Winter beater shopping

[Jeff V.]

Mismatched 33s. I wish the tires at least matched. No LSD either. I checked the VIN against ASA.

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]Mismatched 33s. I wish the tires at least matched. No LSD either. I checked the VIN against ASA.[/quote]

Well that sucks he cut corners there. We can fix the LSD issue with another 3rd member, or put your SR rear axle to use.

[Jeff V.]

I don't have an SR axle. It's a 3.5L Sport leaf spring axle. It'll fit my truck with some hacking, but it won't work in a coil sprung Montero. The pumpkin is much bigger so I can't just swap that either.

I woudn't be swapping parts on this thing anyway. The absolute last thing I need is yet another project. If I had an ounce of sense I'd just go get a Civic and call it done.

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]I don't have an SR axle. It's a 3.5L Sport leaf spring axle. It'll fit my truck with some hacking, but it won't work in a coil sprung Montero. The pumpkin is much bigger so I can't just swap that either.

I woudn't be swapping parts on this thing anyway. The absolute last thing I need is yet another project. If I had an ounce of sense I'd just go get a Civic and call it done.[/quote]

Thats the problem, you dont want a Civic, Escape, or Scooby, you like torture. Torture of the odd kind, and i get it.

Well the nice thing about that first gen is that you would only have to swap out pumpkins for the LSD on a truck in the junk yard. I have that third member, but Im trying to decide if I want to put it in my "new project" as it already has the correct gearset. Otherwise the 2nd gen axles are a direct swap (like my 95 SR with lockers) upgraded trailing arms, 9.5" diff and all. I just dont know which way I want to go with the build yet.

Also it sounds like a lot of 2nd gen parts are direct fit. That i like.

[aaronatstate]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]I don't have an SR axle. It's a 3.5L Sport leaf spring axle. It'll fit my truck with some hacking, but it won't work in a coil sprung Montero. The pumpkin is much bigger so I can't just swap that either.

I woudn't be swapping parts on this thing anyway. The absolute last thing I need is yet another project. If I had an ounce of sense I'd just go get a Civic and call it done.[/quote]

Did the Sport 3.5 XS have a different axle (I know it had coil springs)? Cause I put a SR pumpkin into a Sport 3.5 XS axle.

[Jeff V.]

All the 3.5L parts are bigger than the 3.0L stuff. Any 3.0 LSD should fit into this Monte. I'm not sure if the entire axle would swap though. I think they moved the spring perches for the second generation onward. I'm actually amazed the Sport leaf axle fits my truck without mods to the mounting points.

[Jeff V.]

Told the eBay guy I'd do $2300. He's going to get back to me when he gets back in town next week.

[Jeff V.]

A thing occurs to me.

My truck has an LSD, new(ish) tires, and basically new everything else. The trans is fine aside from the 2nd gear syncro. It's only missing an engine.

The Monte has a (supposedly) good engine...

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]All the 3.5L parts are bigger than the 3.0L stuff. Any 3.0 LSD should fit into this Monte. I'm not sure if the entire axle would swap though. I think they moved the spring perches for the second generation onward. I'm actually amazed the Sport leaf axle fits my truck without mods to the mounting points.[/quote]
I can help validate the spring perches later this week.
[quote=""Jeff V.""]A thing occurs to me.

My truck has an LSD, new(ish) tires, and basically new everything else. The trans is fine aside from the 2nd gear syncro. It's only missing an engine.

The Monte has a (supposedly) good engine...[/quote]

No, no going backwards. Not unless you want to build a bad ass 1st gen monti. If you did then you would be the first.

[Jeff V.]

I can't do that. It's got to be available to drive. No excuses. I must banish these thoughts.

I will probably swap the rims and tires though. Mainly because they're relatively new and they all match.

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]I can't do that. It's got to be available to drive. No excuses. I must banish these thoughts.

I will probably swap the rims and tires though. Mainly because they're relatively new and they all match.[/quote]

And so it starts. Spring 2019 looks to be exciting.

[Jeff V.]

It's not too late to change my mind and get a Corolla or a RAV4.

[aaronatstate]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]All the 3.5L parts are bigger than the 3.0L stuff. Any 3.0 LSD should fit into this Monte. I'm not sure if the entire axle would swap though. I think they moved the spring perches for the second generation onward. I'm actually amazed the Sport leaf axle fits my truck without mods to the mounting points.[/quote]

[quote=""ChargerX3""]I can help validate the spring perches later this week.[/quote]

I can tell you my buddy's Montero Sport 3.5 XS had the coil spring rear end, and we tried to swap a Montero SR (94 I think) rear axle in, and the spring perches were different (can't remember if they were further outboard or inboard). That led us to swapping out the pumpkin (but keeping the Sport axles), and converting the Montero Sport to rear disk brakes.