Eurosonic's Montero 2.5Gen Build Thread

[off-roader]

That's Mitsu ensuring they implement the KISS principle...

 

[nwoods]

Correction... Locker Compressor.

For others reading this thread, the Mitsu locker uses a low pressure system. You actually have enough power in your lungs to actuate the locker. Other Air locker systems (ARB, etc) i've seen use a much higher pressure system. That said, the Mitsu compressor is a low pressure low volume compressor which IMHO helps keep it quiet and un-noticed when in use.

Not that unusual. Jeep Rubicon lockers run on 6psi.

 

[eurosonic]

I finally got around to toss my pancaked gas tank. After all the trips to the mountains the tank is about done. It took quite a beating during the last Rubicon trip.

Plan is to do a rear frame tuck along with redoing the mounts for the tank. Also will figure something out with the exhaust.


Couple of gallons short, feul gauge is out of wack.



Plan is to chop and move the frame up couple of inches, eliminating the rear body lift spacers.



plenty of room to hide the tank



took me bout 20 min to get to here



front tank mounts


rear tank mounts



borrowed my neighbors custom made jack-stands to hold up the body while doing the chop.



"new" donor tank

 

[eurosonic]

I know I can relocate the tank by itself only, w/o messing with the frame. But after seeing it done on another Montero and how much space it cleared up underneath, decided to do it as well.

 

[nwoods]

Impressive project!

 

[eurosonic]

Got some work done during lunch,

chopped the frame using an angle grinder





Unbolted the left side of the frame and removed the spacers. Bolted it back up, saving a little over 3 inches.



Right side for comparison




Will continue with the rest later.

 

[billygoats]

wow! very impressive!! I wish I had the balls and skills to do that!

 

[KIRK!]

So will all of the tank mounts be moving up? If so, that's actually an easier procedure than making new tank brackets. Crap! Another project for me to do.

 

[eurosonic]

So will all of the tank mounts be moving up? If so, that's actually an easier procedure than making new tank brackets. Crap! Another project for me to do.

rear mount moves up along with frame, front mount(next to axle) will need to be moved up regardless. I will see how high the tank mounts up in the rear with the new frame setup, most likely I will need to refab all of the mounts. Shouldn't be too hard.

 

[eurosonic]

another reason why I wanted to do the frame tuck first is to a have a nice and ready platform to build the rear bumper.

 

[eurosonic]

Here is a pic to show how low the tank sags in the back

 

[eurosonic]

got some work in at lunch.


raised the other side, cleaned up the frame for welding. Next, fab up frame mounts.

 

[GrassCat]

Are you going to put the upper rubber washer back? I see you removed them along with the body lift pucks. I would think just having the ones on the bottom is kinda useless. What do you think?

Did you see how Carlos (cap510) did his?

Keep up the good work, it's getting there.

 

[eurosonic]

I actually used the upper rubber washer/spacer by flipping it and placing it underneath the mount. I had to keep it because it uses centering washer that runs through the frame mount.

Carlos's rig was the inspiration for this project.

 

[MontyMcV]

Seeing the boxed frame cut like that really highlights how ************ the Montero can be. That, compared to other rigs with their C-channel frames.