'94 LS Wheel/Tire Questions

[razor541]

Thanks for the heads up, Toasty! I'm sure the front springs are stock on the 94...are the replacement front springs from an SR?

Looking around it seems the clearance on other Gen2's is much greater than mine in the front, which makes me wonder what's different between mine and other peoples if they can clear 33's with zero issues. It could be the suspension is worn out at this point and the body spacers have degraded, but I haven't diagnosed it fully at this point.

 

[Toasty]

Thanks for the heads up, Toasty! I'm sure the front springs are stock on the 94...are the replacement front springs from an SR

No, and you probably won't be able to use those. Your truck is a transitional year and you very likely have the Gen 1 length torsion bars. I have brand new springs and basically everything you need to rebuild your IFS when you're ready. Since you have the 12v engine i imagine your truck was built in late 93 and didn't get the updates that you're seeing on other Monteros.

It could be that the seemingly lowness of your rig are the engine and transmission going to 24v and electronic control (Mitsu ordered the trans beefed up to handle the added power). Most of the Monteros have the bigger drivetrain and with that came higher rated springs and a alleged "factory body lift". They changed the frame and a lot of bracketry on the montero at this time so it would make sense to move the body mounts 1" higher to clear the bigger transmission and T case.

 

[razor541]

I think my door plate says March of 94, but that could be the last thing they put on these trucks...

Any tips on what I can do to limit the suspension in the meantime before I install the body lift? Something like extended bump stops?

 

[Toasty]

To hold the truck up?

 

[jeep-N-montero]

To hold the truck up?

To keep him from bottoming out and rubbing.

 

[razor541]

To keep him from bottoming out and rubbing.

Yep! So electing to go with less articulation while I wait for the body lift to come in.

 

[razor541]

Another question: When cranking the torsion bars, the guy working on the alignment said any more cranking would put the tires out of camber.
Is there some type of camber adjustment specific to these rigs where I could run more t-bar lift? It doesn't seem that I'm at the full 2" that I should be getting out of them, and I don't think I'd need to re-index the bars, but I couldn't say for sure.

 

[Toasty]

The camber is corrected with shims between the upper control arm shaft and tower, also the shaft has a thick and a thin mounting side so that comes into play as well. Be sure to run the least amount of shims as possible (try to get no more than 2 per side) and use the washer type if you can get them. Only a good alignment shop will adjust the camber on a Montero (Gen 1 or 2) because the front shocks need to come off. A lot of shops only do the easy stuff, if they don't adjust camber don't pay them they have been conditioned to be lazy and only adjust camber that uses cam bolts.
The trick to loosening the upper control arms without removing the shocks is a bent 17mm wrench if you do it yourself.

 

[razor541]

Ahha! Ok looking through my Chiltons I found something about shims and thought there might be more to it. Thanks again for the reply!

You figure a Mits dealership would be able to handle that type of alignment? I'm an fng enough that even the body lift prospect is skeeving me out...so might want to shell out for a proper alignment on it.

 

[Toasty]

Dealer should be able to handle it no problem.

 

[razor541]

Sounds good! Thanks for the input Toasty!