Modifying Mitsi

[Mutz]

I am now at the point where i need to modify my manual swb for off road use.
Anybody else gone more extreme, and what have you done?
Shocks, springs, axle breathers etc.etc.
where did you get your parts, and are you pleased with the results off road.
Thanks

[LandRoger]

I have done a few mods to my 2.5 Auto, Fitted 2.8 LWB rear coils,+2pro-comp es9000 gas shocks ,trimmed the front bump stops in half to give a tad more articulation, turned out the torsion bars by 30mm, front rear axle
breathers ,removed plastic sill covers,fitted tube rock sliders, roof bars with 4 spots ,2 rear work lights + amber warning light,
the suspension mods give 2 i/2 lift approx ,next mod is 16in wheels with 255/85/16 tyres that will give another 1inch or so lift,

[Mutz]

Where did you get the es 9000 from.
The rest is obtainable locally, or diy.
Although i am after a safari snorkel from arbil

[LandRoger]

The Pro-Comp es9000 gas shocks are from Explorer uk(01925-757588)
cost 35.00 each inc vat, they really sort out the ride /handleing on off road, Dont be tempted to turnout the torsion bars more than 30mm as you will wreck your cv joints , also get the tracking done afterwards,
hope this helps,

[Mutz]

Lift at front already done, at 40m/m split rubbers on front shafts, now droped back a bit with new rubbers :oops:
been re tracked all seems ok even after off road pay and play.
Fuel tank now modified for better entry/exit. found after pay and play 8)
tank protector not as strong as i thought :)

read you can remove sway bar at rear for more articulation; your thoughts or have you tried this?

[LandRoger]

Yes have tied it -makes for a very unpredictible drive on road,and as its my daily ride couldnt put up with it,dont think the Insurance company would be too gripped with it either -any excuse not to pay out!              
The stiffer springs on the rear and extended +2gas shocks give all the articulation i need and the on road handling is great, i dont do Play-n Break only laning,

[Mutz]

Well having 2, the black one in the avatar is the daily driver (mainly SWMBO) and when we went to an event in that SWMBO suggested not to ruin her's and to buy another.
Hence the manual swb is more for off road use, so not to bothered about damage, although prefer to keep it fairly good for MOT purposes, plus it was cheap. Was looking for a cheap 90 at the time but condition for same amount of cash is unreal, Paj is solid no rust anywhere and quite a capable little 4x4, and the only thing that doesnt seem to work is the adjustable shocks, which fo a "91" is pretty damn good.
So think the ES9000+3 is the route to go but found they do 2 types of uprated rear spring, if the swb springs give 2" of extra lift wondering about fitting uprated LWB maybe get another 1" on top of that or it could just make it very stiff?
Or could just get 2.8 lwb springs, which would probably be cheaper?

[LandRoger]

Think the uprated LWB colis would make it too stiff and make the truck sit unlevel ,i got the LWB spings from a breaker for 20 pounds the fact that  they had been used makes for a nice supple ride,dont forget the es9000s
are the stiffest of the range and take a few trips off road to find themselves,
Im glad too have the Auto much much better off road , more controlable,
no handbrake starts halfway up a climb after running out of steam,allways in the correct gear for the situation, no burnt out clutches,
in short exellent,

[Mutz]

Rear air locker on auto makes it almost unstoppable with full M/T's,
although the 2.5 is not the fastest thing on the road, it is very powerfull off road in low gears and i have never got stuck anywhere in the auto.
Now the manual is another story!!!!
But yep would change the manual for another auto if i could.

[LandRoger]

Mutz, have you driven a Paj auto with (rear air locker)? only that is one of the
mods i would like in the near future, wondered what it would be like,

[Mutz]

Landroger, sorry havnt got back to you sooner, only just got pc working again.
My Black Paj is auto with rear air locker with full Muds its the Mutz mate, makes up for lack of movement on the front axle; got to get one for my manual, might actually remove it from auto if i cant find another.
Snorkel arrived yesterday, and is just about finished; picked up 2.8 lwb springs just got to get my +2 shocks for the rear.
Then going to look at sliders to replace steps, and remove the rest of the unwanted interior i.e. carpets!!

[Super paj boy]

hi there I'd like to mod my lwb auto just not sure its worth it yet. Its a++++ on off road took it to few 'pay and play' it was exelent only x axeled it once but bottomed out few times, this could be cos still bog standerd

[Mutz]

First mod would be lift front, turning up torsion bars this will give you a bit more clearance, and cost nothing.
Second would be tyres fit a set of 31x11.50x15/16 will give you a bit more lift.
i wouldnt worry about bottoming out on pay & play you cant avoid it unless you really go serious.
Am i mistaken or has your 2.8 got 2.5 wheels?

[Mutz]

Snorkel!!!!!
Says it should take 80 mins.
But that isnt allowing dismantling half the vehicle before starting, secondly throw away the boom housing gasket they give you with the kit and make one out of rubber, this will save you assembling it twice!!!
Dont pay much attention to instructions on positioning template as the diagram shows it in the wrong place (more time wasted) and measure and asses this several times till your happy all will be ok.
lastly DO NOT run engine for at least a couple of hours as this will suck the unset silicone out of place :oops:
And lastly reassemble the half of the vehicle you took off just so you could fit the thing in the first place(obviuosly takes twice as long to reassemble than remove)
Allow best part of a day!!!!!

[mad geordie]

i have a swb paj wich has 31.5 on 16 inch rims chunkie ones and removed side step, lwb rear springs and tightened the torosion bars all the way give you a good lift and very good off road never get stuck mines a 2.5td and never faulted it off road, just come back from fuily and found it easy lol even pulled out a few starnded landies, if you have a lwb the only way your gunna get that rear diff up is to put bigger tyres on after all the body can sit as high as you want but its the front n rear diff which catch the floor :P

[Mutz]

And the bumpers Geordie, wouldnt remove steps tho as they are the same height as the components underneath and protect your plastic sills looks higher but you dont actually gain anything.

[LandRoger]

Ive removed the plastic sill cover and just fitted some rock sliders made from 65mm roll bar tube slash cut at the ends , looks cool and can jack
up on them too -rock solid,

[Super paj boy]

i not sure wot wheels they got on as they came with it on 4 months ago. how easy is it to turn up the torsion bars? Did u get that snokel sorted and have you tryed it out yet? Have you any pics yet of it

[LandRoger]

If you go here-www.4x4 wire.com  it has a piece about the torsion bars,
really is quite simple -before you start make sure to measure the distance
from floor to top of wheel arch so that you can then see how much you have raised it,measure after trying out around the block to settle it down,
make sure both sides are even, dont wind them out more than 30mm
or the driveshaft boots will split and you can knack the shafts,
hope this helps,