I seem to be cursed with parts problems lately, most recent is getting the wrong right side drive axle - the bolt circle for the flange bolts is 4mm too small. WTF? That's the 4th time in the last 6 months or so that I've had problems getting parts that don't fit, don't work right, or are altogether incorrect for the application. I'm really getting sick of it, and don't have time for [censored] like this! Okay, done venting.

So, where are these parts coming from? Dealer? Rock Auto? Where? Let this be a warning to others, not just a vent.

John B.

For a Gen I V6 they have listed the wrong CV axles since 1993. It blows my mind that they NEVER fix an error. For our Hyundai recently my wife was helpful trying to resolve a check engine light and bought a new gas cap...Light stayed on after I changed the O2 sensor, figured out the new cap was wrong. Drove to all the auto parts stores and they ALL had the wrong one. Just about to drive to the dealer but tried NAPA and there's was correct. Soooo ,common problem. I have heard mechanics screaming after getting the wrong part 10X in a row for a Ford Pick up....

There was a change on the bolt pattern around 1998.5, I think this applies to the sports as well. I have one or two half shafts sitting here, that might fit, you just pop it out and swap. Let me know if you want me to do some measuring. Your front axle is a hodge podge when you got gears and lockers right?

There are a ton of different CV's mostly per motor but Kevin and i were just talking about this yesterday they are sometimes at random.
4cyl, 12v V6, 12v V6 5spd, 3.0 SOHC 24v, 3.0 SOHC 24v 5spd, 3.5 DOHC, 3.5 SOHC and then some have slight interchange between them, as in the splined ends will be the same but the cups are different or the cages are different. I have a 3.0 SOHC axle in a 3.5 SOHC cup, the cage is much smaller but the bearings are the correct spacing and size for my cup. I couldn't fit the DOHC birfield in the SOHC cup.

NOW my brother in law bought reman CV's for his '93 and i bought remans for my old '94, we got the same part number and brand. His left CV was too big and my left was too small, our parts were delivered at different times to different addresses and they were remanned by the same company with the same part number on the boxes yet we still got different axles.
I think the aftermarket just thinks all montero's are the same. Having said that OEM only junkyard or dealer, everything i've put on my truck that wasn't OEM either didn't work correctly or didn't last. It's cheaper to use the OEM stuff.

I thought there was only two sizes, when talking about the bolt holes for the passenger side inner joint. I agree with the not lasting part. I Snaped a reman shaft two weeks ago.

NEVER buy a reman if you plan to wheel. They turn things down and use smaller balls and such. Buy used or OEM.

The problem hasn't been with any specific parts source, nor has it been exclusively Montero parts, it's just been a far too regular problem with aftermarket parts. A torque converter from NAPA, a front drive axle from O'Reilly, a motor mount from RockAuto...I'm about to just stop buying aftermarket junk because I don't have the time to replace parts a second time.

The axles that I got aren't reman, they're new aftermarket. Hopefully they will hold up to the abuse of 4-wheeling. If not, I'll still have the original axle shafts sitting in the garage.

Use some giant zip ties and put them on the roof rack to make sure you don't get stranded.

John B.

shucks... my autozone new cv shaft, I put in just now, lasted 10 minutes. It just blew up a spit crappy looking cast metal allover the ground. I might not make it on Saturday, I don't have time to do this every afternoon. Who has the best price on OEM?