MK1 Pajero (`86) - Off Road Capabilities?

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:16 pm

I have purchased a SWB 2 Door 2.5TD. I brought it for some 4x4 off road fun and for accessing places that my fwd station wagon couldn't.

It seems to runs nicely on-road in 2WD mode. The brakes seem old and slow but usable.

I took it 4WD'ing for the first time in the weekend and found some nice wet mud rutts down at Coutts Island / Waimak. It turned out they had been dug out by some monster 4WD earlier that day and I ended up getting the front end of the Parejo bellied and nicely stuck.

My girlfriend got behind the wheel while I jumped on the back for weight I and noticed that only 1 wheel was spinning in the rear (the rear left) and only the opposing front wheel (front right) was spinning in the front. Thats when I realised the Pajero MK1 doesn't have a LSD or diff lock.

Lucily 90mins later some badman HiLux that was lifted and on muds came my way dragged me back to more solid land.

Anyway..
What are the Pajero MK1 Off-Road capabilities life??
Is there a way of locking the rear diff easily?
Should I just avoid wet mud? (Doesnt sound like much fun)
Maybe it is it time to sell the Pajero and look at something like a full time 4x4 Lada Niva ?? :lol:

P.S. If anyone here is the guy with the Hi-Lux â€“ Thanks heaps for the tow!

truck-fixer · Post by **truck-fixer** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:24 pm

Depending on how much you want to spend you can make this quite the capable off-road 4x4. Might be best for you to go talk to Rick at 4WD Accessories on Montreal St and talk to him about what you want out of your truck.

Goose · Post by **Goose** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:17 pm

Dont buy a Niva!!!! :shock:

I used to have one, and while they are very capable for what they are, they're uncomfortable, unreliable, and not very easy to modify.(they also hate water :oops:

) What you said about the front and rear wheels is normal for an open diff vehicle, the lada "diff-lock" only locks the centre diff on the gearbox, so give's you the same type of 4wd as you've got with the pajero.

It would be cheaper and give you a better vehicle if you spent a little time and money on the pajero, unless another option is buying a more capable truck ($$$$$) that someone else has spent the time and money on

That said, the pajero's seem to go fine, so........

Oh yes, tyres!!! Good tyres make the world of difference!! :wink:

WACKO · Post by **WACKO** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:54 pm

pajeros can go well with a bit of attention spent on them.

is it coil or leaf sprung in the rear? if its coil, get some lwb springs or raised springs. i got raised lwb kings because they were the same price as s/h lwb coils from the wreckers. if its leafs get some extended shackels made up with longer shocks.
then crank the torsions on the front.

next fit tyres. id try and get 33s on. they will make the world of differance.
you may need a bodylift to get that size on tho...

id also look into a locker. try this guy...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 338072.htm

but if its leaf sprung you may not be able to get the factory ones in it. im not sure.

hope ive been some help.

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:01 pm

Thanks!

Wouldn't buy a niva - was handed down one a few years back as old brother was traveling overseas. Arround 2.5G later and numerous breakdowns I sold it. It spent more time parked up than on the road.

I have leaf springs in the rear. Did a bit of googling regarding extending the shackle and stumbled upon "http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/shackle/". Will look further in to that and raising it to fit 33's.

Hopefully a local wrecker will have a mk1 lsd that can bolt in after being played with - depending on cost

Cheers again for the advice.

P.S. - http://www.4x4wire.com/mitsubishi/proje ... et_lift_2/

WACKO · Post by **WACKO** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:29 pm

ive just been doing some searching, and i could be wrong here but you may be able to a gen 2 locker head, like in that link i put up earlier, in your diff. but you would need to figure out your diff ratio. if you have 4.875 your in luck, if you have 4.625 your not in luck. it should say on your chassis tag, on transaxle i think.

but first things first aye.... :lol:

kiwipete · Post by **kiwipete** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:45 am

Swaney wrote:I took it 4WD'ing for the first time in the weekend and found some nice wet mud rutts down at Coutts Island / Waimak.

Correct me if im wrong here guys, but I think this area is "out of bounds" so to say for 4x4 vehicles is it not. The preferred area for us is on the other side of the river, just up past where the motorcycle area is.

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:48 am

WACKO wrote:ive just been doing some searching, and i could be wrong here but you may be able to a gen 2 locker head, like in that link i put up earlier, in your diff. but you would need to figure out your diff ratio. if you have 4.875 your in luck, if you have 4.625 your not in luck. it should say on your chassis tag, on transaxle i think.

but first things first aye....

Awesome. Now that would be the go, epically if it bolts in with out too much drama. Will go have a hunt for the ratio later tonight! Thanks heaps!

kiwipete wrote:Correct me if im wrong here guys, but I think this area is "out of bounds" so to say for 4x4 vehicles is it not. The preferred area for us is on the other side of the river, just up past where the motorcycle area is.

