Build - '97 Montero SR

[All-Terrain]

Hey guys,

New here, just purchased a Sudan Beige '97 Montero SR, and thought I'd start a thread on it. Cool forum you have here, and hoping to learn a lot, and perhaps contribute some as well. I've had a couple 4x4's over the years, some of them before the Internet... but I'm not a rock-crawler like some of you guys, just like to get off the beaten path and explore, clamber over the odd obstacle, and enjoy the big outdoors.

So, first photo, Day One (20 Nov 13):

It's 100% stock, under 140k miles on it. 1 owner, very regularly maintained at a Mitsubishi dealership only, full service history, and only driven on highway all-season's (so minimal off-roading, assumed...). My first move was to look it over carefully and get familiar with it. As far as I can tell, it's in great shape with only minor niggles.

Niggle #1 was the tires. I couldn't stand the new but off-brand all-season's on it, so on Day Two, I posted them for sale on Craigslist. Within 2 hours, I was meeting a buyer at a nearby Discount Tire - as soon as they were off the truck, they went in his trunk and he left me in the store with cash in hand and my Montero up on the lift waiting for new rubber. Due to being a pretty good customer at Discount Tire, I got a set of 31" BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO's for a friendly price.

Much better:

After that, I had to wash it, since it was absolutely filthy from the trip to my house. Once the truck was clean, I glared at the running boards and attacked them with a 13mm socket:

So as the sun set on Day Two, I was pretty pleased with the state of affairs:

More to come!

 

[eurosonic]

welcome to the forum. Beautiful SR. I don't think Ive ever seen an all silver one before.

 

[Clem]

Welcome to the forum...I think this is the first '97 on the forum. Can you do us all a favor and look under the hood for the plate that shows your axle gear ratio and tell us all if you have the 4.27 or 4.63 gears?

Great looking SR!

Clem

 

[off-roader]

Hey guys,

New here, just purchased a Sudan Beige '97 Montero SR, and thought I'd start a thread on it. Cool forum you have here, and hoping to learn a lot, and perhaps contribute some as well. I've had a couple 4x4's over the years, some of them before the Internet... but I'm not a rock-crawler like some of you guys, just like to get off the beaten path and explore, clamber over the odd obstacle, and enjoy the big outdoors.

So, first photo, Day One (20 Nov 13):

It's 100% stock, under 140k miles on it. 1 owner, very regularly maintained at a Mitsubishi dealership only, full service history, and only driven on highway all-season's (so minimal off-roading, assumed...). My first move was to look it over carefully and get familiar with it. As far as I can tell, it's in great shape with only minor niggles.

Niggle #1 was the tires. I couldn't stand the new but off-brand all-season's on it, so on Day Two, I posted them for sale on Craigslist. Within 2 hours, I was meeting a buyer at a nearby Discount Tire - as soon as they were off the truck, they went in his trunk and he left me in the store with cash in hand and my Montero up on the lift waiting for new rubber. Due to being a pretty good customer at Discount Tire, I got a set of 31" BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO's for a friendly price.

Much better:

After that, I had to wash it, since it was absolutely filthy from the trip to my house. Once the truck was clean, I glared at the running boards and attacked them with a 13mm socket:

So as the sun set on Day Two, I was pretty pleased with the state of affairs:

More to come!

Congrats! Mine albeit a 96, used to look that clean.

welcome to the forum. Beautiful SR. I don't think Ive ever seen an all silver one before.

It's actually a really light gold. Mine is Sudan Beige.

 

[jeeps4fun]

Your day one and two are sounding surprisingly familiar to what I have planned for my first 2 days with the rig. Except I'm hoping I can get it a little more dirty before I clean it up. :smiley_drive:

 

[jlocster]

Congrat's on finding such a beauty. You're off to a great start!

 

[All-Terrain]

Thanks for all the comments, guys - definitely enjoying my "new" Montero. Body-on-frame, high seating position, solid rear axle, lockers, recirculating ball steering, big tires... it's old school, baby!

