[Sandhond]

1. Name: Liam

2. Birthday and Age: 33 - 29/12/81

3. Town & Country Of Residence: PTA East

4. Home Language: Afrikaans

5. Occupation/Business: Self Employed - Photographer / Custom wallpaper & Vinyl decals business

6. Family Status: Single

7. Membership Of Other 4X4 Clubs & Forums: 4x4 Comm

8. Current 4x4: 2006 3.2 DiD GLX

9. Current Modifications: Just a roof rack... still need everything else!!

10. Modifications On The Wish List: Battery System, Bash Plate, rock sliders, packing system with fridge slider, front and rear bumber mods, suspension.

11. Vehicle(s) On The Wish List: quite happy now

12. Previous 4x4s: 2006 Fortuner 4.0L V6

13. Last 3 Offroad Trips: Namibia, Transkei, Botswana & Zim

14. Favourite Destination: Kubu Eiland..... Toe min mense nog daarvan geweet het.

15. Other Hobbies: Adventure bike trips, training my border collie.

16. GPSr & Map Data Used: T4 Africa - Garmin C61

17. Rate Your 4X4 & Overlanding Experience: 5/10

18. Photos Of Yourself & Your Vehicle:

Die dag toe ek hom gekoop het.

Roof rack word more install. Nou moet ek begin met al die ander extras so as enige iemand iets het om te verkoop wat ek benodig laat weet asb.

Nam trip in Desember en Maart/April. Het alles voor dan. Meer as happy met 2nd hand en DIY advies.

Ek nodig ook advies om hom bietjie lig, is dit moontlik sonder om al die suspension te doen? Wat is die goedkoopste reliable opsie...as daar een is?

Ek wil net se: van n '06 Fortuner na n '06 GLX - 40 keer beter. Ek LOVE die pajero!!

[cloyd]

Sandhond aka Liam,

Welkom, you have the ideal opportunity to test the Pajero and to meet some of the club members during the last weekend in September. Read TTD letters.

Bietjie advies: Voordat jy begin geld spandeer, koop en verander: ry eers rond, beproef en besluit dan wat jy werklik nodig het. Die standard Pajero is uiters doeltreffend en bevoeg en baie geld gee nie 'n baie groot opbrengs nie - slegs spog waarde. Die engelse noem dit "diminishing returns on investments".

Cloyd

[Sandhond]

Thanks Cloyd

Ek vat dit maar stadig vir nou en toets maar soos jy se, maar ek sal so veel moontlik self try doen plaas van al die "shop" fittings en gadgets wat so duur is. Ons vat in Maart/April n goep franse op namibie toe, en ek worry net oor die pajero so laag is en dan nog gelaai met 4 mense se bagasie, spaar wiele, kos, ens, of hy nie 'te' laag gaan wees nie. Is air suspension dan genoeg, of is dit beter om hom n 50mm lift te gee met koils en shocks?

My fortuner het ek gekoop met ironman suspension so height was nooit n issue nie, maar HARD, baie HARD....teensy hy swaar gelaai was. En dan nogsteeds nie n pleasant ride nie.

Ek soek n middel weg. Comfy-rig op die pad, maar sterk genoeg om gelaai te wees.

Enige voorstelle?

Dit is my 'vakansie kar' wat ek graag wil om alles in plek te he vir kamp. Ek sleep nie graag nie.

[CATS]

Welcome here.

That is the problem with any suspension CHANGE, many people like to call suspension UPGRADE! It is not an upgrade, it is a change to meet different requirements be it extra load, extra height, lower height etc.

I mean you can in theory lift a Pajero and still have comfortable soft ride, but it will be wallowy around corners.

I would say if you only occasionally want to load extra weight first thing to do is airbags in the rear coils. normal when unloaded and harder when loaded.

If you want height consider coil spacers but it definitely firms up the ride taking away the Pajero ride comfort slightly.

You must decide what works for you!

CATS

[KurtG]

Cats is right, look at the rear coil airbags but I would advise against the spacers. I tried them and after a few months decided to spend the money on full EFS suspension. Iron Man DOES NOT WORK on the Pajeros, rather look at Tough Dog or EFS or OME (high price!)

[Sandhond]

Thanks for the advice.

Cats - i read the post yesterday bout the Gabriel (HDP's) ?..... would you recommend them? Accept for the first 2000km which i see is a bit rough.

Ive got blue coils in at the back, it could be any brand right, would it be possible to identify them? and can i just do shocks or do you HAVE to do coils as well?

Sorry i know nothing about suspension... but i would like a higher ride, don't mind losing a bit of the comfy ride as it will be loaded quite often.

[CATS]

I am still happy with my Gabriel HDP's but I normally travel heavily loaded so might not be the norm to go by.

If the shocks are still good you can only put in longer coils to give you a bit of lift. Shocks don't give the lift, the coils do, although some tired shocks might be running slightly lower/"papper" than fresh new ones.

Cheapest lift are the spacers as made by Stofpad 4x4 but look around if you want go that route as there might be some second hand units out there. For me it did not work as it was too much lift with the already longer coils that I had in there at the time. They also really harden up the ride and the ride afterwards has been likened to a rocking chair due to the sudden harshness experienced. proceed with care.

Blue coils can be any make but probably wont be OME(ussualy black), Ironman(ussualy Yellow), EFS(usualy black), TJM(usually yellow) or Tough Dog(ussualy yellow). In Aus the blue coils are ussualy King Springs, locally made in Australia, but I dont know who make blue coils in SA as standard.

First try the height as it is now. Maybe just make sure you have a decent bashplate under the front intercooler if you do find the height a bit lower than expected.

CATS
PS - Watch out for the rear bumper acting like a sand scoop on the Pajero in sand driving like Namib dunes as it is probably the weakest point of design. It will tear when scooping up sand at speed!

[cloyd]

Liam,

Thank heavens for another person not willing to pour money into somebody's bank account when he can do some work himself!!

I have done a body lift on my Pajero - 50mm total in front and 30mm at the back - without any adverse effect on handling or reliability plus I have had airbags in the back for the last ± 5 years and am still happy. I used to carry a rooftop tent but decided to go for a bit more comfort and now pull a Desert Wolf Leo trailer.

Maybe we should compare notes and experiences before you take big steps. Once a wheel is designed, it is a waste of time to reinvent it.

Cloyd

[cloyd]

Liam,

Now for the part I forgot in the first message: I have also solved the "sand scoop" problem with the rear bumper cover. We travelled the Namib from Luderitz to Walvis Bay without any problem. The info is on the house for those interested.

Cloyd

[KurtG]

Liam,

Now for the part I forgot in the first message: I have also solved the "sand scoop" problem with the rear bumper cover. We travelled the Namib from Luderitz to Walvis Bay without any problem. The info is on the house for those interested.

Cloyd

Oh please do share