Recovery hooks for front of Pajero

Tony Z
This question was raised in a Earlier thread

I suggest you speak with someone like ARB or TJM as the monocoque chassis may need some consideration. I would suggest that any recovery from the front should be done with a bridle strap to equalise any loads

Tony

I think there was a typo in your title

The Paj only needs "REAR"recovery hooks.

Tony
No difference from this NP to your NS.
Why do you need aftermarket recovery points?
I have never heard of a factory one to fail.

The Video
Sand Snatch Recovery Pajero /Test Results

Following claims being circulated through clubs, retail points and on the Internet, that single point snatch strap recovery would result in damage to Pajeros (specifically, warping of monocoque frame, popped windscreen and guard damage), MMAL Engineering recently conducted a series of tests to prove categorically. That such was not the case.

LOCATION: Sandhills on private property at Peake, South Australia (40km out of Tailem Bend).

PROCEDURE: Intentionally bog new NP 3.8 Pajero (identical construction to NM monocoque Pajero), then use another Pajero to repeatedly snatch recover the vehicle, using the same single recovery point each time. (front RHD on the bogged vehicle and on the towbar of the recovery vehicle) In addition, to establish just how much load is involved in such recovery operations, a load sensor was first attached to the recovery vehicle, and the snatch strap then attached to it and then attached to the bogged vehicle. (It should be remembered that the loads involved will apply equally to the recovery and recovered vehicles i.e. not halved.)
Snatch strap rating was 8 tonnes. Properly rated D-shackles were used to locate the strap and load sensor. Strap slack on each occasion was approximately two metres, and the recovery vehicle was driven away in second gear low range.
Immediately before and after each recovery operation, engineering staff using depth gauges measured panel gaps. A total of ten different points were measured, including bonnet, front and rear doors and tailgate.

RESULTS: A total of six recoveries was accomplished, ranging from the most common bogging occurrence on flat ground to recovery over a very steep sandhill. (It should be noted that to bog the vehicle on flat ground, the ABS relay had to be removed to disable the traction control.)
The flat ground recovery measured a force of 21 kN (kilonewtons). (Ten kN is approximately equal to one tonne.)
Four successive recoveries were achieved on a slight sand hill with quite severe sideslope. Maximum load here was 27 kN.
On the most extreme recovery, the load was 31 kN. According to information from tests conducted in Japan prior to monocoque Pajero being released, this is more than enough to distort some conventional 4WD chassis.
At the end of testing, no difference was noted between gap measurement prior to testing and after. All doors opened and closed as expected.
MMAL would like to stress that there is no danger in recovering a stranded Pajero using single point recovery, providing recognized snatch recovery techniques are used.

Dave Howard
Technical Officer
Pajero 4WD Club of Vic

Tony,

Pickle has definitively answered the question, but just thought I would add my experience with an 04 NP and now my 07 NS.

I have snatched the NP and used it to snatch others many times on Fraser Island. I used the factory recovery points without any sort of bridle or equalising strap. I have never seen any signs of twisting, such as doors being out of alignment or the car's on highway handling changing or drifting. I have not done many recoveries with the NS (and never had it stuck) but again haven't noticed any issues.

Its an urban myth that the Paj doesn't have a chasis - its integrated into the monocoque body, just like the latest Land Rover Discos.

Good Luck

Ben