i fear i will rip off the factory mud flaps in time. It would be nice to have some rubber mud flaps that would protect the body but be able to be pushed out of the way by the offending obstacle. The factory flares and flaps are molded together and certainly look quite attractive but might not suit our uses. The montero has two factory roof rails, but no cross bars yet. A few cross bars and a simple platform thats easily removable would be quite handy.

Questions:
-Will a 94 SR third member bolt into my 01 Sport? I looked briefly and they seemed to be the same. i would obviously have to do something about the gears.

-Do 15 inch rims, with the proper backspacing, fit my montero? I know the pattern is 6 on 5.5, but i dont know the backspacing.

-For a roof rack, what feet have others used to fit a thule, yakima or similar roof bars to the factory rack rails?

Thats what i have thought of so far, but i have owned the montero for less than 36 hours, so i expect plans to change with time and experience with the vehicle. All modifications will be done on a pretty tight budget, being a fabricator prior to the coast guard helps immensely with that. I usually prefer to build rather than buy. I hope to learn about mitsu's (this is my first) and if i really like the thing it just might hang around for a while. I have a tendancy to buy and sell vehicles pretty frequently....

Stay tuned, i'll update as often as i can.

Mike

off-roader

02-22-2011, 06:22 PM

Very nice. I'm looking for one at a pick and pull so I can get the gears out of it for my SR.

1) That said, yes the SR axle should fit. Swap your 4.9 ring gear into the SR axle and put the axle under it.

2) They should. I don't believe the brakes in a sport aren't any bigger than the full sized montero so there's no reason they wouldn't since they come with 15's.

3) the thule/yakima feet directly on the roof would be best for strength (2x stronger?) versus the stock rack which is very weak by comparison.

shmabs

02-22-2011, 07:05 PM

Off-roader,

I dont yet have to tools or know-how to set up gears, so im thinking i would have to purchase the locking third (4.63 gears) and pay a shop to swap my 4.90 gears onto it. It would be nice if the ring gear was the only difference, and the pinion had the same tooth count 4.63 vs 4.90, but i doubt that very much. Whats a complete locking rear axle from a 94 SR worth?

Thanks for the heads up on the 15's, i will look into the backspacing of the stock wheels.

Mike

off-roader

02-22-2011, 09:15 PM

If you haven't set up gears before, it's probably best left to someone who has. The good news is Mitsubishi uses a 3rd member design where the shop can simply remove the entire assembly and perform the process on the bench. I've heard this is much easier than other typical setups.

The bad news is, some will try and take advantage of the fact that mitsubishi's are not as common as other brands and will note how difficult it was to do potentially padding their pocket with extra labor dollars.

Whatever you do, just be sure the shop who does the work has a good reputation. If you were down in the San Jose area, I'd know who to suggest (rear end specialties).

Cost of the entire rear end depends on where you're buying it but I'd check car-part.com to see what's available. It will give a good indicator of the pricing. I've never had to purchase one but IIRC, folks were getting the entire rear end (including trailing arms) for ~$450 or so (not including shipping).

Also get the switch & panel cutout as well as the low pressure compressor for it from the same vehicle.

HTH.

shmabs

02-22-2011, 09:31 PM

Funny you should mention car-part.com! After my last post i began browsing around on their site and after looking around a little bit i found a locking 3rd member with factory 4.90 gears for 350 shipped, with a 6 month warranty. Its from a 2000 Sport, which i believe should be the same rear axle, with the exception of it having leaf springs. I didn't want to pay to ship a complete rear end, so this was the best deal for me. Most dismantlers weren't too interested in selling just the third member, but the yard i found up in washington was happy to.
Now i just have to figure out how i will actuate it. I remember reading somewhere that they only require 15-20 PSI, i already have a small quickair compressor from another project that might fit the bill. I would like to look into making it cable actuated if its reasonable, but once i have my hands on it i should know for sure. I guess i could always head to the yard that has the 94 SR locally and grab that compressor, switch, relay setup. When i went there today to check the ration i acuated the switch but couldn't get the locker to turn on, im not sure that i was all the way in low range, as i couldn't move the vehicle. time will tell

Mike

off-roader

02-22-2011, 09:59 PM

Justice R

02-22-2011, 10:48 PM

A couple things here.

I'm assuming the 2001 sport has coils in the rear, and not leaves like the late 90's models, but even so, the sport utilized stamped steel trailing arms, and from looking at them, they dont look like they would interchange with the Montero SR axle. Also another thing to look at is the drive shaft and the size of the flange. We had interchange issues with these while swapping them into gen 1 Montero's. SR's came with two different flange sizes depending on the year and build date.

You need to go to the yard and do some measuring before you star ordering stuff off the internet.

Now, if you plan to swap just the 3rd member, on the locking diff assembly, one axleshaft is longer than the other. So you'll need to insure you get the longer shaft from the donor since the open diffs have equal lenghth shafts.

