Gen 3 ...anybody out there running 34” tires?

[MtbBilly]

without starting a debate over what tire size works best, I’d just like to know if the ome 3” lift and parts off the shelf will do what it’s takes to run a set of 34” tires.
Fender trimming is to be done ✅
Just want to know if someone has 34s and what it took to make it work. Diff drop? Ect
I know that going to the 4.9 swap is to be expected too.

 

[plh]

OME lift is 1.5". Best tire size even lifted is 265/75R16 or 17 on stock wheels. 285/75R16 (BFG KO2 32.8" x 11.2") on stock wheels and OME lift will rub slightly on full turn, and shred the front inner wheel wells (plastic) on deep dips even slowly when wheels are straight. This is what I have on my '05.

 

[MtbBilly]

What about 70mm spacers and the emu 40mm kit? That makes a total of 110mm or 4.3” and with ***fender trimming *** it gives the Pajero drivers I’ve seen in Australia the clearance to run 34s.

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[Michael Brown]

Stock Gen 3 can fit most 33" without lifting. OME, Ironman 4x4, and Bilstein/Lovells kits usually do 40mm lift which results somewhere around 1.5-2.0" depending on the spring duty used. These should fit most 34" tires and some 35". I would not use spacers as those have issues with CV axle angles.

Mud terrain will also be slightly larger than all terrain or highway treads. Their treads may be larger/wider th.an A/T treads of the same printed size. I would recommend using A/T treads on larger sizes. Biggest issue is width and turning clearance. Most 285/75/R17 should fit with a lift, which is close to 34".

Also know that lifting Gen 3 is different than most other 4WDs due to the IFS and IRS. In a solid axle vehicle, a lift is done to get body/frame clearance for bigger tires, then tires get ground clearance for the axle. With independent front and rear designs, suspension lifts increase total ground clearance as the entire vehicle is raised. Then adding tires will create even more lift. A gen 3 with 33" tires and 40mm lift will have more clearance than most vehicles on 34" tires, since both items will raise the vehicle and differentials higher.

 

[SONICMASD]

It’s easily doable with a raised height lift (lovells, ome, dobinson, etc) and the addition of either a top hat spacer or raising the spring perch up on the higher setting on Bilstein shocks AND as long as your wheel offset is +15, no wider or else you’re gonna have to cut some fenders probably.

But even with the above, you’ll likely still rub under full compression at speed. The only way to avoid it would be 1. Drive slow offroad 2. Extended length bump stops limiting the Monteros already terrible articulation 3. Lift of 3” or more.

However, the IFS and traction control dont like anything above 2” lift much so I don’t recommend going above that unless you have a top tier lift like Kings or a subframe drop.

There is some hope subframe drop kits will be coming out in early 2021 so fingers crossed that happens because then 35s should be doable as well.

I know there are some guys that run 34s and 35s now by using the method of lift springs + spacers but again, performance-wise I don’t recommend it. I’d take a gen3 on 32s or 33s over one on 34s or 35s any day for any offroad situation other than big boulder fields (Sierras type of trails) which 99.9% of gen3 users will never run. But if you’re not gonna offroad and just want 34s for looks, that’s definitely doable.

 

[MtbBilly]

This is great info, thanks guys. I’ve had plenty of solid axle 4x4s even had a F700 4x4 but never the independent suspension other than my stock 89 Bronco.
I’ve been following Mr Pajero’s subframe kit possibly coming to the USA, so yes hopefully that’ll happen because I plan on slow off-roading in Colorado and id like the extra clearance. Slow mind you.
Also, I think the trimmed fenders and front look good.
I’ll look into the Kings, but I have looked at just about everyone else you mentioned and I never saw a 3” lift advertised, that’s why I originally asked about the spacers as a way to get a 3” lift....if you can point me to one It’d be great ?
Thanks again guys

 

[sedole]

I run "34s". 34/10.5r17 BFG KO2s. 17x7 4mm offset wheels. 1.5" lift all around. Super high clearance front bumper and some fender trimming required. Fender liner molding in the rear required. No rubs at all lock to lock except for hard-hard hits you'll hit the inside of the fender well up front (the metal bit), but you'd hit there as well with a 285/70r17 so it's a moot point.

