J-Top lift - what are my limits?

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Location: Brisbane

I just bought my first 4WD and want to rig it up to be able to tackle some rough terrain.

It's a '92 Mitsubishi J-Top Pajero (2.5L Turbo Diesel). It's had its torsion bars twisted to give as much lift as possible but I hear this isn't such a good thing.

I'd like to get a set of 'real' tyres to put onto it. Example: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/4x4-4wd-Tyres-Mickey-Thompson-Baja-Claws-35-inch_W0QQitemZ270237381715QQihZ017QQcategoryZ66471QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I'd imagine I'd need to do a body lift first. Can someone tell me what I need to do to be able to fit these things on? What are the limits of the truck?

Cheers!

Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Location: NZ

drive it around for a while and get used to its limits as a std truck if its your first 4wd. if you go rigging it up for hard out trips you may just end up getting into situations beyond your limits. also by learing how to drive it first you will be able to limit your driveline breakages. put 35s on straight away and you will be blowing cvs and rear axles like they are going out of fasion.

but to fit them on, you will need landcrusier offset rims (only 15s that fit, but those tyres are 16s so no worries there), to clear the calipers, and on mine i did a 2" bodylift, lwb raised king springs in the rear, wound the torsions up and did the balljoint flip. i also had to massage the rear of the front wheel arch/guard and remove the bumper corners. posibly would have to remove the rear bumper to. not sure on this as mine was already off when i had 35s on.

if your not keen to massage it you will probly need a bigger bodylift to clear them.

you may also find the little 2.5 doesnt have the power to push them, but mines petrol so i dont have much experience there.

Sam

Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: New Zealand

Only thing I can add, is stick to a set of 33 inch tyres or 285/75/16 which measure just over 33 inch.

The only thing 35's will give you is bragging rights at the bar, by the time they fit (spring lift, body lift, free wheeling hubs, massaging front guard) you' will then decide you haven't enough power on the road and gearing off the road will be terrrrrrible. Pajero's are not geared low enough on standard tyres let alone 35's.

Remember you rear locker will be of far more advantage than 35 inch tyres.

Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Location: Adelaide

lmacka wrote:

It's had its torsion bars twisted to give as much lift as possible but I hear this isn't such a good thing.

Isn't such a good thing why?

Pajero CVs cope pretty well with some significant lift, so don't listen to the "2 inches maximum lift" brigade.

Winding the torsion bars does not make them stiffer - if anything, it reduces the effective spring rate, but it's doubtful that the difference is noticeable.

The biggest problem created by winding torsion bars is reduction of clearance to the droop stops (the upper ones) - the wheel can't drop into a hole, so the whole front end does. If you truly have "as much lift as possible" you would be on the stops, and it would ride terribly.

Is there another "reason" why "cranking" torsion bars isn't such a good thing?

Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: Brisbane southside

35's are not worth the effort.... enough said.

Stick to 33's.

Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Location: Adelaide

Grantw wrote:

35's are not worth the effort.... enough said.

Stick to 33's.

For those not aware, Grant put 35s behind a 3.5 V6, and put them to good use. And it wasn't his first modified 4by either.

Personally, I take his advice seriously.

Joined: 26 May 2005 Location: Sunshine Coast, QLD

-Scott- wrote:

Grantw wrote:

35's are not worth the effort.... enough said.

Stick to 33's.

For those not aware, Grant put 35s behind a 3.5 V6, and put them to good use. And it wasn't his first modified 4by either.

Personally, I take his advice seriously.

not only that. but it wasnt his first modified swb pajero, its true, the gearing on a paj doestn reaaaaaly warant 35"s. The best gears we can get for a paj transfer are only as good as patrols and what not come with from the factory and are not even close to half the reduction of zuks and what not.

33"s will do most of what you want anyways, i was given the same advice if you search back through some threads about 3 years ago to learn to drive what i had. As much as i didnt totally listen, my shorty was never crazy modified, still drove it daily and it went A LOT of places, and a lot of places people and i didnt think it would. That was 2" lift, 33"s and thats it. was a great car, and even though iv got a crazy lwb paj now, i still miss the shorty, everythings got its merits.

drive it for now, change as you go/need. just wheel the piss out of it Very Happy

dean

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

as has been said, stick with 33s

what diff ratios does it have?

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Location: Brisbane

Thanks for the input guys - much appreciated. Sorry I haven't replied - been away.

To answer some questions...
- I don't know exactly how much the torsion bars have been wound. I'll check tonight, but I don't think they'd be against the stops.
- Don't know the ratios... I'll check the paperwork I got with the car this evening.

Dean, I think that's where I'll end up. A set of decent 33"s and a 2 or maybe 4" lift.
Next question is - where would I get a body lift kit? I searched eBay but all I found were these strange body slimming skin-suits. Not exactly what I was after...