Also I recommend going with the factory pump and not trying to do guesswork on the pressure. If you overpressurize the diff you will blow out the diaphagm. The factory pump is a two wire hook up ( a + and Gnd), has a built in regulator, built in shutoff switch and a built in lettooff valve..so you will make your wiring way easier with a factory pump.

off-roader

02-22-2011, 10:49 PM

Nice insight on the swap details Justice!

shmabs

02-22-2011, 11:31 PM

Justice,

The plan was never to swap entire axle housing assemblies, i should have clarified that in my original post, sorry. I simply wanted the locking third member, so thats what i ended up ordering.

I figured that there would be difference in shaft length as well, do you know which shaft is longer and by how much?

I read a good bit about the issue with the factory TRD locking differential in toyotas. It seemed as though the guys really romping on their rigs would run into breakage at the spline mesh point, due to lessened spline engagement that came from using the stock shafts.

I plan to research how much pressure is created by the stock pump, and if i couldn't source a stock pump i would regulate the pressure from my compressor to the required PSI. I'm well aware of how sensitive a now at least 10 year old air pump is going to be, been there, ruined other air pumps before. Realistically the stock pump is going to work best, and i will always have my C02 tank for airing up tires.

Thanks for the input guys

Mike

Justice R

02-23-2011, 12:14 AM

Mike no worries. Its the flexible Diaphragm inside the differential that you need to make sure you don't over pressurize not the pump. If you blow it, sourcing a new one could be difficult. Regulating the air down to pressure would not be all that hard, but you have to also wire in a release solenoid to let the air out of the circuit in order to turn it off. The factory pump takes care of all that and makes it easy. Plus if your running a typical on board air source your looking at a pump capable of over 100 Psi. If your regulator fails, the locker diaphragm will get blown out. Factory pump is somewhere around 5 PSI if I remember right.

I cant remember which axle shaft is longer. You might be able to source that info searching the outerlimits (aussie) board or 4x4wire.

shmabs

02-23-2011, 01:11 AM

Justice,

Good point, seems like a factory pump would be my end all solution. Now i just have to find one that works like it should, i remember reading that they are under the rear seats right?

Interesting tid-bit on the axle shaft length, i called san rafael mitsubishi who was quite helpful when shopping for the sports and asked the parts guy there about axle shaft lengths. two things suprised me, 1. the parts guy was helpful, knowledgable and curtious. 2.mitsu spec's one axle shaft length for all 3.5 sports from 6-99 through 7-04, no matter what differential variation i gave him (locker, LSD, Open). Looks like some more research is in store for me. Hopefully i can bring some useful tech to this board!

Mike

shmabs

02-23-2011, 01:21 AM

copied and pasted from outerlimits 4x4

Ado,

The compressor is under the rear drivers side seat , in the compartment, its held in place with 3 small bolts.

Its easy to get out but a bugger to put back in. Make sure they test it before you buy it. Otherwise I gues you could use a pressure reduction valve & use your ARB comprressor. The original one runs at about 5 PSI.

The left axle is about 7mm shorter than the standard axle. You could grind off the extra with an angle grinder, or if you wanted to be flash use a metal drop saw.

There is no way you could get the axle resplined as the meat is not there since the splines are actually larger than the axle shaft.

If you plan on using the switch in the diff to illuminate your dash light , make sure that the switch actually works first, mine didnt & I only found out after I had installed the diff centre. It was $90 for a newie.

To power the switch in the diff use a loop from one of the wires in the body harness that you will find near the diff compressor compartment, I think it was the blue/white one from memory. That way your indication circuit is separate from your compressor circuit.

I originally used the original dash locker switch to run the compressor (you need to use a latch relay if you go this way) but since I got the ARB front locker I am using ARB switches now to keep the look all the same.

The ARB switch is about $16.

If you have any trouble , you can contact me

valian@goulburn.net.au

Good luck!

Not sure if this pertains to the sport, as i believe these gentlemen were talking about pajero's, (regular monteros) not challengers (montero sports). I plan to email the above address and find out.

Mike

Justice R

02-23-2011, 01:58 AM

Mike,

the dealer, Info is most likely correct about the axle shafts being the same. The locker was discontinued in the Montero Sport in the US after 99, and the introduction of the coil spring rear suspension, so it makes sense that all the shafts would be the same after that.

You "should" be able to get it to work, with an SR 3rd and an axle shaft, but your treading relatively new ground. Keep us in the loop.

shmabs

02-23-2011, 03:24 AM

4Rescue

02-23-2011, 06:43 AM

Nice truck. I've always LOVED those Monty Sports... too bad folks don't build them more. looking forward to what you do with her.

Cheers

Dave

Justice R

02-23-2011, 01:50 PM

Justice,

Supposedly the locker i ordered was from a montero sport, listed as a 2000. And many yards had lockers for sports up to year 2004. Where did you learn that lockers were discontinued in the sports in 99? The dealer had listings for locking thirds for my 2001, for....get this....$2800!

Hopefully they will not send you the hybrid LSD thinking that it was a true locker.

Mike

Mike, I could be wrong on my dates I know a lot about the regular Montero and less about the sport....but I dont think so. One other thing to check, In Montero's the models with the 3.0 V6 have a smaller diff than the models with the 3.5. I'm pretty sure the sport is the same way. So you want to make sure that the one you ordered was out of a 3.5 equipped model.