It's the perfect size for our trucks with the 4.90 gears. Tall and skinny is the only way to go if you want 34s IMO. Albeit not quite a true 34. You're gonna have problems with 285/75r17 and without a subframe drop/lift. In BFG KO2 spec, the 34/10.5r17 is 33.5" tall and 10.6" wide. The 285/75r17 is 33.9" tall and 11.3" wide.

I wouldn't go bigger than 34/10.5r17 unless you don't plan to go off road and just want it for looks.

 

[SONICMASD]

I’ll look into the Kings, but I have looked at just about everyone else you mentioned and I never saw a 3” lift advertised, that’s why I originally asked about the spacers as a way to get a 3” lift....if you can point me to one It’d be great ?
Thanks again guys

You're correct, the only way to get 3" of lift would be either Kings, or a combination of any other brand of lift + spacer or higher spring perch.

 

[MtbBilly]

Hey Sedoli that’s a nice look and the bumper is working for me ?
I’m going to look into the Kings and see what’s all entailed but I do remember reading a post awhile back and it might have been on this site or a Mitsubishi forum about someone doing a test run on the King setup for King Suspension company.
If I remember he said the uca are something that might also need to be addressed when running them.

 

[MtbBilly]

Hey Sedoli that’s a nice look and the bumper is working for me. ?
I’m going to look into the Kings. I did read about them as a prototype getting tested on a gen3 somewhere maybe here? Or another Mitsubishi forum but anyway the report on them was really good. I’ll try to find the story and repost it....and thanks for pointing that out Sonic it had slipped my mind.

 

[plh]

And if you go narrow / tall like 235/85R the Gen 3 handles on road like crap. Ben there / done that - won't repeat.

 

[MtbBilly]

Well I found the test on the kings and the Total Chaos uca right here 7 pages deep.
Also a mention in i the from Jamie at Montero Collective Instagram about subframe drops and spacers and longer trailing arms. Lots of options are a good thing that the Montero hasn’t had like some other brands. I’m going to keep looking into the best way to fit 34 or hopefully 35s so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Oh! And I do understand the pre-runner high speed desert/washboard road stuff and not needing the taller tire size but I do plan Lord Willing ? to move back to Colorado and do some Slow Slow off road adventures so the taller tire is what I’m shooting for. Thanks!

 

[Leeson]

I run "34s". 34/10.5r17 BFG KO2s. 17x7 4mm offset wheels. 1.5" lift all around. Super high clearance front bumper and some fender trimming required. Fender liner molding in the rear required. No rubs at all lock to lock except for hard-hard hits you'll hit the inside of the fender well up front (the metal bit), but you'd hit there as well with a 285/70r17 so it's a moot point.

It's the perfect size for our trucks with the 4.90 gears. Tall and skinny is the only way to go if you want 34s IMO. Albeit not quite a true 34. You're gonna have problems with 285/75r17 and without a subframe drop/lift. In BFG KO2 spec, the 34/10.5r17 is 33.5" tall and 10.6" wide. The 285/75r17 is 33.9" tall and 11.3" wide.

I wouldn't go bigger than 34/10.5r17 unless you don't plan to go off road and just want it for looks.

Hey @sedole I've got the same wheels on my third gen, also in Colorado. I'm having issues with vibrations on the highway, I think it's my hub rings. Where did you get yours from? What size exactly did you order, do you know? I got my rings from Motorsport tech and they messed up and made them too big so I had a machine shop turn them down a bit. They seemed to fit in perfectly but still have wheel shake at around 65 mph. Had the wheels/ tires rebalanced twice, no help.
Sorry to hijack thread.

 

[Michael Brown]

Hey @sedole I've got the same wheels on my third gen, also in Colorado. I'm having issues with vibrations on the highway, I think it's my hub rings. Where did you get yours from? What size exactly did you order, do you know? I got my rings from Motorsport tech and they messed up and made them too big so I had a machine shop turn them down a bit. They seemed to fit in perfectly but still have wheel shake at around 65 mph. Had the wheels/ tires rebalanced twice, no help.
Sorry to hijack thread.

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