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Two things decide which Pajero lift kit you can actually buy, and neither is the one people search for. The first is the name: the Pajero was sold in North America as the Montero, so American listings, fitment charts and Amazon results index under Montero and searching for Pajero alone hides most of the market. The second is the front suspension. Early Pajeros and the Pajero Sport use torsion bars at the front, where lift comes from re-indexing or replacing the bars; the third-generation wagon onward uses independent coil front suspension, where lift comes from struts and springs. A kit for one is useless on the other. The nine options below are grouped so you can find yours by generation, and the buying notes cover the parts a lift quietly drags along with it.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Man Emu 3rd Gen Montero Suspension Lift Kit — Light/Medium Load | $900–$1,400 | Amazon |
| 2 | Old Man Emu 3rd Gen Montero Suspension Lift Kit — Heavy Load | $1,000–$1,500 | Amazon |
| 3 | Dobinsons 2.0 inch Lift Kit — DSSKIT40 | $1,000–$1,500 | Amazon |
| 4 | Dobinsons IMS 1.75 inch Lift Kit — NM NP NS NT Wagons | $1,300–$1,700 | Amazon |
| 5 | Dobinsons GS Lift Kit for Pajero Sport / Montero Sport / Nativa | $700–$1,100 | Amazon |
| 6 | Old Man Emu Montero Lift Kit — 1991–1999 (2nd Gen) | $800–$1,300 | Amazon |
| 7 | Swayaway Torsion Bars for Montero (1990–1997) | $300–$500 | Amazon |
| 8 | Strut and Coil Spacer Leveling Kit (40 mm front / 50 mm rear) | $120–$300 | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Ironman 4×4 Foam Cell Pro Suspension Kit | $800–$1,400 | Amazon |
The picks, in detail
Old Man Emu 3rd Gen Montero Suspension Lift Kit — Light/Medium Load
The most-recommended kit for the 2000–2006 wagon and the right default for a Pajero that is mostly a daily driver with trips attached. ARB sizes Old Man Emu lifts so nothing else has to change — no steering, braking or driveline modification — and the light/medium rating keeps the ride compliant on an unladen vehicle.
- fits third-generation Montero and Pajero, 2000–2006
- matched springs, torsion bars and shocks
- tuned for ride quality over maximum height
- no steering or brake modification required
- sold as a complete vehicle kit
- best ride quality of any kit here on an unloaded vehicle
- proven fitment with very few surprises
- widely documented by owners
- sags if you permanently carry a bumper, winch and drawers
- ARB shock supply has run to long backorders
Old Man Emu 3rd Gen Montero Suspension Lift Kit — Heavy Load
The same third-generation kit sprung for a vehicle that is permanently heavy. If you run a steel front bumper, a winch, a rear drawer system or a long-range tank, the light/medium kit will settle onto its bump stops and the heavy-load rating is the one that keeps the geometry where it was designed to sit.
- fits third-generation Montero and Pajero, 2000–2006
- higher spring and torsion bar rates
- matched to accessory and touring weight
- no steering or brake modification required
- complete front and rear kit
- holds its height under permanent accessory weight
- keeps the same proven fitment as the lighter kit
- far better loaded control
- harsh and skittish on an empty vehicle
- over-springing an unladen truck accelerates wear
Dobinsons 2.0 inch Lift Kit — DSSKIT40
The broadest single-part-number answer, and the easiest to actually buy — it is listed on Amazon under both names. One kit covers 2000 to 2016 Montero and Pajero, which spans the third and fourth generation wagons, so it suits owners who want a complete two-inch lift without decoding their chassis code first.
- fits Mitsubishi Montero and Pajero, 2000–2016
- nominal 2.0 inch lift front and rear
- complete kit with springs and shocks
- covers third and fourth generation wagons
- single part number DSSKIT40
- widest model-year coverage of any kit here
- readily available rather than special-order
- clean two inch lift without add-on spacers
- a broad fitment kit is less precisely tuned than a generation-specific one
- two inches may need mild guard trimming with larger tyres
Dobinsons IMS 1.75 inch Lift Kit — NM NP NS NT Wagons
The technical pick. IMS stands for Dobinsons’ internal-reservoir monotube shocks, which shed heat far better than a twin-tube on long corrugated roads — the conditions where a cheap shock fades and the vehicle starts floating. A slightly more modest 1.75 inches, and fitment is called out by chassis code rather than year, which is more precise.
- fits NM, NP, NS and NT wagons, 2000–2019
- internal reservoir monotube shock absorbers
- nominal 1.75 inch lift
- better heat management on corrugations
- chassis-code specific fitment
- monotube damping resists fade on long dirt roads
- chassis-code fitment removes ambiguity
- modest lift keeps driveline angles sane
- dearer than the twin-tube kit
- 1.75 inches limits tyre size gains
Dobinsons GS Lift Kit for Pajero Sport / Montero Sport / Nativa
The kit for the Sport, which is a different vehicle from the wagon and needs saying — the Pajero Sport, Montero Sport and Nativa share a body-on-frame platform with torsion bar front suspension, so wagon kits do not transfer. A modest one to one-and-a-quarter inch lift aimed at restoring stance and clearance rather than chasing height.
