Hey guys,
Looking into buying a Montero. Would like some feedback. I've seen some have factory diff lockers?. 2nd gens maybe? Is it a rear locker? Do certain ones have lower gear ratios? Are there certain engines that are better than others? transmissions? (more reliable). Looking for a weekend warrior with a mild build. They seem pretty affordable and from what I've read pretty capable. Thanks!
You should expand a little more with regard to what your goals are for your rig. Monteros come in all different flavors and some years/combinations are better suited to certain purposes than others.
To answer your questions, yes factory rear air lockers were available on many models. Most that didn't come with one can have one easily swapped in. Some models have lower gears (4.63) some higher (4.27) and a few other options can be swapped in from other models (4.90 from Sports and 5.xx from Australia).
Engines also run the gamut. The 3.0 came in many models and is usually paired with the lower gear ratio to make up for less power. The 3.5 DOHC came next and was paired with the lower gears for a few years, which is a pretty desirable combination but there are some reliability issues (can be remedied) and runs on premium fuel. The 3.5 SOHC was down a few ponies from the DOHC but considered more reliable. Came paired with higher gear ratios for fuel savings and can run on regular. The 3.8 SOHC came in the later model Gen III and is the biggest and best performer paired with a 5-speed tiptronic auto trans but lacks a conventional throttle cable (drive-by-wire) which might make some skittish about reliability on the trail.
All of the above comes with exceptions, is only opinion, YMMV, IANAL etc. etc. so your best bet is to read up as much as you can.
