I think you could Lee, you would just have to stick the engine in the back... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

I have seen Birfields breaks before... and they seem to liquify into this greasy freaking mess. Ujoints are a little easier to work with atleast. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Rex, you are a man after my own heart, and thats why I have stuck with 100% pure Mits stuff so far, like 5:29s from OZ Monteros, original t/case geared down,ect. I would never ever consider swapping such reliable V6 engines, trannys, and rear ends. Fact is, if you go with a SAS, the pure breed days are over. Best to go with the BEST, least complex and expensive option. Your looking at 3-4K min, and get fancy and your looking at 6-7K! 6-7k would buy alot of stock capability like, 5:29s, 35s, 2:85s, Dual Lockers, lift......... There is always a chance I will do a SAS some day, but for now, I crawl what I want, and what I am finding are the trails that would be much easier with a SAS are so extreme they really require a tube buggy anyways because the sheet metal just gets in the way, and thats not a direction I am going. As far as 38" tires? I hope you realize its then a trailer rig, and not reasonable to drive on easy to moderate trails, or much fun on most hard trails. The 10.5" Mits rear will handle them, but of course not the front. They would involve ALOT of fender trimming and chopping, more gears then the 2:85 has to offer, a Dana 60 not 44, and might set you back 15,000.00 just to get them <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Price of admission for 35s is high, 38"+, its extreme.

I think we are over quoting a little here. Dana 60's, hp from fords with driver side drop go for about 1000-1200 in good condition. You could use bling bling extras, and coil overs to boot, and not be close to 15k if you do your own work.

Well, I am assuming not to do your own work, and counting all the other mods you would need like custom low gears that have never been developed, or dual case mods, tranny mods, clearence mods.......I KNOW how much 35s cost me! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

LOL man IFS is the best!? and Cheapest?!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" /> I got my D44 wagoneer axle and am ready to start my SAS project as soon as this IFS $hits the bed. 67.50 at my local pick and pull. I figure 500 for a detroit, 150 for gears, another 3-400 for springs, and maybe 200 for brake rebuild on it.

Brand Loyalty is all good and well, but don't kid yourselfs. Our trucks have shortcommings for being serious offroading vehicles.

Best to go with the BEST, least complex and expensive option. As far as SAS options....

Yeah, I could live with Toyota parts...at least they're METRIC, and you know that Toyotas are built with the same quality and love that the Mitsu's are.

As I recall, in the article they shortened the Toyota axles and either resplined them or attached a U-joint yoke on the end...I don't recall. And since you'd be having to cut down both sides anyways, to get an offset you'd just cut more off one side than the other...if that didn't leave you enough, yes, you'd have to re-tube that side.



Never said Mitsu's were the BEST, just damned good, unlike a lot of 4WD vehicles out there (like YEEPS) that really don't have much going for them if they didn't have such a monstrous aftermarket. Lloyd's said it, and I believe it...Mitsu's are one of the best, out-of-the-box. If I WERE going to build a high-end rock buggy, I WOULD start with a Yeep, but only because there's such a huge aftermarket. If I want a reliable, capable, and strong vehicle, both on- and off-road with a minimum of modifications, I'll stick with the Montero. Anything that diminishes the Mitsu-ness should be avoided if possible.

If you were talking about American-type parts that were of the same level of quality (and metric <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />) as Mitsu or Toyota parts, I might reconsider my stance. However, I'm far from convinced that a Dana 44 is an adequate substitute.



Probably. Nevertheless...

Might be able to...it'll depend on a lot of things, my joblessness, among others.

For the record, I'm not entirely AGAINST the idea of using a D44 up front...going with the least expensive alternative is certainly the most practical thing to do and, if I were to ever do an SAS myself (highly unlikely, really), a D44 is prolly what I'd wind up doing.

I'm simply proposing a POSSIBLE Mitsubishi-based alternative, if anyone else wanted to pursue this. There may be something about the Mitsu rear axle that would prevent you from even doing this, and it certainly wouldn't be cheap. However, it'd be awfully cool if it COULD be done.