Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

Need some advice from owners of other high miler Gen3's please. Mine is sitting on 226000km and I would like to do some maintenance on the suspension. Even though nothing is in immediate need of replacement, the signs of wear and tear are there. The shocks do seem a bit soft and even though the suspension isn't really noisy, there is some harshness going over rough sections of road.

So question is - where to start? My logic:
1. Bushes seem like a fairly inexpensive yet worthwhile place to start. Which are the most important ones? Where to buy/get fitted?
2. Then shocks - got a quote on four KYB shocks (made by KAYABA, makers of the OE shocks), for R3800 fitted.
3. Lastly ball joints - four up front and two rear from what I could see - what will tell me these are up for replacement?

Got a 5000km trip to Namibia coming up in April, so would like to have the most crucial things sorted before that.

Feedback will be appreciated!

I will do the shocks first as they will most definitely be dead by this time. While the wheels are of at the fitment place I would have a real good look at the bushings as mentioned as well as engine, gearbox and diff mounts. The wheel allignment can also be done and the technician should be able to point out some bush and ball joint issues as this would make his job more difficult.

CATS
PS Where did you get that quote on the shocks? Sounds like a good price.

Thanks Cats, agree that the shock replacement is a "two birds with one stone" exercise.

Got the quote from Jodys Tyres in Allen's New (Roodepoort), contact person is Morne, 0116791572.

How easy is it to replace the bushes on the front suspension. I'm on 223,000 km and when I go over corrugations I sometimes get a metallic clanging sound through the steering. I've got brand new EFS shocks and coils, the stabiliser bar is okay (new links). Thanks.

gerbek1 wrote:How easy is it to replace the bushes on the front suspension. I'm on 223,000 km and when I go over corrugations I sometimes get a metallic clanging sound through the steering. I've got brand new EFS shocks and coils, the stabiliser bar is okay (new links). Thanks.

Have you checked your rattle clips on your brake pads? Or maybe there is there excessive play on your caliper slide/guide pins?



Sent from somewhere in a galaxy far, far away...

Nick Gibson wrote:

gerbek1 wrote:How easy is it to replace the bushes on the front suspension. I'm on 223,000 km and when I go over corrugations I sometimes get a metallic clanging sound through the steering. I've got brand new EFS shocks and coils, the stabiliser bar is okay (new links). Thanks.

Have you checked your rattle clips on your brake pads? Or maybe there is there excessive play on your caliper slide/guide pins?



Sent from somewhere in a galaxy far, far away...

Not sure how brake pads can be the cause of a suspension/steering problem? I've changed the brake pads and before and after the steering clanging was there. I'm suspecting bushes on control arms.

gerbek1 wrote:

Nick Gibson wrote:

gerbek1 wrote:How easy is it to replace the bushes on the front suspension. I'm on 223,000 km and when I go over corrugations I sometimes get a metallic clanging sound through the steering. I've got brand new EFS shocks and coils, the stabiliser bar is okay (new links). Thanks.

Have you checked your rattle clips on your brake pads? Or maybe there is there excessive play on your caliper slide/guide pins?



Sent from somewhere in a galaxy far, far away...

Not sure how brake pads can be the cause of a suspension/steering problem? I've changed the brake pads and before and after the steering clanging was there. I'm suspecting bushes on control arms.

Have you had the vehicle at an alignment place? They will quickly tell you if it is the bushes, they won't be able to align your vehicle.

I am also pretty sure that If it was your control arm bushes making a clanging noise your steering would be all over the road with the excessive play on the components.

Have a look at your brake pads, there should be spring loaded rattle clips fitted to hold them in position in the calipers. If they are not there, the pads rattle within the calipers over corrugations or bumps in the road.

EDIT:
You can also check your upper and lower ball joints, jack your wheel up and try to move you wheel from left to right and up and down. If you have play left to right it could be your tie rod ends and up and down is your upper/lower ball joints.
My one lower control arm ball joint was packing up and gave a minor clunk now and again when going over bumps due to play within the joint.

Sent from somewhere in a galaxy far, far away...

Thanks Nick, I think the issue is definitely in the tie rod ends or ball joints. The clanging sound is very loud and comes from inside the car (or just beyond the firewall) and it only happens on VERY rough corrugations, not bumps. I changed my brake pads the other day and all is good with the callipers etc. I will take the wheels off and do as you advise. Oh yes, alignment was also done very recently with no complaints from the technician. Thanks again.

How many sets of bushes are there, front and back? I would like to replace them all and maybe also the ball joints.

My car just hit 400,000km and I need to do some maintenance on the suspension, its overdue by now.

Two tell tales to check on the bushes:
1) Check for off centre position
2) Using a crowbar test to see if you can easily move them off centre.

John,
I used N4 Suspensions in town to do some of my bushes. They press their own and I was happy with the service.