Quoted from consumer guide:

" 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: A 2-wheel-drive model joined for 1998, in top XLS trim. Formerly optional, antilock brakes became standard on the LS 4x4 as well as XLS models. The 4-wheel-drive XLS added heated seats and door mirrors, plus a locking rear differential that would be useful in tough off-road situations.
1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: A new luxury Limited model joined the Montero Sport lineup, equipped with the bigger Montero's 3.5-liter V6 engine. Available with either 2- or 4-wheel drive, the Limited model featured a unique chrome grille with fog lamps, leather seats, power moonroof, and other amenities.
2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: A mild facelift included a fresh front-end look and black tailgate trim. The LImited got a new monochrome exterior. Interiors were revised with 2-tone color schemes and larger front cupholders in a revised console. Rear coil springs replaced leaf springs, and all but the price-leader ES got larger front brakes and 16-inch wheels. The ES dropped its 4-cylinder engine in favor of the 3.0-liter V6, and lost its manual transmission. The automatic gained electronic shift control that adapts to driving style. An antitheft engine immobilizer was integrated with the ignition key. A limited-slip differential was included on Limited and available for XLS, replacing the previous lock-rear-differential option.
2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: A new 3.5XS sport-trimmed model joined the lineup in 2001. All models added rear child-seat anchors, driver's-seatbelt pretensioner, front-seatbelt load-force limiters, and structural strengthening. All models also qualified as Low Emissions Vehicles in all 50 states this year.
2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: A more-sophisticated 4WD system, called All4-wheel drive, replaced a 4WD system that had to be disengaged on dry pavement for 2002. Among other additions this year: a color-keyed grille for the Limited, tube-type side steps standard on LS and XLS and optional on ES, and platinum-finish gauges on all but the ES.
2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: A .08-inch higher roof is the only significant change to the Montero Sport for '03.
2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: A 3.5-liter V6 is now standard on both the LS and XLS, instead of just the XLS, this year. "

shmabs

02-23-2011, 02:59 PM

When i ordered the locker i asked three times to make sure it was froma 3.5 V6 and was a factory locker. I just hope the guy on the other end of the phone line was as confident as he said he was. I knew about the different size thirds 8inch? vs 9.5, again, i hope he was right.

I called them today and my order has not yet shipped, so i wanted to have them confirm that it was a locker not a limited slip. He is supposed to call me back to confirm it is a locker, with the air line going into the third. we will see what they say.

To the axleshaft issue....

Down in the Oz much like up here it seems the montero's are much more popular and thats where most information comes from. I emailed a gentlemen via the link in my previous post and he told me that the Montero's do in fact use a differenlt length axleshaft, but he doesn't know for sure about the sports. He gave me the name of another gentlemen who might have some more insight.

ARB uses one common locker part number for both sports and montero's for the 3.5 V6 but makes no mention of axleshaft variations, for whats its worth anyway.

The running boards were removed last night, exactly 10000% better looking now.

Mike

shmabs

02-24-2011, 12:52 AM

So the parts yard finally got me pictures of the third, and it clearly wasn't a locker, but a limited slip instead. It seems as though most yards are using the words locking/locker and limited slip interchangably

I can still probably get 94 SR axle for 350, then just swap my 4.90 gears onto it. Plus i would have the correct length axle shaft to boot. Currently that is looking like my only non arb option and still probably do-able at a reasonable price.

Mike

mires

02-24-2011, 01:19 AM

A little off topic at this point, but your rear seats do fold all the way down to lay flat. You just have to flip the bottom seat cushion forward first. It's actually quite roomy back there.

shmabs

02-24-2011, 02:36 AM

Mires,

Thats how i folded the seats but i still have the ridge there. Its a little strange to me because i test drove an 03 that had some sort of false floor storage system and the cargo area was completely flat. And i found a 97 2wd montero sport rally edition that had the same cargo/floor contraption.

Mike

mires

02-25-2011, 10:41 PM

shmabs

02-26-2011, 04:55 PM

mine does not have the floor storage system, i will try to get some pics up. i wonder if one could be retrofitted?

Mike

shmabs

03-22-2011, 12:03 AM

To add some tech:

I finally got around to tearing apart the 94 SR rear axle, and putting the third member into my housing. When fitting up the shafts (original 01 MS shafts, not the ones from the 94SR) i found that the passenger side went in no problem and seemed to have full spline engagement.
The driver's side however was another story! When i pushed it all the way in, and gently bottomed it out on the differential i still had about 12 MM of axle shaft extending out. I removed the shaft and thought about my options for a while:

1. cut the shaft down and run it: the problem i have with this is a pretty substantial loss in spline engagement, and therefor strength. There also isn't enough material to roll new splines and retain full spline engagement.

2. Swap backing plates and utilize the 94SR axle shaft: The problem with solution this lies in the ABS sensors, the ABS Sensors (tone ring) on my 01 MS are inboard of the axle bearing, while the 94 has a much larger tone ring outboard of the bearings, almost in the emergency brake cavity. I looked at pressing my tone ring onto the 94SR shaft but found that the tone ring rides on a larger OD surface and would not easily be fitted to the SR shaft, as the SR shaft lacked this larger OD. Even if i had found a way to center the tone ring on the SR shaft, my seal surface on the axle shaft would be barely contacting the seal inside my axle tube. The seal location differs from 01 MS axle shaft to 94SR shaft due to the location of the ABS tone rings.

