Se7en62's '99 Montero Gen 2.5 Overland Build & Adventures

[Se7en62]

Another evening in the driveway with positive results. After cleaning the throttle body, idle air control solenoid, MAF sensor, intake tube, filter box and replacing the air filter the Pajero idles like a new truck again.

**Word of caution to those cleaning the MAF, these trucks do use a Korman Vortex MAF, so if you use the MAF cleaner spray, make sure you are spraying from a ways away and without the tube. you'll also want to make sure it's COMPLETELY DRY before turning back on. I used my compressor to dry it from both sides and then let it sit for 20 minutes.**





Removing IAC Valve



Dirty IAC Valve...



Clean IAC Valve



Clean Throttle Body (open and close the butterfly while spraying cleaner and wiped it down real good.) The lower opening is where the IAC Valve mounts and was completely black when I removed the IAC Valve. Make sure to clean it real good and remove as much carbon as you can so the cleaned IAC Valve doesn't have anything to cause it to stick.



Reassembled...

 

[Se7en62]

Alright, so this last weekend I attempted to replace the CV's, but it became a bigger chore than I felt comfortable doing myself. I was able to replace the upper and lower ball joints, but the CV's gave me some trouble. The passenger's side bolts between the CV and the half-shaft didn't want to budge. Honestly, I should have cracked them loose before taking the wheel and knuckle off. The driver's side was another pain since it separated form the inner CV cup and spindle. I tried a few different methods, including a slide hammer and it wouldn't budge.

My mechanic is really good, so I called him up and he said to just bring it over and he could knock them out this week. I should get it back today sometime.



In the interim, my AVM Manual Locking hubs arrived on Saturday to replace my ************ Rigged Ridge units. Then my DFG Offroad fridge slide arrived today. I'm gonna give Carlos at DFG a shoutout here, because he's a stand-up guy and went above and beyond to get me hooked up. When I was looking for a fridge slide, I originally thought I'd build my own. After looking at the cost of locking drawer sliders and metal, I was easily close to $400 in parts once all was said and done. Could it have been done cheaper? Yeah...but I'm particular and don't like to spend the same money twice, or repeat the same job. I'd rather do it right the first time and be done and happy with it.

Anyhow, I searched high and low and even contacted MSA in Oz for their drop-down fridge slide ($1k.) They didn't return my inquiries, so I kept looking and that's when I found DFG Offroad (www.dfgoffroad.com). They're located in Florida and even though his website didn't list my particular interest I contacted him to ask. The very next day he had added this new model to his website and I placed my order online; He even gave me a discount for it being Memorial Day weekend!

It took him 2 weeks to build and ship it and it arrived today unscathed. This will allow us to knock out the interior platform, install the fridge, and the dog bed this week.

 

[Se7en62]

Being our last weekend before our big trip, we needed to get a couple big cargo management items checked off the list: Beyza's dog platform and the cargo foundation and fridge slide.

The fridge slide was a custom request for a slide with a cutting board for our Dometic CFX95DZW. Carlos at DFG Offroad Accessories made it happen.











My wife and mother-in-law worked on Beyza's dog platform and after I pick up a couple bolts today, it will go in at the same time the fridge is mounted.

I also replaced the window regulator in the passengers side front door. It was quick painless and now the window works perfectly.

 

[Se7en62]

Fridge is in and the slide works perfectly. It's a bit big, but I'm not complaining given the deal I got on the fridge. LOL. I can always build a trailer and remount it, or stick it in my truck bed. It's fine for now. - I won't be able to get the drawers and rear deck done before we leave on Friday, but I do plan to add a pair of stacked drawers on the left side and a deck across the top with a piano hinge above the fridge to allow entry from inside if we wanted.





Here's the final few things that I'll knock out today and tomorrow:

• Buy longer M10x1.25 bolts for the dog's platform and finish fitting it.
• Finish permanent wiring for fridge to fuse box.
• Connect and fit 10A 8-outlet quick USB charger.
• Convert in-dash DC outlet to be constantly on.
• Odds and ends...

 

[Se7en62]

Beyza (our Turkish #Akbash) is already enjoying her new doggy platform we built for her. Being a 100 lb dog, she wasn't going to be too stable offroad in the backseat so this is what we came up with. I cut the plywood to fit, then my wife used some foam padding, a layer of waterproofing material, and then a heavy canvas for the top. She stepled it around the bottom. It's bolted to the floor using the factory bolt holes that would normally mount the rear seats. Then I reused the rear seat mounts so that we could still hook the cargo net divider up to the floor to make it tight.

 

[Se7en62]

My Montero is as done as it's going to get for now. - There's a few more things I'd like to square away, but they'll have to wait because it's time to hit the road! Today, we're heading out on a 9-day 2,800mi (4,500km) overland loop that will include over 500 miles and 71,000' of gain/loss across Colorado's epic BDR including 4x4 tracks, forest roads, alpine lakes, and mountain passes. I'm stoked!

