pre98SS vs 99+SS forks spacing and steering stem?

[cmoore]

Probably a stupid question, but through searches, all i seem to find is info on is sbk swaps or ss/sp vs ss/cr. What I now am trying to discern is whether the spacing on the triples themselves is exactly the same. I.e. could i use a pre-98 lower triple/steering stem and a 99+ top triple (or vice versa). I know that the fork (at the triples) is the same diameter (despite being 41mm and 43mm at the slider). i am putting a new rolling chassis together and my old monster lower triple/steering stem is bent and i am trying to figure out what used parts i can source. I held the top triple i have (99+SS) up next to my my 96 ss/sp and eyeballing looks good, but without working in the cold for a while to take some stuff off and loosen other parts i couldn't be sure. And similarly, i am not confident with a tape measure that i can get precise measurements both L/R and front/back and the fact that i am 90% sure that the monster fork spacing changed right about 2002-3, so it seems entirely possible it may have changed.

Or perhaps another question; i believe the 99+ SS forks are longer - is the steering stem the same length/diameter between these two generations?