Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

I recently bought a 2004 Mitsubishi Pajero . I managed to do lots of research on Pajeros and managed to make an informed decision. A friend of mine is now looking at buying a Pajero IO 2.0 and i am not able to find as much information on the vehicle. I would love it if i could get some some feedback as to what exactly you can do in a Pajero io (4X4 ability and graded routes it could tackle) and how reliable the vehicle is over 100 000km's. Can one also modify these vehicles to make them more able off road should they wish, and is it worthwhile?

Thanks

Hey,

We are about 4 guys with IO's. 2 x 3 dr 1.6 & 2 x 5 dr 1.8 in our friend group so you can fire away with the questions. We have relative information gathered on the IO and also very busy with developing suspensions and bumpers on the little cars. The off road capabilities is very impressive for a std 4x4 and trust me we have pushed it to the limits with them. So send me a pm for my e-mail address.

JackScrat wrote:I recently bought a 2004 Mitsubishi Pajero . I managed to do lots of research on Pajeros and managed to make an informed decision. A friend of mine is now looking at buying a Pajero IO 2.0 and i am not able to find as much information on the vehicle. I would love it if i could get some some feedback as to what exactly you can do in a Pajero io (4X4 ability and graded routes it could tackle) and how reliable the vehicle is over 100 000km's. Can one also modify these vehicles to make them more able off road should they wish, and is it worthwhile?

Thanks

Hi Jack I drive a 1999 Pajero io 1.8 and have had no mechanical problems with this vehicle, I recently replaced the ignition switch which was faulty. I am going on a 4X4 course at Klein Kariba from 14-17 October 2010, can let you know how it went. My Pajero has got 186000 on the clock. I intend putting on BF Goodrich Tyres in December and that should lift the vehicle by about 20mm. I also intend fitting a freeflow exhaust system which should make it more ecomonical and easier to tow with. I can say that I really enjoy the vehicle and would not sell it.

My contact details are: 0845930656 or email lassmann@sanc.co.za

Regards

LieslAssmann wrote:
My contact details are: .... or email ....

Regards

Liesl

Careful with personal contact detrails on the net. There are dogs out there mining it, and next thing you are spam-bombed!

Rather use the PM system for personal contact.

Anton

Hi Liesl

What size tires are you planning on fitting? 225/70R16? (I could not find this size in SA in BFG)

Just be careful when fitting oversized tires as the "spring seat" on the MacPherson strut is a bit low on standard struts. I've recently fitted KYB shocks to my IO which helped my clearance issue between tyre and strut (now I can go even bigger). The KYB front shocks' spring seat is welded about 20mm higher than standard, which also helped lift the nose a bit.

I am currently running 225/70R16 Goodyear Wangler AT which gave me 17mm lift (on the diff) and then the 20mm on the front. I am currently designing coil springs for three IO's that will give us about 40mm lift. Will do a write up on it as soon as it is fitted and tested.

Regards
Jaco

As Jaco said he got 20mm lift just by fitting the KYB ''lift shocks". I'm busy looking at adding spacers between the body and the shock rod head. As Andre Benson has posted "https://www.pajeroclub.co.za/forum/view ... cers#p8102" he added spacers on his Gen 3 SWB. Just by adding the 20mm spacer to your existing struts/coil + the KYB shocks, you will have a 20mm lift on the diff and 20mm lift on the body. Take note that only the 20mm KYB lift has been proven by us so far so it's still a WIP.

I made contact with Gabriel SA and one of their engineers mailed me a drawing which I will be looking at very soon. The strut/shock combination looks like it may work. I still have to verify the length (mm pushed in / mm pulled out) as well as the mm between the 2 fitment holes that locates on the casting to fit the strut. One thing I love is that the spring seat is small than the std one, but if it fits a new coil has to be made.
The gentlemen from Gabriel also confirmed that they are busy with a coil over shock combination but has been put on hold till next year. Here's a pic of such a combination of an IO running in Greece.If they do manufacture them I will surely buy it. With a body lift you'll be able to get a 245 tyre in there.
Dobinson, Mikem & KONI has std kits available for the IO's but at a price. The KONI kit (4 shocks) is R7400 so that's why we are looking at alternatives. Please feel free if you guys have done some other research.