ImNoSaint's Gen III Build

[Imnosaint]

Rear Door Shelf

We've been for want of a work surface, a place to make lunch and such while on the road without much set-up when we stop. I've modified the back door previously to stash an axe, a puncture kit, collapsible shovel, and a Pelican case first aid kit, and saw that there's room to attach a shelf onto the steel reinforced pocket that once held the headrests for the third row seat when stowed.

I removed the panel and replaced the remnants of the straps that held the headrests in place with ones that I salvaged from an old day-bag back pack that have plastic quick release couplings. The straps were cut to length long enough to suspend the shelf at a right angle to the door and be adjustable. I fed the straps through the existing slits in the panel.

From Lowe's I picked up a 1"X12"X2' oak plank, sanded and finished it the same way I did the roof rack, and glued a black felt backing onto it. Installed hardware and riveted it to the pocket.


The plank is stowed with a gray elastic strap lopped off the top of an old cooler.

 

[off-roader]

Very nice! Hmmm got me thinking now...

 

[eurosonic]

View attachment 158202

I showed this to my wife, she demands to have this on the monty

 

[Imnosaint]

I showed this to my wife, she demands to have this on the monty

Made mine very happy.

 

[nwoods]

That shelf looks terrific, but why did you keep the buckles? Are you wanting it to hinge all the way down?

 

[Imnosaint]

That shelf looks terrific, but why did you keep the buckles? Are you wanting it to hinge all the way down?

Thank you. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Helped with the install. Increases versatility. One Corona too many. You pick.

 

[GFO]

Very nice, always amazed at the ideas you come up with and how easily you implement them. Piece of wood, length of felt, recycled straps and a couple screws = nice looking food prep table.

I'll been thinking of turning the inside of my rear door into a tool wall. Attaching magnets to a length of wood or metal and bolting that down to the door, so I can have quick access to smaller wrenches, pliers, wire cutters, sockets and such. Not sure I'll ever pull the trigger, but it's an idea I've been floating.

 

[Imnosaint]

Very nice, always amazed at the ideas you come up with and how easily you implement them. Piece of wood, length of felt, recycled straps and a couple screws = nice looking food prep table.

I'll been thinking of turning the inside of my rear door into a tool wall. Attaching magnets to a length of wood or metal and bolting that down to the door, so I can have quick access to smaller wrenches, pliers, wire cutters, sockets and such. Not sure I'll ever pull the trigger, but it's an idea I've been floating.

Thank you. We're thinking alike, though.



The tool mounted off the magnetic strip is for larger appetites. Kidding aside, I'm not convinced that this will endure any off-road travel. I'll let you know.

 

[GFO]

Ah, nice and well done. Can always add more magnets or stronger magnets. I know the "rare earth" magnets come in varying sizes and have a strong magnetic attraction. They're cheap too, which is always a plus.

 

[loremordred]

Wow,

Congrats Imnosain, that is a beautiful setup, and thanks for the Ideas.

I wonder if I can add this shelving to my Gen II.5. I am also considering Interior Head Board Storage, maybe a Netting for storing blankets and other materials to get them out of the way, and also some water bladder storage somewhere on board.

I'm trying to think of all the wasted spaces where I can re-utilize the vehicle and take out wast/excess weight.

Has anyone done these mods to a Gen II?

 

[off-roader]

Has anyone done these mods to a Gen II?

Sure. Cap510 has done this although his is done using different materials. I like the fact that this I'mNoSaint's setup was done using solid Oak wood. Hmmm maybe I'm seeing some maple in my distant future LOL.

As for Interior HeadBoard storage... I wouldn't store things anything bulky like blankets in netting above. They'll block your view. For my setup, the heaving items are below my storage platform (in heavy duty covered tubs or in canvas bags) and the lightweight items like my clothes duffel bags, sleeping bags, air mattresses, etc are strapped down on top. This way, I don't have to worry so much about projectiles.

In addition the the rear door, Cap510 is also utilizing the sides of his gen II.

 

[nwoods]

Has anyone done these mods to a Gen II?

I'd settle for a decent cup holder and maybe a storage cubby

 

[Imnosaint]

OME HD Suspension Install

The main modification I've been waiting to do is an Old Man Emu suspension upgrade giving the Monty the lift it needs, not easy to come by since it ships from Australia. Sierra Expeditions was excellent to work with.

I measured wheel well and ground clearance.



Thirteen inches from the ground to the rocksliders and three inches in the wells.

I began with the front, first giving everything a shot of liquid wrench then removing the battery and tray on the driver side and the air box on the other, making access to the three nuts on top of each strut tower. Next it's necessary to remove the top A-arm. I removed brake and traction-control lines from the support on the arm. I then used a breaker bar and a 22mm socket to free the bolts for the A-arm and the strut tower mount and then removed that assembly.



I disassembled the strut assembly using spring compressors to take the load off the top of the strut tower, allowing its removal. I kept track of the order of the strut hardware for reassembling the new strut and spring components.



To do so, the new spring needs to be compressed. I made the initial mistake of not placing the spring compressor hooks at the farthest point on the spring and failed it compress it enough to get the strut nut to bolt on top.



When I repositioned the spring compressors I found I didn't have enough length, nor could I torque them enough to adequately compress the spring for the installation, so I took everything to a garage where I had them assembled.

Installation is straight forward; install the strut tower and secure the three nuts on top, attach the strut assembly to the lower A-arm, and then reattach the upper A-arm. Be sure to toque all bolts with the suspension loaded, that is to say, place a floor jack under the lower A-arm assembly and raise the assembly until its travel removes the suspension chassis from a placed jack stand, loading the A-arm assembly with the vehicle's weight. Torquing to specs this way eliminates damaging the bushings.



I was able to do the front install in about three hours with the Montero parked half-way in the garage to avoid the rain. I did the rear install in the driveway since the lift would have exceeded the height of my garage door.

For the rear spring and shock removal, the vehicle needs to be raised to a height adequate enough to drop the lower control arm far enough down to allow the spring egress.

I started by shooting all nuts with liquid wrench and then removed the nut at the top of the shock tower, then the connecting bolt at the lower control arm, and then removed the shock. Then I loaded the suspension assembly by lifting it with a floor jack using a short 2X4 underneath the arm. With the spring compressed I removed the bolt holding the arm and the hub assembly together, and then carefully lowered the jack down, unloading the arm allowing the spring to drop out.

Assembly was done in the opposite order with the suspension loaded like the front when torquing down all the bolts. Done in about two hours.



The key to this was the height of the vehicle allowing the spring to come out freely once the control arm was dropped.

Once I seated the suspension on a short test drive I measured at the wheel well and from the ground to the rocksliders and realized a gain of two and a half inches.



Pre-lift...



...and post-install.





In driving, gone is any hint this was a luxury SUV. More feedback at the wheel, stiffer response, quicker turn-in, all providing a sense of being better connected to the road and trail. Can't wait to put this through the paces.

 

[off-roader]

Nicely done... both the installation and the documentation of it.

 

[eurosonic]

looking good!