I'm leaning toward a Montero Sport 3.5L 2001, but I need advice because I know next to nothing about the newer Montero and how they perform as a tow rig pulling a trailer with approx 3500 lbs on it

I'm looking for something to trailer my 88 Monty to wheeling events over the next several years

My goal would be to upgrade this tow vehicle in years to come in order to possibly take it in 2010 on the Land's End trip Lloyd is planning, that's why I'm leaning toward a Montero Sport

okay, give me your best thoughts on the Montero that would best fit these goals, including what factory equipment package to hunt for <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Uh I think you need one with the factory 2" body lift, factory Swampers and the factory rear locker, and the factory ARB bullbar. At least thats what you tell the wife <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Hey Seli
I have had both a gen 1 lwb and my current 93sr. I have towed with both and more with my 93. We had a 20' bow rider i drug around with my 90 and she and the trailer totaled up to about 2800-3000. However with the 93 we traded the 20' bow rider and got a 24' with a cutty. Full of fuel, water trailer boat etc she was about 5300lbs. The 93 had no problems pulling her in and out of the water and obviously I was not doing 90mph down the road. Drove cautious and watched the small rice rockets that would alway pull out in front of me. Best of my knowledge the sports have a 5000 lb towing capicity with the class 111 hitch. just my 2 cents worth. I know others here have pulled more with thier early model gen 2's

Ray,

I think you're underestimating the weight of your 88 Monte unless you've done some serious interior stripping. That thing's gotta weigh 4100lbs, and a trailer with the strength to carry it will weigh 1200 or more. To pull 5300lbs around (more than the Monte's rated tow capacity), you need the longer WB of the Montero and the 3.5. Even then, you'll be overloaded. Unless you use only the rear cross member hitch, which magically increases the tow capacity to something North of 4 tons.......:-)

To be honest... if I was getting a tow rig I wouldnt get a mitsubishi. I know they are great trucks... but a used diesiel... or something with a big engine would do alot better.

I personally jave been looking around for a desiel k5.

Atleast get trailer brakes for it. But in the long run you are going to be happier with something with more grunt.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by DougH:
<strong>
I personally jave been looking around for a desiel k5.
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">You need a longer wheelbase than a K5 has. Combined weight of a trailer and swb monty will be real close to 6000lbs

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by DougM:
[QB]Ray,

I think you're underestimating the weight of your 88 Monte unless you've done some serious interior stripping. That thing's gotta weigh 4100lbs. QB]</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Naa they dont weight that much, i weighted mine in bone stock + tool box and some car parts at 3450lb i have a 89 2dr 5sp 2.6 also. But then with body armor, heavy tires, and added junk it could add a few hundred lb's...

Yeah, I weighed mine on the truck scales and came up with 3450 wet with me and tools/junk with unmodded body in 87 raider 2.6 a/t w/ a/c. and the turbo stuff.

I appreciate all the comments <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

anyone out there ever trailered 5000 lbs with their Gen III Montero Sport? I think my Gen I with trailer would probably come to about 5000 lbs, which is the towing capacity of a Gen III Montero Sport

I went and test drove a 2002 Montero Sport today, just for curiosity ... that 3.5L has some serious power

who has the most modified Gen III Montero Sport here on 4x4wire? (modified for off-road)

I've seen many wheelers towing their 2-door off-road rigs to Tellico with their family SUVs ... I'd probably only trailer my 88 Monty a couple or three times per year to wheeling events which are more than three hours drive away from home, the rest of the time the towing vehicle would need to double as a family SUV until paid off, then it would become available for modification for off-road use

the Gen III Montero has a slightly wider and longer wheel base than the Gen III Montero Sport (about 3 inches wider and 2 1/2 inches longer), but both have the same towing capacity and the same 3.5L engine, and the Sport seems like it would be more easily modified in the future for offroad with better approach and departure angles, etc

i recently pulled a 1500lb hydraulic dump trailer loaded with just shy of 2 tons of gravel on a class 3 hitch with my '01 montero xls (not the sport). weigh-out scale reading was ~11000lbs...me, the monty, the trailer and the gravel.

it was s-l-o-w starting and slow stopping, but with 5500lbs attached, what do you expect? one portion of the (short) trip included about a mile of serious uphill grade. i had to dip into the throttle a bit more, but the tranny hit 3rd gear and held my 60mph cruising speed without complaint.

fwiw,

dookie

<small>[ March 06, 2003, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: dookie ]</small>