Parts for your 1988 Mitsubishi Pajero-Strut mounts

1988 Mitsubishi Pajero strut-mounts — are they actually used?

For the 1988 Mitsubishi Pajero (first-generation, L040 series), “strut-mounts” aren’t a thing. This model doesn’t run a MacPherson strut front end, so there’s no top strut bearing or strut-mount assembly to replace. Instead, the Pajero uses an independent double wishbone front suspension with torsion bars and separate telescopic shock absorbers. At the rear it’s a solid/live axle with either leaf or coil springs (depending on variant) and, again, separate shock absorbers with rubber bushes. That layout simply doesn’t require strut-mounts.

This isn’t just workshop lore. Technical sources back it up:

• Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Factory Workshop Manual (L040 series, 1982–1991), Front Suspension section: double wishbone with torsion bars, separate shock absorbers, no MacPherson strut or strut top mount.
• Gregory’s Service and Repair Manual No. 516 – Mitsubishi Pajero 1983–1996: details torsion-bar IFS and live-axle rear with separate shocks, no reference to strut-mounts for Gen 1.
• Haynes Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero 1983–1996, Suspension and Steering chapters: describes upper/lower control arms and separate shockies, no strut top bearings listed.

Why the confusion? Some catalogues lump “shock mounts” in with “strut mounts”, and a few universal bushes get mislabelled. On a 1988 Pajero, the bits you’ll be chasing up top are shock absorber bushes or brackets, not a strut-mount with a bearing plate.

If the goal is to tidy up front-end clunks or tighten handling, a proper refresh focuses on what this Paj actually has: upper and lower ball joints, control arm bushes, torsion bar anchor bushes/adjusters, sway bar (stabiliser) bushes and links, steering idler and pitman arms, tie-rod ends, and the shock absorber bushes themselves. At the rear, look at spring packs or coils (model dependent), trailing arm/radius arm bushes, panhard rod bushes (if fitted), and shock bushes. Grease points and wheel bearings deserve attention too, especially if it’s seen a few thousand k’s of corrugations.

Bottom line: if someone’s trying to sell strut-mounts for a 1988 Pajero, they’re likely miscatalogued. Ask for front shock absorber top/bottom bushes and the correct suspension bushes instead — that’s the right kit for this rig.

• Does a 1988 Mitsubishi Pajero have strut-mounts?
  No. It uses double wishbones with torsion bars and separate shocks, so there’s no MacPherson strut or strut-mount to replace. Any “strut-mount” listing is usually a mislabeled shock bush or universal mount.
• What should be replaced instead of strut-mounts on a 1988 Pajero?
  Target shock absorber bushes, upper/lower ball joints, control arm bushes, torsion bar hardware, sway bar bushes/links, and steering components like idler, pitman and tie-rod ends. These are the usual sources of knocks and vague steering.
• Are later Pajero strut parts compatible with the 1988 model?
  No. Pajeros didn’t switch to MacPherson struts, later gens still run wishbone front ends with separate shocks. Use parts catalogued specifically for the 1988 L040 series to avoid fitment headaches.