Lifted 3rd Gen Mitsubishi Montero Off Road Build

Today on Offroadium.com, we have an awesome lifted 3rd Gen Mitsubishi Montero off road build, owned and modified by Jed Francisco from Riverside, CA. While this model isn’t as popular on the US market as some of the similar Toyota and Jeep models and often gets overlooked, it remains one of the most popular full-size off-road SUV in other parts of the world.

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Off Road Build Breakdown

Engine specs

• 3.5l V6 (All Stock!)

Lift height and suspension modifications

• KYB Gas A-Just Shocks
• Stock Mitsubishi Springs

Wheel specs

• 16×8 Vision ManX +0
• Falken Wildpeaks AT3W 265/75/16

Exterior mods

• “Raptor” Amber Grill Lights
• TheMonteroCollective Ditch Light Brackets
• iJDM Toy Amber Ditch Lights
• Trasharoo Trash Bag

Interior mods

• Android Apple Car Play Head-Unit
• Rear Custom Fold-Out Tray

Model Heritage

Back in the day, Montero, also known as Pajero Evolution and Shogun on other markets, has forged the reputation of the best off-road SUV in the Dakar desert rally competition. It took 1st place in this challenging competition 12 times, starting from 1985 until 2007 while becoming a winner 7 times in a row in 2001-2007!

For many automakers, racing competitions are also a playground for developing and testing the new technologies and this is where Mitsubishi’s world-famous Super Select four-wheel-drive system was born. This advanced and revolutionary in many ways off-road system is called Active-Trac in America, due to the marketing reasons.

Unlike the 1st and 2nd generation Mitsubishi Montero that utilized a classic body-on-frame construction, the 3rd gen is unibody. Even though many old-school 4-wheel-drive fans may see it as a disadvantage for hard-core wheeling, it certainly has a lot of benefits such as improved handling, safety, and efficiency in everyday life. For drivers not concerned with rock crawling, these benefits may be far more important than suspension articulation.

Interview With The Owner

We decided to reach out to Jed and ask a couple of questions about his lifted Mitsubishi Montero Off-Road build.

How did you become interested in off-roading?

I’ve always been interested in Off-Roading ever since a young age. I simply did not know HOW much I was interested in it until buying my first 4×4. During High School, my buddies all were heavily interested in the JDM scene so we all had STIs, RX7s, 350zs, you name it. Therefore, off-roading was never in the question.

Why did you choose this particular model for your project?

I wanted something cheap, capable, and reliable. My Gen 3 Montero was not my first choice; just like everyone else, I was looking for 3rd Gen 4Runners, XJs, and Tacomas. The only issue was that the market value for what I was looking for was extremely high for what they were asking for. Therefore, I looked elsewhere and stumbled into the world of Monteros. From doing my own research, these cars were fairly reliable, capable, and extremely undervalued. The next day, I looked on Offer-Up and picked up my first Gen 3 Montero. And I never looked back.

What inspired you to choose this modification style?

Similar to the styling of my STI Hatch, I follow the rules of simplicity. I’m not a huge fan of having too many modifications on a vehicle to the point where it just doesn’t look right. To me, everything must follow a certain pattern whether it’s design, colors, and even stickers. Less is more.

What challenges did you face while putting it together?

Parts. Although the Montero community is vast, there is simply not enough aftermarket support in the USA for this chassis. Most aftermarket parts must either be imported overseas or fabricated in-house. Not a huge deal though, just gotta be creative!

What do you love about your vehicle?

The satisfaction it brings. From all the vehicles I have bought, the Montero is the cheapest yet brings the most satisfaction. Apart from what it can do off-road, the Montero has it’s own character. No one knows about it, people are always looking and asking what it is. To me, that’s the best part.

Is it your daily or a weekend ride?

As of right now, this is still and probably be forever my daily until I can get ahold of a car that’s more efficient on gas.

Do you take it off road? If so, where and how often?

Yes, usually on trails in SoCal. I try to go every time I’m off work!

What are your future plans about this vehicle?

Try to build it as much as I can, slowly but surely. The main point of purchasing this vehicle was to poke my head into the world of off-roading without spending a lot of money. Hopefully in the future, I can work with different aftermarket companies in order to provide more support for Monteros. If not, time to learn how to fabricate!

Anything else you would like to share about your vehicle or about the off-roading in general?

Off-Roading is simple freedom. I’m in love with the idea of going to places where some people are not able to reach in regular cars. Nothing beats going on for a small trip to the mountains with your significant other, eating burritos and drinking hot chocolate from the back of your truck.

Watch the progress and find out more about this lifted 3rd gen Mitsubishi Montero project by visiting the Instagram profile of the owner: @justjedd!

Related Parts & Mods

– Inspired by this Mitsubishi Montero build and looking to prepare your own SUV for off-road adventures? Some parts used on this vehicle were sourced from custom shops or custom made, but our team has put together a list of products and accessories available online that may help you to achieve similar results:

Wheels

• Falken Wildpeaks AT3W 265/75/16 – Available in various sizes

Suspension

• Bilstein B6 4600 Front & Rear Shock Absorbers Kit – For Mitsubishi Montero 2001-2006
• KYB Gas-A-Just Shocks Struts – For Mitsubishi Montero 2001-2004

Lights

• iJDMTOY Raptor-Style Amber Grille lights – 3pc Set
• iJDMTOY 2500K Yellow Round Shape Ditch Lights – You would need to modify or make custom brackets to install them on Montero.

Traction Boards

• X-BULL New Recovery Traction Boards – Sand/Mud/Snow

Extra

• Trasharoo Spare Tire Trash Bag – 30 Gallons

*Before ordering any part or accessory, it is recommended that you verify its fitment with a qualified professional and/or seller. We are not responsible for fitment or other issues that may arise from using the products featured on our website.

Stay tuned for more Mitsubishi Pajero off road build reviews on Offroadium.com – Follow us on social media and share this write up if you enjoyed reading it using the share buttons below!