Suspension and Tyre help on 92 Pajero

[philthylux]

Hi, I have a Hilux but my mate has a 92 Pajero. Its in pretty good nick. He has no plans for massive lift on big tyres, as he wants to set it up more touring and hunting orientated.He has however alreayd discovered that his diff is sitting pretty low.

Thus after hours of teaching him how his suspension actually works, I am seeking Paj gurus who know there stuff. He wants to get another 50-60mm using suspension and tyres. I have searched for the info, probably not as hard as I could, but i dont know whats common between which tritons and pajs or the NH, whatever letters used.

Firstly tyres, he has 235/75R15, he wants to go taller more than wider, so what do you guys recommend? He has 15x7 rims and wants to keep using them

Secondly suspension, its done a fair few ks and personally its sagging heaps. Everything is still stock. I think he should go new shocks, new taller/heavier duty springs and then wnd torsion bars up a bit? His aim to have it all done under a grand doing most of the work ourselves. Acheivable? Whose gear for Paj do you recommend

Thanks in Advance for your help, Phil

[-Scott-]

Hi Phil

I think you're on the right track.

Unless he's planning on a winch, I wouldn't swap the torsion bars. Wind the stock bars until the gap to the top rubber suspension stops is about half the gap to the bottom stop. If you can't adjust far enough, pull the torsion bar out and "index" it one spline.

Rear springs, GQ coils will fit and give lift. From memory, it's stock GQ springs will give about 2" lift over standard height - probably more for your mate if his stock suspension has sagged.

Shock absorbers, I'm happy with my Old Man Emu, but there's probably cheaper. If you wind the torsion bars yourself, fit some GQ springs, pay for a decent wheel alignment, there should be plenty left in the budget for good shocks.

Current tyres are roughly 29" diameter. 15x7" rims will take 31x10.5" tyres, which are the most common 15" 4wd tyre in the country. If he's going bush on 15" rims, this is the size I would recommend, and there's a massive selection of tyres available in this size. He may need to install flares from the GLS, or something else to keep the 31s legal.

[REDNUT]

are the gq springs to use the front or rear?

and will they fit a 93/94 nj lwb gls?

[DUDELUX]

Yeah gq springs and a wind up of the torsion bars, maybe if you want some more flex, remove the sway bars, but expect a little bit of body roll without them. But you will need longer shocks.
As for tyres, as posted above, go with 31x10.5x15. Very common size, a heap of different tread patterns to choose from. My mrs has a 93 paj and I just put my old lux rims and tyres on there,(she was running the thin pajero rims and 235/75x15, now shes got 15x7 sunnys with 31x10.5x15). It makes it sit a little bit higher, and it would be more stable *if it ever went off road* due to a wider stance, it looks heaps nicer too, even she likes the look of it now too.
But you will need to make/buy flares for the guards as the 10.5inch wide tyres sit a fair way out of the guards, my 15x7 lux rims and 31s have about 3inches out of the guards so im planning some DIY flares for it.
Hope this helps


*- the pajero is basically a family bus, we use the dudelux for wheeling