Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

Hi all,

I had OME shocks and coils installed just over two years ago (heavy duty all round). Had no problems with them at all.

Also got Cooper STT's a year ago (265/75/16), very happy with them.

Recently my Pajero started bouncing on uneven tar roads. At highway speed 120 - 130 especially with a sidewind the Pajero rocks from side to side and feels unsafe.

Took it to TWT - salesman said flat spots on the tyres caused the vehicle to lift ??

Got a second opinion from Johan at First Alignment (who originally fitted the suspension)- he took the car for a test drive. Commented that handling and going over speed bumps felt fine. However when he felt the instability at speed he said I should replace all 4 shocks

Any ideas ? Shocks are just out of the 2 year guarantee, cost me a little fortune and I expected a longed life out of them. Could the problem be that I fitted heavy duty without really carrying heavy loads? I did a few Gr 2-3 tracks and occasionally drove sand. Visited Atlantis twice. Nothing major in my mind ?

Any advice as to what I should do ?

Shock absorbers don't last forever.
Some last longer than others, but none that I know of last as long as the original Mitsubishi ones!
I fitted a set of Gabrial Safaris, which lasted less than a year!
Never again.
Currently on Bilsteins, which seem fine after more than 5 years.

I would suggest that you ask the the guy who recommends a set of new ones to fit them, but you will only pay if the problem is solved. If not, he removes them.

Have you had the suspension and steering bushes checked?
Ball joints?

If it was fine before and bad now, it probably the bushes or shocks.

Have you checked pressures?

I hate heavy duty shocks/coils/leafs. Our company triton has heavy duty suspension and it is extremely tail happy on our gravel road and feels unsafe over 100km/h.


Sent from my iPad 2

My 2 cent experience:

I recently had a suspension upgrade: OME, ols man Emu.

Less than 1 weeks after the I a had a flat tire that was replaced. As my tires were not worn at all (15000km), my mechanic just replaced the tire. It was at the front left.

I was disappointed having changed the suspension. I found the car less stable and always turning to the right.

Now, I changed to winter tires and I have my old car back + the now good working new suspension.

That said: only a minor asymmetric thing can ruin your driving experience.

Good luck.
A.

just done 120,000km with my pajero,to my dismay the back shocks started leaking and the handling became dangerous.Due to this I had no choice but to source shocks urgently.OME where not available as there seems to be a shortage at the moment and the price difference from dealers did not make any sense.Just buy luck I came across a mechanic who told me about ESPsuspension,so therefore I phoned them and got all the details from there technical department.Thanks to there help I had the suspension installed within 3 days from order in Strydom Park by an agent of theirs.Best thing that has happened to my 4x4 Pagero it feels better than new

mark thomas wrote:Just buy luck I came across a mechanic who told me about ESPsuspension ...

There is a USA based company with that name (ESP) - but are you perhaps referring to EFS?

Contact Gabriel Cape Town. The have a very expensive machine that your car goes onto. It shakes it around for a while and then gives you a detail printed analysis of the condition of your shocks.

sixmaniac wrote:Contact Gabriel Cape Town. The have a very expensive machine that your car goes onto. It shakes it around for a while and then gives you a detail printed analysis of the condition of your shocks.

Sorry for being a pessimist, but unless this said very expensive machine takes apart the shock and the coil, there aint no way that anything or anybody can calculate, predict, determine or guesstimate if your shock and or coils (or both) are shot...... M2CW.... Its pure physics.....

Then, touch wood, Ive had OME all round since 2008 and 175000Km later still going. Had the front coils changed to HD four years ago, but the old coil were sagging from the weight of the whinch

Can I also add my experience. I fitted new tyres a couple of months ago and decided to also do the shocks. OME was a bit to expensive for me, and after talking to various people and reading up a bit. I fitted the Gabriel Safari HDP all round. And I am very happy with them. The car feels more stable to me and I do not experience any "hardness" because if the HDP. At high speeds - no problem.

Obviously everyone has their own experiences, but so far I am happy with the Safaris. (Before I got the Pajero I had a Hilux 4x4 - the legend 35 Double cab. I also fitted Gabriel Safaris on that bakkie, not the HDP's just the standard shocks, and I was also very happy, I cannot remember but it was on for at least 3 years - and I sold the bakkie with them still on.

Cheers