Challenger/Pajero?

G'day Barnesy,

I don't no for sure; however my BIL had a Challenger until 12 mths ago and he always claimed it had the same running gear as a Pajero.

Hugh

Can of worms this one. From memory.
They are very similar (challenger to Gen II pajero - 1990-1999), but I understand the challenger is based more upon triton running gear than pajero.
But how close also varies from model to model (year to year).
Earlier challengers had leaf rear springs as per the triton, while the pajero had rear coils, while the later challengers also had rear coils.
Most earlier tritons had the older auto or manual locking front hubs from the Gen 1 pajero (83 to 89), while the Gen II pajero had the first super select, except the earlier gen II GL base model pajeros.
Both the Gen II and triton run similar engines, types of front suspension (torsion bar), but from memory, the rear is different. I can not fit my long range tank (out of my 1996 model) or towbar to a triton of the same year.
Bullbars changed between the two models because of the front body design. Not the same width body and different bumpers and body lines. I think the chassis rails are different but similar too.
In summary I would doubt about swapping things over unless you tried it and it fitted. If you talked to a mitsu guru, and had year and model numbers, you might get a match on some things.

Not sure about diffs. Maybe 3.0l V6 models in both may be similar, but different track widths. The Gen II pajeros with 3.5l V6 and 2.8l diesel had heavier gearboxes and diffs to the 3.0l V6, and a 20mm body lift to fit it in.

To the best of my knowledge, the Challenger is, or was based on the Triton - same chassis I think. The 3.0 litre Challenger engine is probably the same as the earlier Pajero 3.0litre V6, but as times have changed, its hard to know what belongs to what these days. With in this global village one never knows what one is getting these days. Found out recently that the Commodores are made in Korea, BMW comes from South Africa and the NIssan Patrols built in Spain. But it doesnt say so under the bonnet. Have to read the motoring mags to find that out. Even the dealers are not sure where anything comes from - so long as they sell the product.

Hi ya Ben. Yes you are right. Guess when you get past the age of 50 you are on the down hill slide, and need every ounce of traction in the brain to remember everything. No wonder I have grown side ways - the brain is too full of millions of everything, and now its gone to the stomach. Some say its gravity catching up. I kinda lost track of Mitsubishi when I bought my Toyota 4Runner. Great car but grossly underpowered with its 3.0 litre V6 Only 105 Kw output. When its due for a transplant , a small block V8 with dual fuel will be the way I want to go. Not every one will agreee with me no doubt. Thanks for pointing out the error.

Question for you Ben. Is the INVEVS 11 auto tranny in the new 2005/6 Paj. Reason I ask, is that earlier this year we did a run down to Harvey (in WA) and had a bloke with his missus and kids. He is a Mitsubishi mechanic by trade, but by hell he flogged the living daylights out of his poor car. The tranny didnt take kindly to the punishement it received and decided to lock itself in Lo 1. We waited for nearly an hour on the side of the road while he and a couple of mates tried to get it to unlock. No joy, so they drove it in Lo 1 all the way back to the camp site and arranged for a flat bed trailer to come down the next morning. When flat bed duly arrived , as they were driving it up, it unlocked itself and went back into Hi range and back into 2 wheel drive. Apparantley it had done this twice before. I believe by all accounts he sold it the next day and bought something else. Havent seen him since.

You'll find the Challenger's 'Easy Select' is a part-time system only, allowing shifts to 4wd on the move, but not on bitumen for as mentioned above, there's no centre diff. There just trying to cash on the 'Super Select' system in Pajero's that do allow 4wd running on bitumen with their centre diff.

I remember reading yonks ago that the shock absorbers part no. for a Challenger is exactly the same as the little Lancer! Didn't believe it but hey, stranger things happen.

Cheers,

Mark.

With the motor industry, anything is possible these days. All the new Jaguars are owned by Ford and only the name remains. So technically its back to badge engineering, ad the body styling still remains part of the very early Jaguar of the 60`s. The new series Ford Falcon has the Mercedes Benz auto gearbox , so does that make it a Mercedes Ford or a Ford Mercedes. All very confusing. Also something that caught my eye the toher morning, I stumbled by sheer accident o the Toyota South Africa website and buggemr me dead if they dont have the equivalent of the old 4Runner usinng the `06 Hilux front end, but better looking, and adding seven seats. Looks very similar to the American 4Runner. Comes with highbody or suspension kit as optional extra, 4.0 litre V6, same 5 speed transmission the the 4Runner uses and the same gear lever and transfer lever. The top of the range model has leather seats and numerous bits and pieces that the old HiLux and 4Runner never had. A rear diff locker is standard on some models adn its know as the Toyota Fortuner - bit of a play on words there. Apparantley in the UK the same model is there but under another name. Some moths ago I sent a letter to Toyota Australia asking why they didnt import the US Toyota 4Runner in right hand drive complete with the choice of V6 or V8 engine options, The reply I got was nothing short of blatant rudenes. Toyota maintain that we sell 230,000 cars a year and the US 230,000 in a month, and the cost of tooling up for the US version was prohibitive. I replied saying that if they got rid of the crappy useless Kluger then they could fill a much needed void in the mid size 4x4 market. Needless to say the repsponse was zero - to be expected !!