Vehicle: 1999 Montero with locker.
Beginning specifications:Exterior: Sudan Beige
Interior: Tan leather
Engine: 3.5 liter single over head cam V6 "6G74" - Iron block, aluminum heads, timing belt driven
Transmission: Aisin AW03-72LE - overdrive auto transmission
Transfercase: Superselect, 2wd, synchronized shift-on-the-fly awd, Standard 4wd high and low.
Axles: High pinion 8" up front, 9.5" rear with factory air locker, 4.27 differentials
Proposed specifications:Exterior: Adventure Driven Design Livery - Grey and Blue topography over battleship grey, white top, black lower trim.
Interior: Tan canvas
Engine: 3.8 liter single over head cam V6 "6G75" - Iron block, aluminum heads, timing belt driven, eaton supercharger
Transmission: Aisin AW03-72LE - overdrive auto transmission - shift kit - larger cooler
Transfercase: Superselect, 2wd, synchronized shift-on-the-fly awd, standard 4wd high and Marks4WD 2.7:1 low.
Axles: High pinion 8" up front, 9.5" rear with factory air locker, 4.90 differentials
Day one:
Current: (will change with progress)

Goldi-locker was purchased in LA quite a while back to fill the montero void in our life, after we started ADD, it became a 'stock comparison truck' ... since it wasnt modded we used it for a baseline comparison. I tolerated riding on KYB's and made due with 31" tires, daily drove the truck and showed up to any wheeling trip I could. Showing just how much you can do with a low budget truck.
After 2 years of moderate to heavy use for a stock truck, it has held up great. The vehicle will be an ADD brand ambassador for 2018 so it's time to start working it over. Friday of last week I installed a new denso alternator, new trans lines, added new fluid and put in a fresh-from-the-dealer coolant reservoir. Then stabbed four new Bilstein 5100 long travel shocks and stainless skidplates, total shock install took about two hours, 30 minutes each, I didn't take any of my wheels off and only used a floor jack and some hand tools.
The real trick to installing these long travel shocks is a good long wood working clamp, safety protection of course, and some strong string. I used the wood clamp to compress the shocks, tied them off with the string and popped them in. The trick to removing the stock shocks was to tie them off with the vehicle at rest, remove the top nuts from the fron and rear, then jack the truck up and undo the bolts, they remain compressed and slip out nice and easy. All in all, it went well.
Saturday I went out with the local crew to some rocky trails, the 5100's ride very plush, they soak up terrain and make washboard roads feel like mall parking lots. I was so impressed with the quality of the ride, i decided I wouldnt air down my tires so I could see just how nice the Bilstein 5100 is compared to a KYB... I did the same trail a year prior with the same truck on KYB's and it beat the shit out of me, I even aired down on that run.
The whole day went smooth, the ride was good even with the tires at full pressure, but the trail kept getting rockier and rockier, at one point as we casually strolled through a rubble road I said to myself, or maybe to my co-pilot CJ "I think I should air down" - but we were almost to the secret lake, so whatever, I'll be fine, the exit is right after the lake anyho-PSSSSH 'oh shit, is that us? That's us!" PSSSSH rear tire encountered a very sharp knife edged rock with the sidewall. My tires are Yokohama Geolander A/T-S in 31x10.50R15 on some 15x8 turbine wheels, perfect for a stock truck, especially a gen 2.5 with 4.27 gears... After swapping on the spare I caught back up with the gang and it was decided, Ive got the front 4.90's, the rears will be here soon, it's time for 33's...