I was on the city side at Coutts Island (turn off after Belfast pub and up over the stop banks) but ive got no idea - there were no signs to say not to 4x4 and there were some marked out tracks (trees with spray painted arrows pointing which way the track ran). Some motorcross guys were tearing around the area as well and a couple of 4x4's.

I am interested to know where I can and can not go though!

WACKO · Post by **WACKO** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:14 pm

all you could ever want to know...

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... fcb835a62e

haha

Sam

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:59 pm

Just checked the tag and it looks like i have a 4.625

Cheers for the link will check it out

PR · Post by PR » Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:43 pm

Check out this one

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Specialist-cars/Competition-cars/auction-105194666.htm

WACKO · Post by **WACKO** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 6:23 pm

Swaney wrote:Just checked the tag and it looks like i have a 4.625

Cheers for the link will check it out

where are you? i have a pair of gen 2 4.875 diffs. that will give better gearing aswell....

if your local, you can see if the rear diff swaps in with ease, also not sure if the front will go straight in. but ...

just clicked, you got stuk at the wimak didnt ya? that means southener... duh!

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:57 am

Im in Christchurch. I am not overly mechanically minded but have a good mate who is a mechanic - will have a yarn to him about it.

Also my G/F has started to give me grief about spending money on the car. She is of the mind to get bolt on things that can be removed and taken to a new 4x4 such as an electrical winch over the lock dif.

Kinda makes sense i guess but getting dragged out of holes is no where near as much fun as driving it through them in the first place.

Thanks
Greg

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:03 pm

PR wrote:Check out this one

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Specialist-cars/Competition-cars/auction-105194666.htm

whoa now that is one hell of a toy

WACKO · Post by **WACKO** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 6:11 pm

Swaney wrote:
PR wrote:Check out this one

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Specialist-cars/Competition-cars/auction-105194666.htm

whoa now that is one hell of a toy

you can remove a difflock aswell.... just takes a bit longer... and isnt as universal. i love my locker. it also allows you to drive the vehical easier to therefore doing less damage. but winch isnt a bad thing either.

i know the guy that used to own that paj. its a very cool little wagon. even better when its on 33s. :lol:

NJV6 · Post by **NJV6** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:31 pm

Hi, the Gen 2 rear diff (and lock) will not fit unless you were to do major engineering.

Your has an 8 inch rear diff vs 9 inch and they are not as wide so nothing with bolt up.

As Wacko says, give it a lift, extended shackels, crank the front torsions and try to squeeze some 33's under it - prob need a body lift to do so. If is not doing big open road km's take the front sway bar offand throw it away (well keep it - you may need it for a WOF), you'll be surprised where it'll go.

NJ

WACKO · Post by **WACKO** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:01 pm

ahhh 8inch rear diff, thats right, now all that stuff about making 1 5.29 8"front diff from all those other bits comes rushing back.

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:27 am

NJV6 wrote:Hi, the Gen 2 rear diff (and lock) will not fit unless you were to do major engineering.

Your has an 8 inch rear diff vs 9 inch and they are not as wide so nothing with bolt up.

As Wacko says, give it a lift, extended shackels, crank the front torsions and try to squeeze some 33's under it - prob need a body lift to do so. If is not doing big open road km's take the front sway bar offand throw it away (well keep it - you may need it for a WOF), you'll be surprised where it'll go.

NJ

Yup weather pending the shackle lift and screwing the front torsion is happening this w/end - then it is time to see what size tyre i can get under it.. with some luck 33's otherwise it will be a body lift or maybe 32's

Robo · Post by **Robo** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:01 pm

I run 33's on mine, all I did was tweaked the torsion bars, put an extra spring in the rear and did a 40mm body lift, shes a magic little beast now and goes most places the big boys go.
The body lift was just about to easy, all I needed to do was disconect a fuel tank bracket and destress the front brake coils.
Probably the best thing I did was to put a bigger wheel offset on, I run around -19/-24, by giving her a wider wheel track, I was able to get places I couldn't before, she also felt heaps more stable.
Geez she gives me the shits now when I have to put the old rims on.

Swaney · Post by **Swaney** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:18 pm

Awesome. 33's are now on my wish / future upgrade list.

Took the rear shackles off on Saturday and tried hunting out some larger ones - couldnt find anything that much bigger than stock and on my travels in finding some bigger ones i was advised by a 4x4 shop that extending the shackles wouldnt be the cleverest way of getting hieight. They advised the body lift is the way to go. So did some hunting and found that it doesn't look that hard to do a body lift and is still pretty cheap (at $12 a body mount lift 50mm lift) - I think i need 8 of these (shortwheel base gen 1 pajero) - just gotta check that

So now a body lift is on the cards in the weekend!

Went and got it absolutely fifthly in the weekend (waimak) - took it down some muddy rutts and had a blast.. thought id be walkin at one point but kept the revs going hard and managed to climb up out the side of the rut. - will be even more fun with bigger wheels

MK1 Pajero (`86) - Off Road Capabilities?

MK1 Pajero (`86) - Off Road Capabilities?

Re: MK1 Pajero (`86) - Off Road Capabilities?

Shackle Lift