I took the J for a drive on the weekend - loved it! The 29" ATs it's got on it are alright, but they don't handle the steep climbs or mud too well. I was pretty impressed with how it bounced straight up the climbs while my mate's LWD Pajero v6 petrol struggled with them.

I learnt a valuable lesson;
Although it's great fun driving around with the roof down, be prepared to have a bucketload of shit in the back when you get home. hehehe

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

the ratios will be on the tag on the firewall.
5285 is what you want Very Happy

Joined: 26 May 2005 Location: Sunshine Coast, QLD

mate iv got a set of alloy blocks i had machined up for my shorty but never fitted them, got til monday to sort it out then im off, otherwise could maybe take them with and catch up with you somewhere up there. Could just fix me up for the cost of them, youd have to sort out high tensile nuts and bolts for yourself though...

dean Wink

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Location: Brisbane

Sounds good to me! What kind of lift will I get out of them and how much do you want for 'em?

You're on the Central Coast. You're coming to Brissy sometime soon?

Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Location: brisbane

Check your tyre placard on the inside of the drivers door, i'm pretty sure your 29"s are undersize, my jop has factory 265/75 on it (31.6")
Which is good in qld with it's pathetic tyre laws. Rolling Eyes

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

mine came with 235/85r16 armsup

Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Location: NZ

yep check the placard. i have two jtops and they were both originally fitted with 215/85/18. 29s are definatly undersized.

Sam

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Location: Brisbane

Ok, I'll do that in a moment - working on my truck this weekend. Off to get some new tools and things now so I'll do it when I get back.

Question - Air Filter. I've got one, but it's old and shitty. I'm going to clean it out with metho and compressed air but I'm going to need to get another one soon. Nobody seems to stock them though - don't even know the part number.
Help? Please?

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

lmacka wrote:

Ok, I'll do that in a moment - working on my truck this weekend. Off to get some new tools and things now so I'll do it when I get back.

Question - Air Filter. I've got one, but it's old and shitty. I'm going to clean it out with metho and compressed air but I'm going to need to get another one soon. Nobody seems to stock them though - don't even know the part number.
Help? Please?

in mine i bought a KnN pod style filter that i clamped onto the inside of the airbox. no modifying needed.
if you want to do something similar i can open my airbox and take a pic for you.

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Location: Brisbane

Yes please - that'd be great.
Can I get those things from your average auto shop? (repco, supercheap...)

Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Location: Townsville

We had my 38" TSL's on Hekta's NL for a while... Front only had cranked T-Bars and I think a 2" BL... Only a little bit of rubbing, that got chopped out... armsup

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

"CANADA" wrote:

We had my 38" TSL's on Hekta's NL for a while... Front only had cranked T-Bars and I think a 2" BL... Only a little bit of rubbing, that got chopped out... armsup

isnt hektas a NH? The Finger

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

lmacka wrote:

Yes please - that'd be great.
Can I get those things from your average auto shop? (repco, supercheap...)

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

wrong pic

just gotta find one that will fit in the airbox and your set.
i cant remember the part number for my one but it wasnt too hard to find.
i think i got mine at repco Confused

Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: New Zealand

j-top paj wrote:

Times like that ya wish for a front locker!

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

front locker probably wouldnt have helped. the only thing that saved me was the strap.
that was on rope rd in the wattos.
without the strap i probably would have ended up down the bottom of the hill Mad

Joined: 29 Nov 2004 Location: Townsville

j-top paj wrote:

"CANADA" wrote:

We had my 38" TSL's on Hekta's NL for a while... Front only had cranked T-Bars and I think a 2" BL... Only a little bit of rubbing, that got chopped out... armsup

isnt hektas a NH? The Finger

Same shit, different flares The Finger

Joined: 25 Oct 2007 Location: Hunter Valley

rope rd in the wattos, that is hectic. i ride my moto in there. looks dry there.. imagine it in the wet, how did you go through those massive bog holes at the bottom?

Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Location: western shitney

4x4 suzi wrote:

rope rd in the wattos, that is hectic. i ride my moto in there. looks dry there.. imagine it in the wet, how did you go through those massive bog holes at the bottom?

drove the whole track easy except for the last section where the diagonal rock is and also the big boulder (dented the sill)

the bog holes were the fun part Twisted Evil

Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Location: Adelaide

"CANADA" wrote:

j-top paj wrote:

"CANADA" wrote:

We had my 38" TSL's on Hekta's NL for a while... Front only had cranked T-Bars and I think a 2" BL... Only a little bit of rubbing, that got chopped out... armsup

isnt hektas a NH? The Finger

Same shit, different flares The Finger

What would you know? Yank! The Finger