Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

I know some of you have raised your Gen 4 suspension. I am considering it but would like to know what your opinions are after several yhousand km's What are the (possible( negatives?

Thanks

Type of lift: Spacers from Uys (smaller ones giving about 50mm lift)
Mileage since installation: About 20 000km
Trips done since lift: about 200km on gravel (excl following trips), Nxai Pan, Moremi, Caprivi, Vleesbaai dune route, Baberton mountain excursion

Feedback: Best mod to my car in terms of value for money. Ride difference is zero (I cant notice it, but apparently others on the forum reckon is slightly stiffer).

I dont tow, and dont load heavily. On our trip to Bots we were 4 people in the car, and my roofrack was packed with tent, and 2xjerries. Slight sag at start of trip. As we finished the food and fuel, sag reduced to almost nothing.

CVs still all in good nick, shocks have 120 000km on them now,
going to have them tested (they were fine a year a go on 100 000km)

My objective was to get the extra height, without impact the ride. So far, this solution has turned out perfect for it.

If you do tow, and would like less sag, then you should consider first the air lifters + spacers (only harden rear suspension when needed), or alternatively installation of harder coils + shocks - this is the most expensive option and permanently alters ride comfort.

Thanks Carl, I'm going the Uys route as well and have already installed airlifters. The main aim is to keep the bumper on the car. When we did the Namib I removed it on day two as I could see it was going to get damaged. The same now when we toured Bots.

Afterthought. Didn't you also fit 70 tyres (instead of 65?

Chris wrote:Afterthought. Didn't you also fit 70 tyres (instead of 65?

eh.... that was the plan, but my bridgestone duellers are proving to be persistent little buggers;) 60000km and still got another 15k to 20k left on them.

The plan is to go for 265/70s - currently the thinking is Cooper ST3s, or Pirelli Scorpions.

Chris and Karl,

Chris, I havea Gen 3 GLS 3,8. I did a bodylift on it by installing 30mm spacers on top of the front shock mounts - it gave me 50mm lift - and 30mm spacers between the chassis and rear suspension carrier giving 30mm lift. I also installed airbags but had some thicker pads made so that my airbags give about 10mm lift. This setup has been in my Pajero for a number of years and is still giving sterling service. We have been on many trips with no problems whatsoever. I also did not notice or have any adverse handling problems. The Pajero is still handling the same as the day I bought it. If you need more ground clearance than that of the original Pajero, do the same.

Pending where we go, I tow a Desert Wolf Leo off-road wagon or at times I use a rooftop tent with 100 liters extra fuel on the roofrack - still without any problems.

To keep my rear bumper in place. I made a 3 mm thick "skid-plate" at the back. This aluminium plate attaches to the rear suspension carrier and goes all the way back to the bumper and basically covers the whole rear-end of the car. I have been down Van Zyls Pass, done the Namib dunes from Klein Aus Vista to Walvis Bay and a number of other trips without loosing a bumper.

All the above work is well within the capability of a normal DIY person.

Cloyd.

Hi Cloyd,

Where do you mount your tent ? At the front of the Roofrack / Roof or at the back ?

cloyd wrote:Chris and Karl,

Chris, I havea Gen 3 GLS 3,8. I did a bodylift on it by installing 30mm spacers on top of the front shock mounts - it gave me 50mm lift - and 30mm spacers between the chassis and rear suspension carrier giving 30mm lift. I also installed airbags but had some thicker pads made so that my airbags give about 10mm lift. This setup has been in my Pajero for a number of years and is still giving sterling service. We have been on many trips with no problems whatsoever. I also did not notice or have any adverse handling problems. The Pajero is still handling the same as the day I bought it. If you need more ground clearance than that of the original Pajero, do the same.

Pending where we go, I tow a Desert Wolf Leo off-road wagon or at times I use a rooftop tent with 100 liters extra fuel on the roofrack - still without any problems.

To keep my rear bumper in place. I made a 3 mm thick "skid-plate" at the back. This aluminium plate attaches to the rear suspension carrier and goes all the way back to the bumper and basically covers the whole rear-end of the car. I have been down Van Zyls Pass, done the Namib dunes from Klein Aus Vista to Walvis Bay and a number of other trips without loosing a bumper.

All the above work is well within the capability of a normal DIY person.

Cloyd.

Fisheagle,

A bit of a long story:

1. I changed the standard Pajero roofrack into a proper roofrack. It still looks the same but mine has three solid aluminium "pillars" per side. On these I attached crossbars for all the equipment that I carry on top.

2. My rooftop tent (a Howling Moon tent) is mounted at the back of the roofrack so that when I open the tent, the rear halve of the tent base forms a roof over the rear of my Pajero. In fact, the whole back door is under the base when the door is fully open. This is ideal when it rains - it allows me to work at the back of my car preparing food, coffee, etc under a roof without getting wet.

Cloyd.

I have OME suspension all round. So far no problems in the 165000Km traveled.

Chris,

My final drops in the bucket.

1. The Pajero suspension is excellent and IMHO as good or even better that the aftermarket stuff - and what is more, YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR IT. Use the new suspension's money for fuel on a trip.

2. I do agree: the Pajero can do with an extra bit of ground clearance. A body lift front and rear - 50mm max - plus airbags at the back to compensate for load makes it perfect. I use slightly wider tyres when on a trip 275x70x16 vs 265x70x16. This gives a few mm extra ground clearance - 7mm in total.

Cloyd