Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

Hi

I have just bought a 2014 LWB with 90000km, just fitted a stofpad bashplate as original plastic plate was cracked. And then noticed it looked low, so took some measurements. My clearance up front is really poor - under front axle crossmember only 205mm (thats behind the new bash plate)

Went local suspension guy who suggested getting all the springs re-tensioned.

I would not think 90000km would be beyond the life of a set of springs, maybe they were used well before I bought the car.

Cost will be R3100k to retension and labour.

Alternative I can think of would be stofpad 25mm spacers up front, not sure what the labour would cost to install those. Suspension man was quite adamant to get springs re-tensioned before opting for spacers etc.

Has anyone had experience getting coils re-tensioned? I can only find stories of leaf spring re-tensioning, and those stories end poorly.

I would not put spacers as yet, but also not retension. What would a new set of coils cost at Van Zyls Springworks? Are you sure it is lower than normal?

CATS

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thanks for response

I'm sure the stofpad bashplate does lower clearance, as has 5mm spacers + 4mm bashplate bolting underneath front axle crossmember - orginal plastic bashplate did not attach to crossmember (bolted on just in front of it) and was flush - so thats at least 10mm decrease.

But 205mm vs specs saying 235mm...

Measured distance between front and rear tires and arches and they're the same, so from that point front doesn't seem to be sagging with respect to rear.

Just looks low...

Also normally only drive fairly good gravel roads, some rutted, no twee spoor or large middlemannetjies, so 3cm lower may not be a problem. But on the off chance I find myself near a 4x4 track in the game reserve, don't want to go scraping along.

Hi

Maybe do some checks against some other Pajeros standing in parking areas. Compare wheel arch distances.

Just a dumb question: Are the tyre sizes standard 265/65/70?

My stock standard pajero 2015 LWB wheel to wheel arch measurement is 120 mm front and 155 mm rear.

Hope this helps.

Your rear is high in the air!

Mine 118mm front and 130mm rear, yes standard 265/65R17 tires.

Never seemed low with standard bash plate, must just be stofpad plate being deeper than expected. Bought the stofpad plate as after getting the car I noticed the original plastic plate was cracked quite badly.

I'll leave springs for now... See if I ever graduate from muddy gravel to rocks. Though if the going gets too tough, I may just opt for my old PJ sport! (less plastic to break off)