Parts for your 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero-Strut mounts

2000 Mitsubishi Pajero strut-mounts — are they actually used?

Short answer: no — a 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero doesn’t use MacPherson strut-mounts. Technical references including the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Workshop Manuals (V20/V60 series, Front Suspension Group 33A/33B) and the Mitsubishi ASA parts catalogue list the front suspension as double wishbone (Gen 2: torsion bar, Gen 3: coil-over shock), and the rear as live axle with coils (late Gen 2) or independent multi-link (Gen 3). None of these layouts employ a MacPherson strut, so there’s no true “strut-mount” with a rotating bearing as you’d see on many passenger cars.

Instead, the Pajero uses upper and lower control arms with ball joints to provide steering pivot and suspension geometry. The shock absorber and spring are separate (Gen 2 front) or packaged as a coil-over (Gen 3 front), and the top of the shock is secured to the body using rubber insulators/bushes and washers — not a strut top bearing. That’s why the term strut-mounts doesn’t really apply here. If you’ve spotted “strut mount” in some online catalogues, it’s usually a naming carry-over referring to the shock’s top insulator or mount bush, not a true strut bearing assembly.

What should owners service instead? For a Pajero showing front-end clunks, vibration, or uneven tyre wear, attention typically goes to:

• Front shock absorber upper/lower bushes or top insulator
• Upper and lower control arm bushes and ball joints
• Stabiliser (sway) bar links and bushes
• Rear shock bushes and rear link/trailing arm bushes (Gen 2 live axle or Gen 3 independent rear)

Good practice across Australia and New Zealand is to inspect these items at every service or at least every 20,000–40,000 km if driven on corrugations, towing, or with accessory weight. Look for perished rubber, oil weep from shocks, play in ball joints, and any metallic knock over sharp bumps. When replacing bushes or arms, tighten fasteners at normal ride height to avoid pre-loading the rubber, and get a proper wheel alignment afterward to keep tyre wear tidy.

Technical sources referenced: Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Service Manuals (V20/V60 series, Group 33A/33B – Front and Rear Suspension) and Mitsubishi Motors ASA parts catalogue illustrations for 2000 model year, which show shock absorber upper insulators/cushions rather than strut bearings or strut-mount assemblies.

• Does my 2000 Pajero have strut-mounts?
  It doesn’t. Whether it’s a late Gen 2 (twin wishbone with torsion bar) or early Gen 3 (twin wishbone with coil-over), the Pajero doesn’t use MacPherson struts, so there’s no strut-mount with a bearing. Steering pivot happens at the upper and lower ball joints.
• What should I replace if I hear a “clunk” up front?
  Start with the front shock upper bushes/insulators, then check upper and lower control arm bushes and ball joints, plus sway bar links and bushes. These are the usual culprits for noise and vague steering feel on a Pajero.
• Can I convert my Pajero to struts?
  Not practically. Aftermarket “strut” wording often just means shock/coil-over, not a MacPherson conversion. A true strut swap would require major engineering and likely won’t meet on-road certification rules in AU/NZ without specialist approval.