Clem - The stamped plate on the firewall near the front passenger shows a "4.270" which I assume is the rear axle gearing...? Hope that answers your question.

Latest progress:

Two days ago, the UPS guy delivered a package for me:

Browsing on this site before I even bought my Montero, I came across a post about the sale on Montero Monomax's... I knew I had to get a set. They were my first purchase for the truck. The shocks on the Montero look like the original factory shocks from 1997, and put up no resistance to being compressed by hand:

After cursing up a storm at having to compress stiff Monomax's by hand, over and over until I got my compress-and-install-quickly-with-no-mistakes technique correct, here's one in place:

Not much else to see, really. Just new shiny red shocks instead of old dirty black ones. They are a noticeable improvement over the original's, but the comparison isn't really valid since my old shocks were... old. Any new shock should feel better than an old one. I can say that I had been concerned that they would be overly-stiff or uncomfortable, which they are neither. The ride is smooth and comfortable and feels appropriate to the vehicle's purpose. No complaints. And, a highly recommended upgrade for less than $200!!!

I don't know yet what my next project will be. I may go through the bulbs in the instrument cluster and gauge pod, since I have one or two that are out. Definitely welcome any suggestions.

 

[Clem]

The stamped plate on the firewall near the front passenger shows a "4.270" which I assume is the rear axle gearing...? Hope that answers your question.

Yes, it does. Thank you.

Lookin' good!

Clem

 

[eurosonic]

Didn't know 97 SRs had 4.27 gearing.

 

[Dprisner]

Very nice SUV! It's great to see another '97 SR on this forum. Congrats!:ylsmoke:

 

[Allof75]

I may be dedicated to my Pathfinder, but I do pop over here on the Mitsu section to drool at the SRs from time to time. Very nice rig, and if some freak accident happened to my Pathy, that would probably be my choice.

 

[KarmannMarco]

Didn't know 97 SRs had 4.27 gearing.

My 97 LS has 4.27 gearing as well


Your truck looks great! I love the matching flares.

 

[rajin cajun]

Nice clean rig

Welcome aboard. Man, I wish i was in North Carolina. But, I do love the great southwest. I have a gen2 and love it. That is a nice clean rig

Happy Trails.

 

[All-Terrain]

Thanks for all the good words, fellas! Much appreciated. I do like my "new" SR.

Welcome aboard. Man, I wish i was in North Carolina. But, I do love the great southwest. I have a gen2 and love it. That is a nice clean rig

Happy Trails.

You're in some pretty country, rajin cajun, but sounds like you're pretty far from Bayou...? There are plenty of good trails out there in NM, I'm actually looking forward to heading west at some point to try them out.

So on my SR, I haven't done a whole lot with it in since my last update, it has been nasty and cold and wet so my motivation has been lacking. I have been driving it a lot, though, and enjoying it. I notice that the gas mileage has decreased with the very cold weather we've been having (down in the 30's and 40's)... does that make sense?

Time for an oil change soon, so I've been watching for any deals on oil.

 

[Mudrunner]

Thanks for all the good words, fellas! Much appreciated. I do like my "new" SR.




You're in some pretty country, rajin cajun, but sounds like you're pretty far from Bayou...? There are plenty of good trails out there in NM, I'm actually looking forward to heading west at some point to try them out.

So on my SR, I haven't done a whole lot with it in since my last update, it has been nasty and cold and wet so my motivation has been lacking. I have been driving it a lot, though, and enjoying it. I notice that the gas mileage has decreased with the very cold weather we've been having (down in the 30's and 40's)... does that make sense?

Time for an oil change soon, so I've been watching for any deals on oil.

I don't know how you feel about getting your oil changed, but here in AZ Big O Tires usually has a coupon online for an early bird special for an oil change for like 15 -16 bucks.