3. Use the 94 SR backing plate and Driver side shaft: The problem i encountered with this lies within the ABS again. I compared the plug side of the ABS sensors and found that the 94SR and 01MS are virtually the same, which made me believe that i could utilize the 94SR abs sensor, tone ring and shaft. However the 94SR tone ring is substantially larger and has a much higher tooth count, im not entirely well read on how the ABS system works but i believe that the difference in tone rings from right to left, or front to back could cause some strange braking situations during a panic stop scenario. As i understand ABS system, the differential speeds in comparitive tone rings is what triggers the ABS computer indicating a lock up or near lockup scenario.

4. Swap entire housings: despite looking virtually the same, dimensionally they are different.

Im not yet willing to lose ABS on this rig, as its my wife's daily driver, as of now i am thinking i will return the SR axle to the yard and end up biting the bullet on an ARB. I'm slowly talking myself into this based on the fact that it will be a NEW part, and one that is much easier to source parts for the the factory mitsu locker.

Is there some easy solution im over looking? And if anyone needs any clarification i will do my best, unfortunately i did not take any pictures.

Mike

Justice R

03-22-2011, 01:36 AM

I thought you ordered a locker from a 2000 Sport? or did I miss something?

shmabs

03-22-2011, 02:00 AM

Justice

The "locker" ended up being a limited slip, i was waiting on pictures and when i finally got them it was quite clear it wasn't a locker. After that i ened up purchasing the SR rear axle.

Now its just a matter of finding an ARB RD154.....

Mike

shmabs

04-20-2011, 03:01 AM

Well my brother has been on my *** to get this thing ready for a moab trip in october....i guess it worked. I have begun building and acquring things little by little.

I started on my rock sliders, got the main tubes cut out, angled and capped. Also got all the support tubes cut to the appropriate angles and lengths. All frame scab plates have been cut as well, i started to weld them on this evening but was cut short. Ironically its easier for me to TIG them on at work, versus the borrowed 212 Miller Mig i was trying to use tonight at home. Apparently its been a while since i vertically MIG welded, because the one inch bead i laid down tonight sucked.

I picked up some used 285/75/16 toyo open country MT's locally. Certainly not my first choice in rubber but they were cheap enough and will fit the bill for fun tires while i keep the stock wheel and tire setup on there for daily driver duty. I still need to procure some wheels for them, im thinking some factory 16inch alloys will fit the bill.

OME medium duty rear springs and an ARB air locker was purchased from kurt and cruiser outfitters, who by the way was awesome to deal with and had the best price by far.

When i get further on the rocker assembly i will get some pics up, thats it for now

Mike

shmabs

05-18-2011, 02:33 AM

I knew i wanted a good quality aux fuse box for this build, after searching around my local area i found the blue sea systems 12 circuit negative bus unit at a local marine store. Being that it was the only one they had in stock, and for a good price, i grabbed it. Originally i wasn't planning on using a negative bus bar fuse box, but after some thought, i think i will like it. If i choose to run my power and ground back to one spot it will make the initial wiring slightly more difficult, but trouble shooting will be a breeze.
I also wanted a high capacity, yet small size 100 amp fuse for the whole box itself (blue sea recommends a 125 amp max) I found the mini ANL style fuses and holder and a local stereo shop. While changing the fuse wont be a 30 second task, i like small size of it, and ease of mounting.
The small black power box is something i removed from a mid 90's gm pickup. I liked the idea of a separate power tap, it made the install a lot easier, and future maintenance/fuse changes easier. With another slightly longer bolt i could add another high amp connection.
All wiring is 4 guage, crimped and heat shrunk. For the main power i tapped directly off of the battery. The whole idea is to have a minimum amount of cables running off of the positive lead, hence the additional power point and fuse box itself. Currently there are the factory two, and my one additional. Marine/HD style terminals are in my future for sure.

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_4441.jpg

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_4440.jpg

dsrtdcab

05-24-2011, 07:10 PM

Looking good brother!

I knew i wanted a good quality aux fuse box for this build, after searching around my local area i found the blue sea systems 12 circuit negative bus unit at a local marine store. Being that it was the only one they had in stock, and for a good price, i grabbed it. Originally i wasn't planning on using a negative bus bar fuse box, but after some thought, i think i will like it. If i choose to run my power and ground back to one spot it will make the initial wiring slightly more difficult, but trouble shooting will be a breeze.
I also wanted a high capacity, yet small size 100 amp fuse for the whole box itself (blue sea recommends a 125 amp max) I found the mini ANL style fuses and holder and a local stereo shop. While changing the fuse wont be a 30 second task, i like small size of it, and ease of mounting.
The small black power box is something i removed from a mid 90's gm pickup. I liked the idea of a separate power tap, it made the install a lot easier, and future maintenance/fuse changes easier. With another slightly longer bolt i could add another high amp connection.
All wiring is 4 guage, crimped and heat shrunk. For the main power i tapped directly off of the battery. The whole idea is to have a minimum amount of cables running off of the positive lead, hence the additional power point and fuse box itself. Currently there are the factory two, and my one additional. Marine/HD style terminals are in my future for sure.