- fits Pajero Sport, Montero Sport and Nativa, 2000–2007
- nominal 1 to 1.25 inch lift
- matched to torsion bar front suspension
- covers South American, Thai and US market variants
- complete front and rear kit
- correct platform match for the Sport
- modest lift avoids driveline and CV angle trouble
- covers several regional model names
- limited height gain
- does not fit the Pajero wagon at all
Old Man Emu Montero Lift Kit — 1991–1999 (2nd Gen)
The second-generation answer. These trucks lift differently from the later wagons: the front is torsion bar sprung, so the kit combines uprated torsion bars with rear springs and matched shocks rather than front coils. Still the Old Man Emu philosophy — sensible height, no modification to steering or brakes.
- fits second-generation Montero and Pajero, 1991–1999
- uprated front torsion bars
- rear coil springs and matched shocks
- no steering or brake modification required
- complete vehicle kit
- correct approach for a torsion bar front end
- well proven on a generation with plenty of survivors
- keeps factory geometry intact
- parts availability is thinning for this generation
- torsion bar indexing needs an alignment afterwards
Swayaway Torsion Bars for Montero (1990–1997)
Not a full kit but often the smarter first purchase on a torsion bar Pajero. Heat-treated alloy steel bars, centreless ground, sold in a range of diameters — you pick the rate rather than accepting whatever the kit ships. Ride height then adjusts at the torsion key, so you can dial in stance without buying springs.
- direct replacement front torsion bars
- heat-treated aircraft grade alloy steel
- centreless ground for durability
- multiple diameters to choose spring rate
- ride height adjustable at the torsion key
- choose your own spring rate instead of a fixed kit rate
- adjustable height without new parts
- restores a sagging front end cheaply
- front only — the rear still needs attention
- over-cranking stock or new bars ruins the ride and eats ball joints
Strut and Coil Spacer Leveling Kit (40 mm front / 50 mm rear)
The budget entry, and legitimately the right answer for some owners. A typical Pajero spacer set pairs roughly 40 mm of front strut spacer with 50 mm of rear coil spacer to gain clearance and stop the tail sitting low. It buys height and tyre clearance without touching springs or dampers.
- front strut spacers around 40 mm
- rear coil spacers around 50 mm
- bolt-on installation with no spring compressor for the rear
- fits Pajero, Montero and Shogun variants
- a fraction of the cost of a full kit
- by far the cheapest way to gain clearance
- reversible if you dislike the result
- no change to spring rate, so ride stays familiar
- adds height without adding travel or damping capability
- spacers extend droop and can strain CV joints and brake lines
Ironman 4×4 Foam Cell Pro Suspension Kit
Worth knowing about if you are outside North America. Foam Cell Pro keeps a large twin-tube body but replaces the loose nitrogen charge with a closed-cell foam insert separating oil from gas, which resists the fade and aeration that kill cheap shocks on corrugations. Ironman’s Pajero fitments come through its Australian and international range rather than the US catalogue.
- large bore twin-tube shock body
- closed-cell foam insert in place of a nitrogen charge
- rebuildable by design
- matched springs available as a complete kit
- load-rated options for touring weight
- excellent fade resistance on long rough roads
- rebuildable rather than disposable
- strong value where it is stocked
- Pajero fitments are not carried by Ironman 4×4 America — check your regional catalogue
- heavier and firmer than a touring-oriented kit
Buying tips
- Search Montero, not just Pajero, if you are shopping in North America. The vehicle was sold there as the Montero and most listings, fitment charts and reviews index under that name. The Pajero Sport also appears as Montero Sport and as Nativa depending on the market.
- Know your front suspension before you spend anything. Torsion bar fronts lift by re-indexing or replacing the bars; independent coil fronts lift with struts and springs. Kits do not cross over, and the Pajero Sport is a different platform from the wagon of the same era.
- Match the spring rate to how the vehicle actually lives. A heavy-load kit on an empty truck rides badly and wears components faster; a light kit under a winch and drawers sits on its bump stops. Weigh the vehicle as you drive it, accessories fitted.
- Two inches is the practical ceiling for a bolt-on kit. Beyond that you are into differential drop brackets, extended brake lines and driveshaft angles, and the cost climbs faster than the capability.
- Book an alignment as part of the job, not as an afterthought. Any front lift changes camber and caster, and torsion bar adjustment changes it a lot — driving on it unaligned will scrub a new set of tyres in a few thousand miles.
- Check brake line and ABS sensor lead length once the suspension is at full droop, especially with spacer kits. Spacers increase down-travel without lengthening anything, which is how lines get pulled tight on the first big dip.
- Budget for the parts a lift drags along: new bump stops, possibly longer shocks, an alignment, and often upper ball joints or bushes on a vehicle old enough to need a lift in the first place.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.