Here is my new Gen III

[dobbs3x]

Just got this today.

http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/ctd/1605619336.html

I hope to build it up pretty decently over the next few months and expect to be hanging out around here quite often for suggestions and help. BTW I am Jeremy and am excited to build me a new expedition vehicle out of this.

I think I want to get a front armor bumper first, I'll try to do some research on a good one. If anyone knows one offhand I'll appreciate the help.

I also plan on getting maybe 31 inch toyo m/t's. I hear the toyo's are pretty decent on and off road. 31's might be too big and I think I might have to lift it a little as well...

 

[RttH]

Congratulations! Nice looking Montero! :wings::Wow1:

 

[datrupr]

Congrats on the purchase, looks very clean. I love my Gen III in the same color. Check out Tony's build (tdesanto) or mine for some inspiration. I just put my front bumper on. It's an ARB and I got it from Sierra Expeditions. You can also fit 265/75/r16 tires stock with no rubbing. They are just shy of 32". I look forward to following your progress.

 

[tdesanto]

Nice looking truck and low miles too.

31" tires will be no problem. That's what you probably have on there now, as 265/70/16 is the stock tire size in the US. It looks like it has a decent set of all-terrains on there now. Probably not too bad to break the truck in over the next several months.

No need to keep looking. Here's the best bumper for your truck, and likely the only commercially available one you can find in the US.

BTW, I have 33" tires (285/75/16), but that's after adding the OME Heavy Duty suspension. I don't recommend going to these unless you plan to regear your differentials. Stick to 31 or 32" tires until you lift and regear.

Let us know when you have more questions, and welcome to ExPo. :smiley_drive:

 

[datrupr]

I agree with Tony on the best bumper for your truck. I got mine through Wil at Sierra Expeditions and their service is top notch. I just put mine on this weekend. Here is a pic of it on:

 

[dobbs3x]

Thanks for sharing... That bumper looks really nice. I am taking it on some easy to moderate trails in about an hour to break it in and see how it does. I'll try to get some nice action pics to post. Supposed to be a pretty trail with rivers, falls and a nice lake.

 

[dobbs3x]

Also, the tires are Toyo Open Country A/T's. Pretty decent looking tires and have some decent thread left on them. They are 30.6 according to a online tire converter I found to convert them from 265/70/16.

Eventually I think I want to put some 285/75/16 on it though, I seem to like the toyo M/T's from another build I seen of an Xterra. He says they perform like M/T's on and A/T's off so a good blend.

 

[dobbs3x]

center locker?

 

[tdesanto]

Yours should have a locking center differential.

Do you have a question about it specifically?

 

[dobbs3x]

I did have a question but I figured it out thanks.

I took it out yesterday into its first battle with the off-road.

I am very pleased with its performance. I took it up into some high Oregon mountain near Detroit lake and did some nice logger trails with some snow/ice and very loose and hard rock inclines with no problem whatsoever.

Afterwards back in town I took it near my cousins house and got it into some mud and dirt trails. It also performed very well and I even got to blaze some of my own trails on the way out. Took a nice little decline in clayish mud at the end no problem. Then decided to try and attempt going up it. Got stuck and scraped a bit on the back side. Took some shoveling and some gravel to get it out. All in all I was very pleased and had a lot of fun.

I'll post some pictures of the event and my new warriors battle scratches when I get a chance.

Pictures are from my phone camera and in the dark so they didn't turn up to well.

 

[tdesanto]

Glad you're enjoying it. You'll find it's quite capable. Departure angle is definitely something you’ll have to work around.

It also performed very well and I even got to blaze some of my own trails on the way out.

I know this statement could be interpreted a few different ways; but just in case, please make sure you’re following Tread Lightly principles. We all represent the off-road community anytime we venture off pavement.

 

[dobbs3x]

I know this statement could be interpreted a few different ways; but just in case, please make sure you’re following Tread Lightly principles. We all represent the off-road community anytime we venture off pavement.[/QUOTE]

Yes I do tread lightly. IT was private property on a friends Christmas tree farm and he was OK with me making a new trail to get out from where we were so he could use it in the future.

here is a teaser form the departure angle scrape that preceded the "stuck"

 

[dobbs3x]

here is a link to the pictures from yesterday.

http://picasaweb.google.com/dobbs3x

I hope to get a better camera and get up to the mountain earlier so I can get some better pictures, really are some amazing views up there,

 

[datrupr]

I'm glad you are enjoying your Montero, like Tony said, you will find it is quite capable. I have a few of those same battle scars on mine on the corners of the truck. I did take a hack saw to the little plastic drop down "mud flaps" because they were getting caught up on stuff. Also, the lift helped with that too.