Towns, Trails and Passes along route:
Cortez, CO
Dolores River Canyon 4x4 Track (28 miles and 5 river crossings.)
Ground Hog Pass
Last Dollar Rd.
Alta Lakes
Ophir Pass
Clear Lake
Ophir Pass (Reverse)
Telluride, CO
Imogene Pass
Yankee Boy Basin
Governor Basin
Mt. Sneffels Trailhead
Ouray, CO
Corkscrew Pass
Hurricane Pass
California Pass
Engineer Pass
Alpine Loop [Northside]
Lake City, CO <-- Fireworks!
McDonough Reservoir
Pitkin, CO
Hancock Pass
Hancock Lake
Pomeroy Lakes
Mount Antero
White Mountain
Buena Vista, CO - Sandy OHV Tracks
Turquoise Lake
Hagerman Pass
Sylvan Lake

 

[coffeegoat]

Wow - that looks like fun, enjoy the trip! When the kids get a bit older I'll have to try it.

 

[raysobi]

My Montero is as done as it's going to get for now. - There's a few more things I'd like to square away, but they'll have to wait because it's time to hit the road! Today, we're heading out on a 9-day 2,800mi (4,500km) overland loop that will include over 500 miles and 71,000' of gain/loss across Colorado's epic BDR including 4x4 tracks, forest roads, alpine lakes, and mountain passes. I'm stoked!

Towns, Trails and Passes along route:
Cortez, CO
Dolores River Canyon 4x4 Track (28 miles and 5 river crossings.)
Ground Hog Pass
Last Dollar Rd.
Alta Lakes
Ophir Pass
Clear Lake
Ophir Pass (Reverse)
Telluride, CO
Imogene Pass
Yankee Boy Basin
Governor Basin
Mt. Sneffels Trailhead
Ouray, CO
Corkscrew Pass
Hurricane Pass
California Pass
Engineer Pass
Alpine Loop [Northside]
Lake City, CO McDonough Reservoir
Pitkin, CO
Hancock Pass
Hancock Lake
Pomeroy Lakes
Mount Antero
White Mountain
Buena Vista, CO - Sandy OHV Tracks
Turquoise Lake
Hagerman Pass
Sylvan Lake

View attachment 457430

View attachment 457431

My overland goal right here. Have fun! Be safe! And I will be following your thread closely!!


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[rodmanfzj80]

We're did you buy the 4wd solenoid? Part number. Thanks.

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[Se7en62]

We just got back and I'm working on a full-length article, a short recap of the trip, and lots of photos going up on my Instagram @overland_pajero.

Our route was adjusted IRT to allow us the time to push further north into the Routt NF, nixing our track through the Dolores River Canyon. We'll save that for next time...We also had to nix the areas between Buena Vista and Weston Pass due to a new forest fire that started burning near the pass.

The only mechanical issue we encountered was a bad radiator cap that gave up the ghost on Ophir Pass. We made a new temporary seal for it using some rubber from a solar shower, then picked up a new cap when we went through Gunnison. Spec is 15 lbs and someone had installed a 13 lb cap, so no wonder. - The one I installed was a Murray unit rated for 16 lbs and we didn't have an issue after that. Needless to say, I will be adding a spare radiator cap to our parts bin on future trips.

Towns, Trails, Passes, and National Forests that we explored:
Cortez, CO
Dolores, CO
San Juan NF
4x4 Trails to Groundhog Reservoir
Ground Hog Pass CAMP #1
Last Dollar Rd.
Alta Lakes
Ophir Pass
Clear Lake and the 585 Valley CAMP #2
Uncompaghre NF
Ouray, CO
Corkscrew Pass
Hurricane Pass
Alaska Basin to 13,000'
California Pass
Engineer Pass
Alpine Loop [Northside] CAMP #3
Lake City, CO
Guadalupe NF
Los Pinos Pass
Gunnison NF
Gunnison, CO
Pitkin, CO
Hancock Pass CAMP #4
Buena Vista, CO
Leadville, CO
Turquoise Lake
Hagerman Pass CAMP #5
Ivanhoe Lake
White River NF
Sylvan Lake CAMP# #6
4x4 Tracks Northeast of Sylvan Lake
Gypsum, CO
Old Mine Trail through Gypsum OHV area
Colorado River Valley
Medicine Bow-Routt NF CAMP #7
Arapaho NF

 

[Se7en62]

In case anyone is looking for them, I posted all of our pictures in a new thread here:
https://www.expeditionportal.com/fo...-national-forests-and-9-alpine-passes.196881/

If you also want to see MORE pictures, I'm uploading them chronologically @overland_pajero on Instagram.

 

[SONICMASD]

Wow, what an awesome build! I hope to tackle the 2nd battery and fridge in one of my Monteros soon!

 

[Se7en62]

Wow, what an awesome build! I hope to tackle the 2nd battery and fridge in one of my Monteros soon!

A secondary battery and solar panel are on my short list right now. Just working out a mounting location for the panel: A solid panel mounted to a slide under the roof rack that locks in and out...<OR>...permanently mount a flexible panel to the hood.

 

[Se7en62]

Quick update on projects I'm working on, while I have a second:

• Oil Change - Rotella T6 w/ K&N Filter, plus some Seafoam
• Replace failed OEM AC Condenser Fan with aftermarket unit
• Re-wire turn signals, fog lamps, and marker lights.
• Build-out more storage in the cargo area by adding a box around the fridge, a cubby, and a full-width platform across the top of both.
• Slide-out solar panel with lock-in/-out drawer slides at front of roof rack.
• Secondary battery in cargo area, along with Blue Seas ML-ACR.
• Auxiliary Lighting on front bumper
• Auxiliary Lighting on roof rack front/sides/rear

 

[AZPAJERO]

Really liking this so far. Great rig!