Having to redo rear drums (which I hate) and it also looks like I'll need bearings. I came across a leaf sprung Montero Sport with 4.27 gears and I can get the axle, with discs/calipers/ebrake very cheap. I have 4.6 gears. Does anyone know if the third member/differential carrier from my 87 would swap into the 99? Obviously I would rather have a locker but I can't afford one at the moment and I want to get this thing back on the road.

Here are some pictures from the 99 http://imgur.com/a/0kgbL

The rear axle is reportedly a bolt in. There are 6.636 gears for the MS axle. Also, you could seek 4.22 gears from a 4-cyl Mighty Max for the front, but I'm sure you'd rather have lower gears. I have not seen comments of the big Montero air locker pumpkin within the MS axle.

Ok I figured some stuff out. Want to post it in case it helps anyone. Yeah definitely want to keep the 4.6 gears.

I have access to a 1990 v6 auto as well. I'm told those have 9" rears and 4.625 which matches my 4cyl gearing. The Montero Sport axle is 9" and will give me a bolt in option since it's leaf sprung, and I can swap in the carrier from the 90 v6 Montero. I'm told that the 4cyl has an 8" differential so I can't bolt in mine.

I'm sure because of the length, and because my Montero is SWB I will have to use my driveshaft but I might have to swap that rear joint out or maybe drill the pinion flange to make mine work.

Can anyone confirm my findings? I'm grabbing this stuff this weekend.

Available gear ratios
http://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=73459

Thanks

I'm glad you started this thread. I have a 89 Raider SWB I intend to swap out the axle with a 91 Montero LWB rear axle with LSD. It sounds like I should be able to just lug the LSD axle over to the Raider. Is that right?

Yeah as long as the gearing is the same I think that would work. You have a v6 right? That makes things a bit easier because Montero's have the coil sprung rear instead of the old 4cyl leaf setup, you generaly have more options. Only some Montero Sports have the leaf setup.

I remember an old thread where someone was telling me you might have to drill the pinion flange on the axle to bolt up the driveshaft. I have no idea which flanges are different and when you have to do that, or if you can just mix and match parts from each driveshaft. I might know more next week when I have everything.

Yup, V6. I thought I read somewhere that there is a differential rebuild kit. Where would I find a selection of these for this truck? I need to look at the axle for specifics but probably stock LSD.

I'm not familiar with a rebuild kit. From what I've seen most people try to avoid having to mess with the actual gears by doing what I'm doing, or give them to a good gear shop for proper setup if you must change the r&p gears. Other than that you pretty much need to use the ASA and find OEM part numbers for seals and bearings etc.

@ dfreem01: For your V6 Raider, you only need to install the pumpkin from the 91 source axle, not the entire assembly. This is a direct bolt in, no difference in the axle housing. Make sure to use gear oil with the traction additive, otherwise your new LSD will not work well.

You may also consider the 92-93 SR rear axle, these have disc brakes, 4.625 gears, and LSD.

@ BlueMont: Based on all the threads on this topic, I've not read anywhere that the gear sets are interchangeable between the old school square Montero and the much later tech in the Montero Sport. Based upon the normal life cycling of engineering, they are not likely to interchange. As the MS axle is a drop-out, you should not have difficulty locating the 6.636-geared LSD pumpkin using search engines like car-parts.com and others.

If you need to mod something, put some leaf spring mounts on the 94-97 (ish) Montero axles and just go full boat with the 4.9 gears and air locker. Find some 4.875 gears for the front diff.

Thanks. I already pulled the carrier from the 90 but I happened to find a locking carrier for cheaper than I thought. Got the MS axle most of the way out too, just have to disconnect front parts of ebrake and haul it out. Waiting until Tuesday for half price day.

When people say Montero Sport locker are they referring to an actual locker or just LSD? It fits right in the standard axle housing and uses the same axle shafts?

OK found this thread again. http://4x4wire.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/770784/site_id/1#import

I think the locking axle housing is different but I am not 100%. Is the little compressor/actuator hookup on the carrier housing or the axle housing? It would be great just to swap the locking carrier in when I get my hands on one.