HELP! (mk4-PAJ-07) what to do?

[MVK_MB]

hi,
i am considering modifying my stock 2007 GLS 3.8 MIVEC 2 doors but i drive it daily to work so wont be trading much of its comfort.
it already is fitted with the company rear diff lock and the standard tires on it are 265/65R17
the modifications i am considering are:

* - 2'' suspension lift (trying to find the best price/quality ratio without compromising on-road ride quality, and rollover...)
i found a good deal on the iron man kit with foam cells.....any good??
* - getting bigger tires, so considering the following sizes:
275/65R17
275/70R17
285/70R17 
(altough a friend suggested that i fit 16'' rims with 285/70R16 instead of the 17'' that are already on it)
worried about rubbing and that the diffs would not bear the weight when offroading and cant see myself damaging the diff or breaking it....
* - bull bar (with 8000lb synthetic rope winch.....maybe later...$$$)
* - snorkel (maybe later...$$$)

this is the first car i modify and i dont have that big of a budget to modify things later

would appreciate your thoughts on what to do and most importantly on what not to do

cheer,

MVK

[Guy]

The diffs will take whatever you can think up .. don't stress about them
Yep bullbar and some sill protection, important in a unibody.

[MVK_MB]

The diffs will take whatever you can think up .. don't stress about them
Yep bullbar and some sill protection, important in a unibody.

10x for the insight, was wondering if you nave any other info about my other concernes like suspension lift (brand, type...), tyres size (17'' or 16'', rubbing....) and ride quality as a daily used car...

10x again, cheers

PS: and what about spacers to give more traction and lower the rollover effect if suspension lift is added

[-Scott-]

Hi MVK - welcome to the forum.

As already indicated, Pajero drivetrains are pretty strong - the tyre sizes you're discussing won't be a problem.

With independent suspension all round you won't be able to lift your vehicle far enough for stability to become a significant issue - that's more of an issue for LandCruiser / Patrol drivers who install 6 - 8 inch suspension lifts.

Increasing track will help with stability, but increasing it too far (by spacers or different offset rims) will increase loads on wheel bearings and steering components, and can increase steering "kick back". If you choose to use spacers I wouldn't go more than 20mm, and would recommend more like 10mm. Rims with an appropriate offset aren't easy to find in Australia - I have no idea how you'll go where you are.

Brands. I have no real justification for it, but I'm not a big fan of EFS or Ironman suspension. I have Old Man Emu suspension (from ARB) in my Paj, but Gen 3 / 4 owners seem to love Bilstein dampers with either Kings or Lovells springs. Bilsteins are not cheap here, but prices may be better in other markets.

Tyres. 17" rims are a relatively recent development in 4wd circles, and the tyres seem to be more expensive. If you can fit 16" rims over your brakes this might be the better way to go. For tyre size, I would recommend doing research on availability. Some sizes are more common than others, so choosing the wrong size may severely limit the options you have for tyre choice.