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_4441.jpg

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_4440.jpg

shmabs

07-03-2011, 01:54 AM

Progress has been slow, therefore so are the updates. I did however just finish install my OME 911 coils springs. Install was very straightforward; swaybar and shocks were disconnected and the axle was carefully lowered until the new springs could slip into place. After much research i ended up putting the "A" spring on the drivers side. The "A" spring was just slightly taller when comparing the two. The lift came out to 1.5 inches per side, with the drivers side being a quarter inch taller than the passenger side, which was the same as the stock springs. I haven't drove it yet (stuck at work) but look forward to a slightly stiffer rear end.

I also got my simple intake built to make room for the compressor which will eventually run my ARB. I dont have any good pics yet, but it a pretty simple MAF adapter, a Vibrant Air filter and heat shield. The compressor, and eventually pressure accumulator for the system will live beneath the air filter, which was the whole reason for ditching the stock airbox in the first place. Feels good to make progress, even if its very minor.

Mike

Edit: and the battery hold down has since been media blasted and painted, the above pictures were very inspirational in getting that done.

shmabs

08-14-2011, 09:03 PM

I have been plugging away at some projects lately. Mainly concerning the on board air system, plumbing it properly and having the electrical system up to the task of running it. Everyone loves pictures.....

First is a simple stainless steel bar i made when i upgraded to the marine style battery terminals. I simple peice of .125 flat bar and some .250 SS bolts cut off and welded to the bar. I originally had it mounted stud side up, but it was a little too close to the hood for my comfort. Luckily it worked well flipped over. Also the neg terminal was upgraded.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/DSC_0003.jpg

Here is shot of the fuse box doing its thing, i installed a blue sea systems power post next to the box. This will be used provide the power for the relay "triggers". You can also see were i ran the wires for the switches throught the firewall.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/DSC_0004.jpg

Speaking of switches, here are the two that i ran into the overhead console. They live in the garage door opener space, as it is the only compartment in the overhead console i dont use. One is used to control the compressor, the other is blank for now. I ran wires for both switches behind the headliner down the a pillar and out through the firewall.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/DSC_0002.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/DSC_0001.jpg

I thought long and hard about where and how to mount the relays, i knew i would be using at least two in the near future and wanted a clean solution for them. Budget is always a concern and after looking around at relay mounts i returned to my assorted electrical drawer in my vidmar. Its full of stuff i have grabbed while junkyard scrounging. Greeting me was a relay holder bracket that i removed from some older german car (im thinking BMW E28). Upon closer inspection i was elated to see that the back half of the relay sockets was easily dismanteled, allowing me to wire it as i choose and having the option of SPST, or SPDT relays. I pulled it all apart, mounted it and rewired as i needed. It got mounted on the passenger side of the firewall with some stainless 10-32 screws. (they are commonplace in my electrical upgrades underhood).
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/DSC_0005.jpg

here is a good shot of my compressor mounted, along with the filter/dryer. The filter/dryer is attached via some high strength adel clamps to a stainless steel flat bar mount that picks up one of the factory airbox mounting holes. I used .250 air line all around with push lock fittings. In my days working on trucks i grew quite fond of such setup.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/DSC_0006.jpg

Here is a shot showing the pressure switch (on at 90 and off at 120), along with my pressure relief valve. Both are mounted with 10-32 SS machine screws and adel clamps. I dont care much for self tapping screws.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/DSC_0007.jpg

And a shot showing the simple intake and heat sheild setup i had to build to make room for all this stuff.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5471.jpg

The air tank itself provided another challenge. I wanted a decent size tank, mounted somewhere unobtrusive. Again i returned to my garage after an unsucessful week of searching locally and online for the "right" tank. Sometime ago i bought a make your own soda kit a at a thrift shop becuase it had a nice 7lb aluminum tank, meant for CO2. I tend to be a bit of a scrounger/picker, which helps when operating on a budget. Im into the tank, fittings, and hose clamps for about $9. I fabbed a simple bracket to pickup four factory holes that are found behind the cubby in the trim panel. Ideally i didn't want to lose any of that cubby space, but i ended up losing the lower inch or two. Excuse the old crappy hardware, it was only used for mockup. You can also see the ARB solenoid in the top right corner. I still have to plumb from there to the locker itself, im still not sure if im going to use that solenoid.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5344.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5432.jpg

Still lots to do and time doesn't seem to be slowing down.

Mike

dsrtdcab

08-15-2011, 04:28 PM

Looks really good. Everything as far as electrical goes, looks clean. Especially your switches mounted overhead. Looks like I have some catching up to do!

Nick

off-roader

08-15-2011, 04:35 PM

Very nice work! How many actuation's are you expecting with the C02 tank (ARB could probably tell you)? Curious since it's not so simple to get it out... albeit is very secure which is always a good thing off road.

shmabs

08-15-2011, 07:35 PM

Off-roader,

Truth be told im not sure, i know ARB says that whatever you use should be capable of actuating the locker three times without the compressor kicking on. Im hoping for that.
To be clear, im not using CO2 to actuate the locker, that tank will function as the strorage for the on board air, powered by my underhood compressor. On board air for filling tires will come in the form of a 10 lb CO2 tank. I still need for figure out a clean mount for it.

Dsrtdcab,

Two months and counting!

shmabs

09-13-2011, 03:40 AM

After closer evaluation of my needs and wants for the montero i sold the toyo open country's i had purchased. This was for a number of reasons

-i had found tires that better suited my needs
-i dont think i really needed 285's
-the toyos weighed 68 pounds each!
-i change my mind a lot.

Today i purchased some new 265/75/16 Falken Wild Peak AT's, i got them for a very good deal locally, and had spent a lot of time talking to the owner at the tire shop. Anyone up here in humboldt county i completely reccomend Gosselins Tire in Eureka, so far they have been aweseom to deal with. By the time i paid for mounting and balancing, there was no place cheaper than Gosselins. I picked these tires for several reasons

-they were cheap
-i was anxious to try one of the 'new' generations of all terrains, i have owned 3 sets of BFG AT's in the past.
-I have run falken tires on cars in the past and had great experiences
-im hoping not to lose to much power/mpg. Currently gas is 4.09 and rising here.
-I enjoy a relatively quiet ride
-i had read a few great reviews on this tire
-from my research they should be able to handle what i will be doing
-50,000 mile treadwear warranty, even if its pro-rated, its still more than most manufactures.
-when i called falken about differences between the high country and wildpeak, i spoke to a REAL person within 15 seconds of dialing the phone!!!:Wow1:

Things i'm not so sure about
-going back to an all terrain:and what seems like a mild 'looking' one at that. My last set was pro comp extreme MT's, and i really liked them, except for the noise.
-load range E: more than i need, but all thats available in that size.
-a somewhat 'off' brand tire: while still popular, not everyone has them.

Currently the montero is sitting in the garage without the rear third member, which is in the trunk of my car laughing at me. I was supposed to get my ARB installed, but the shop didn't have it done in time and now the owner is leaving for the rubicon. In the mean time the montero waits, and so do i, rather impatiently for his return. On a side note, be sure to source ring gear bolts before you pull your third member and bring it to the shop, I really figured i thought of everything.

But i did get the ARB switch mounted and wired, along with plumbing the airline from the solenoid all the way down to the diff. I sleeved the airline in one long peice of rubber hose from where it exits the quarter panel down to the diff, hoping to fend off an abrasion to the air line.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5748.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5747.jpg

I have a question for those who have wired up the ARB switches. I used the diagram that ARB suggested and everything works good, well almost everything; the dimmer function of the switch. I didn't want to hack into the factory harness and tap into the dimmer wire, my solution was to tap into the unused dimmer wire on my stereo wiring adapter. When i installed my alpine head unit, the dimmer wire was not used, how convenient! I connected the dimmer wire from the stereo adapter harness to the ARB switch and now the ARB switch dims opposite of the rest of the lights. When i turn the interior lights down, it gets brighter and vice versa?!?! any ideas?

In other news, rocker gaurd progress has continued. I got the scab plates, all eight, TIG'd onto the frame, and have one side almost completely built, i just need to weld up the outer bar and gussets.

I still need to figure out a solution for my C02 tank, its proving more difficult to conveniently mount than i thought.

Super long, pointless post over.

Mike

shmabs

09-28-2011, 02:35 AM

As time continues to tick by, my montero sits in my garage for the third week in a row while i wait for the shop to install my ARB. Because i lack all the cool tools in my own garage, progress has been minimal. But with some careful measuring i was able to finish building one of the rocker guards and my trans skid. Progress simply must happen faster, and im hoping it will. That pesky little thing called work keeps getting in the way. Pictures speak 1000 words:

Trans skid vehicle side:

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5943.jpg

Trans skid ground side

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5941.jpg

Close up of a bolt protector

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5942.jpg

Rocker guard getting ready from prime and paint.

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5938.jpg

Skid plate mounting bracket

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_5945.jpg

Mike

off-roader

09-28-2011, 04:23 AM

Holy guacamole!! Did you do all that metal fabrication??
Nice!

shmabs

09-28-2011, 05:19 AM

off-roader,

That would be my handy work, its nice having access to a decently setup shop. I did just get done proving that once again, i can't vertically MIG very well, at all. I'm hoping the montero will be drivable soon so i can TIG the sliders on. I'm hoping for good news regarding the locker tomorrow.

Mike

shmabs

10-01-2011, 03:29 AM

After a way too long stay in the garage due to some issues with my ARB install, the montero went for a quick spin tonight. I finished installing the ARB and checked everything over three times before venturing off to Oreilly for some paint. Initial impressions:

-i can feel a little added mass from the tires, but not nearly as bad as i expected.
-the falkens thus far seem very quiet, i will adjust the pressure on them accordingly and report back after a highway trip.
-the ARB works great. I did have one issue with it not unlocking right away in the driveway, but i imagine the gear oil had not even got the whole thing wet yet.
-with my current air setup including the re-purposed C02 tank it looks like i will get about 6 actuations out of the locker before the compressor kicks on.

I hope to make more progress on C02 tank storage, rocker guards and skids because i have to! Moab is a week away!!!:drool:

Some real tech for all the montero sport owners out there (and maybe regular montero's with the 9.5 inch ring gear):

The differential carrier side bearings are a little tough to come by. The parts store listing of a # : KC11445Y which is said to fit both the 8 inch ring gear and the 9.5, does not fit a 9.5 inch ring gear open carrier, at least not mine. So i looked to dealership bearings; on the west coast i know of two indivdual bearings, one in auburn WA and one in LA. And they are over $100 each, plus shipping. The east coast has a plethora of them but i needed them NOW. My solution was to give the dimension i needed to my bearing guy and hope for the best. Applied Industrial Technologies in Eureka CA is amazing. Once again Rich came through for me and was able to get me both bearings for less than half of what it would have cost me from the dealer. I will dig up the part number again and post it.

Edit: Timken PN 32011xm90km1

Mike

shmabs

11-05-2011, 11:35 PM

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/moab%202011/20111017_287.jpg

Well Moab was a success, and a trip for the ages to be sure. The montero performed quite well, its crazy how much traction is available on slickrock. My biggest shortcoming all week was a lack of wheel travel. I plan to work with the rear end and see what i can extract from it before turning my attention to the front end. I knew from the beginning there wasn't much travel to be had, i just didn't fully realize how much it would affect the rig.

It was a little crazy leading up to it trying to get all the mods finished on the montero, but i got what i needed done. So naturally there wasn't much time for thread updates.

I got the roof rack finished up. I wanted somewhere to stow the high-lift, plus a platform for extra gear storage, while keeping it as low profile as possible. Given my time and budget crunch i used what i already had. The yakima mounts were given to my by a friend, they don't fit perfect, but they work quite well. I bought some tube to replace the yakima crossbars that would serve as a foundation for the rest of the rack. Hold you laughs please.......the rest of the rack is made from conduit!!! Not an ideal material choice, but this rack was originally just supposed to be a proof of concept, it actually worked quite well.Two corner gussets with with nuts welded on the back side would provide the mounting points for the highlift. Some poly leaf spring bushings and some long "wing-bolts" that were previous project left-overs, and my highlift mount was complete. Four small rings were added to each corner to serve as tie down points. My friend and i both stood on top of it (looking for my brother on kane springs) and there wasn't any noticeable deflection. A wind fairing is in the works.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6462.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6461.jpg

After building my trans skid, i looked at the front diff skid and realized it was almost entirely useless. Again on a time crunch i built a front skid, i dont think the paint was even dry on it before i hit the road. It mounts using the four large bolts that hold the factory tubular cross member just forward of the control arms, and the rear picks up the same mounts as my trans skid. I had to do it in two parts that got welded together. In hind sight on piece with three bends would be possible. I also don't like how it mounts above the trans skid, creating an extra lip. That was a failure of planning on my part.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/portfolio/IMG953061.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/portfolio/IMG952292.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6467.jpg

The sliders got painted and welded onto the scab plates i had previously welded to the frame. My lack of a 220 MIG meant i had to do my best contortionist (sp?) impression to get them TIG welded on. After some gusseting on both sides and painting the rest of the legs, they were done. On several occasions in Moab they proved to be a valuable piece of armor, if it weren't for them i would not be able to open any of my doors. If i could do it over, i would have mounted them a little bit higher, even though i notched my pinch seam for clearance, i think i could have got them 1/2 inch higher or so. sorry for the dirty pictures
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6453.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6468.jpg

A secure C02 Tank mount was quite the problem for me, i went back and forth many times trying to figure out what is best. Ultimately my solution was satisfactory, and provided a good cooler/tool mounting area, but it came at the price of removing part of the rear seat. I built a rack that picked up all the seat and seat belt mounting bolts of the removed portion of rear seat. I welded in some "cross members" on the outer passenger side to pick up the mounting holes for a fire extinguisher bracket. There are also tie down points at the corners for the cooler/tools, on the plus side my new pelican case fits there almost perfect.
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6459.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6458.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6457.jpg

For now most of my must do projects are complete. I would however like to:

-Build a swing away rear bumper
-build some "crusher corners" to protect the rear quarters and cover up some moab lovin
-work out a system for sway bar disconnects for the rear
-study the front suspension and figure out how to extract the most travel i can
-new shocks
-front bumper

But most of all, i plan to use and enjoy the rig. Tillamook state forest is on the agenda for this month, along with as much local stuff as i can. The snow is here up in the hills, i was up there this morning as it was first starting for the season, hence my dirty, wet pictures!
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6452.jpg

airmanwilliams

11-06-2011, 12:01 AM

Looks great. I grew up in tillamook but never took advantage of going 4x4 in the forest at all. No I live in utah and its a completely different scene with all the rock here and lack of so much mud that the northwest has.

Cleand

11-08-2011, 01:47 PM

Wow, great build! I have been looking for an SR, but your build has me thinking maybe a sport. I look forward to more of your handy work.

shmabs

11-21-2011, 04:46 AM

Cleand: PM sent

Update:

Well i just got back from a week up in northwestern oregon for work, and was lucky enough to have some time out in Tillamook State Forest for a little exploring. Between it raining all week in astoria, some beach driving in southwestern washington (and northern CA) and about a foot of snow in the higher elevations of TSF and i am once again pleased with the Falkens. Their sand, snow, wet pavement, and rock performance has met or exceeded my expectations. About 5K on them now and not showing too much wear, other than some light outer tread block tearing on the leading edge due to some heavy abuse while in moab.

The ARB is truly an amazing piece of equipment! Having owned more than my fair share of aussie lockers and lock-rites; i really love a selectable locker, traction when you want it, and an open diff when you don't! I use it as my safety margin unless I'm trying something that i feel will push my limits.

Everyone loves pictures:
The montero looking "camo'd" after running a section of hoodraiser
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6509.jpg

First Tracks!
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6501.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6500.jpg

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6499.jpg

jluck

11-24-2011, 03:09 AM

If I would have known you were in the area I would have liked to chat and check out each others rigs. I do like your monty.

shmabs

11-24-2011, 03:43 AM

jluck

11-24-2011, 03:50 AM

Jluck,

That's a bummer, I would have loved to check out the audikick in person! If you ever make it down south let me know, we are frequently in southern oregon. Any bites on selling the audikick?

Mike

Yea I have a guy trying to get money together right now. If I get down south I will shoot you a PM.

shmabs

12-05-2011, 02:20 AM

The montero is for sale, though i haven't done an official "for sale ad" yet

I ran Cleghorn Pass today in the San Bernardino National Forest while im down here (so cal) visiting the wife's family.

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6657.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6676.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6637.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6624.jpg
http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll327/shmabs/montero/IMG_6670.jpg

PirateMcGee

12-12-2011, 02:06 AM

pm sent

PirateMcGee

12-12-2011, 01:46 PM

pm replied

shmabs

12-16-2011, 08:34 PM

For sale ad with some clean pics!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/70990-2001-mitsubishi-montero-sport

PirateMcGee

12-20-2011, 04:04 PM

Did you ever look into retrofitting the rear cargo floor storage thing? Mine doesn't have it either which makes for a lip when the seats are down....
looking at this pic it appears that the floor is raised as there is a lip at the door mine doesn't have. http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1441&bih=679&tbm=isch&tbnid=PWNtOna8xFPjtM:&imgrefurl=http://public-motors.ebizautos.com/detail-2001-mitsubishi-montero_sport-4dr_ltd-used-7386280.html&docid=HiRlCdDxsq4YcM&imgurl=http://1-photos2.ebizautos.com/used-2001-mitsubishi-montero_sport-4drltd-1888-7386280-9-640.jpg&w=640&h=427&ei=O7_wToXZEYSQiAL88qXQDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1122&vpy=161&dur=11051&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=132&ty=59&sig=115607677994373499756&page=1&tbnh=151&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0

PirateMcGee

12-20-2011, 04:07 PM

I think we ended up with some very odd sports....I've also found that the 3.5xs supposedly only came in black and red haha

shmabs

12-20-2011, 05:41 PM

PirateMcGee

12-29-2011, 09:16 PM

I have looked into it off and on, but never really pursued it with much vigor. If a complete grey setup were to show up at the local junkyard i would probably snag it. It would be nice to have a level cargo area!

here's how the swap is done...http://msport97.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=8704&page=1#47292 looks like more of a pita than I figured it would be, definitely do-able but I think I'll go for a drawer setup instead.

shmabs

12-30-2011, 03:03 AM

That's probably more work than I'm willing to put into it. I have been thinking about a bolted in platform that would level the cargo area and incorporate a track tie down system. I have seen a few on here do exactly that, and all have used wood, i just question the strength of the wood in that application. However with more than a few proven setups on here, i probably don't need to worry about it with proper material selection.

Mike

PirateMcGee

01-06-2012, 01:49 AM

Could always make a template and have it water jetted out of steel or go all out and do aluminum...

shmabs

01-06-2012, 03:26 AM

I have thought about that too, but the aluminum would have to be pretty thick, and a piece of steel that size would be very heavy, not to mention the $ with both of those options. I have been giving this more and more thought over the past few days.

My thoughts:

-The cargo area back there isn't perfectly level by any means, so it would be a challenge to make one uniformly level surface which bolts directly to the floor.

-Four tie down points (factory tie downs) for the platform seems insufficient to me, but would probably work.

-I'm sure that some good thick, high strength plywood would do the trick Ideally the thickness of the wood be substantial enough to get closer to a level cargo area.

-Even with a wood platform i would create a rubber mat to go over the top of it.

I know someone on here has a nice platform with three of the aircraft style tie down tracks but i can't find the picture now. That almost exactly what i want to do, i like the versatility it offers, as my load is always changing back there. I have been thinking that a fridge will be in my near future, and I'm debating whether to build a platform and mount it back there or see if i can make it work on the "rack" that currently occupies part of my rear passenger area. Thoughts, ideas?

Mike