MQ-MR Triton DIY Suspension Fitting Guide
MQ-MR Triton DIY Suspension Fitting Guide - For Lift and Levelling Kits
This fitting guide covers the Mitsubishi MQ and MR Tritons specifically, but could easily be used as a DIY suspension fitting guide for the front and rear of the ML and MN Tritons and also for QE and QF Pajero Sport front suspension (not rear).
Legal note:
This suspension fitment guide is based on what we consider to be an ideal way to fit suspension to the specific vehicle model(s) this article is covering. It’s not necessarily the only way, nor should it be considered gospel. Suspension components are safety-critical items which must be fitted correctly, and they must be fitted by a person with an acceptable level of competence when it comes to working with vehicles and the tools used. If that isn’t you, then please have your vehicle’s new suspension fitted by a professional. No liability for issues arising from the incorrect installation of suspension components will be accepted by the owners of Loaded4X4.
Prepare And Work Smart
No, that's not a Triton, but you get the idea.
Measure your trim heights before you start.
It is recommended that trim height measurements are done from the centre of the wheel to the lip of the guard or factory flare. This keeps the measurement in line with the records kept by transport authorities and eliminates variance between wheel sizes. If the suspension supplier requires the measurement from the bottom of the wheel, keep both on record.
Make sure you fill out all of the necessary paperwork for warranty if that’s a requirement. Some suspension suppliers require you to record all measurements and part numbers for warranty purposes. One or two of those even require photographic evidence, which is probably about the time you should be questioning just how successful any warranty claim might be.
At this point it’s worthwhile mentioning that we have enough confidence in our suspension to offer a 3-year Unlimited-kilometre warranty and there are no hoops to jump through.
Top tip - If you don't already have a decent 19mm spanner, then buy one, preferably a ring spanner/open end combo and one with a bit of length to it so you can undo and re-tighten the upper control arm bolts relatively easily.
Parts Check - MQ-MR Triton Lift Kit Components
The following list of parts are supplied as standard in our Triton lift kit that can be viewed here.
2 x Pre-assembled front struts and coils
2 x Rear Shocks Absorbers
2 x Rear Leaf Springs
2 x Greaseable Shackles
2 x Greaseable Pins
1 x Leaf Spring Bush Kit
4 x High tensile U-bolts
1 x Centre bearing spacer kit
2 x Shortened front upper bump stops
Parts Check - MQ-MR Triton Levelling Kit Components
The following list of parts are supplied as standard in our Triton lift kit that can be viewed here.
2 x Pre-assembled front struts and coils
2 x Rear Shocks Absorbers
2 x Shortened front upper bump stops
Not All Kits Are Created Equal
Shortened bump stops - Not all suspension suppliers include the shortened bump stops in their kit or they are sold as an optional extra. You'll need them to avoid a crap ride and loads of bump steer, so if you don't have them, source a set before fitting your lift or levelling kit.
Tailshaft spacer - Not all brands of suspension kit include a tailshaft spacer, which may be required to help counter a vibration that can occur when lifting the rears of Tritons running a two-piece tailshaft.
Upper Control Arms and big lifts - Some brands of front struts won't fit with the stock upper control arms (ours do), something that becomes more of an issue, the higher you lift the front, as does bump stop clearance and CV angles. It's why we don't go higher than 40mm with Tritons. If you choose to go higher, just be aware that there is considerably more expense and work involved if you want a Triton that drives well and is safe and reliable.
MQ-MR Triton Suspension Fitting Step By Step Guide
Front suspension fitted on the ground
- Measure trim heights.
- Chock the rear wheels.
- Remove Upper control arm bump stops
- Jack the front suspension up until both front wheels are clear of the ground.
- Place a jack stand under the chassis on each side.
- Lower the vehicle back down allowing the front suspension to be at full droop.
- Remove both wheels.
- Undo and remove the lower sway bar link on both sides.
Then working one side at a time;
- Undo and remove ABS line at back of shock absorber (Put aside nut clip for reuse with new struts)
- Undo and remove bracket that holds ABS and brake line to the hub spindle.
- Undo and remove the lower strut bolt.
- Undo and remove the upper control arm bolts on both sides.
- Release the upper control arm which will move towards you and settle in position.
- Undo the three top strut nuts. Two are easy and one is part way inside the engine compartment and a little fiddlier to get to, but you should be able achieve this from the wheel well.
- Remove strut assembly.
- Fit the new strut into place and secure with one top strut nut done up finger tight.
- Fit the lower strut bolt. At this point you’ll understand why it was necessary to undo both ends of the sway bar – if you don’t you won’t be able to get this lower bolt through. A strong screw driver or thin pry bar may need to be used to align and locate the lower strut bolt. Once the lower bolt is in position, fit the nut and do it up hand tight only (this is important), it must never be tensioned in the air.
- Fit the other two top strut nuts and tighten all three.
- Refit the lower sway bar link. Jacking up the lower control arm will help make this easier.
- Refit the upper control arm, noting that you will need to use a jack, placed under the lower control arm to compress the coil enough to allow the upper control arm to slot into place. When the coil is compressed enough you'll be able to slot the upper control arm into place easily by hand, it won't need to be forced. Ensure the ABS line is routed correctly and bolted back in place under the upper control arm. The control arm bolts should only be finger tight at this point (this is important) and must never be tensioned in the air.
- Repeat this process on the other side, then refit the wheels, jack the vehicle up, remove the jack stands and then lower the vehicle to the ground.
- With the vehicle on the ground, bounce the front end up and down a few times to settle the various bushes and then;
- Tighten lower strut bolt on each side.
- Tighten the upper control arm bolts on each side.
Rear suspension fitted on ground
Levelling Kit
As you aren’t replacing the rear leaf springs this is a super simple process and you don’t even need to jack the vehicle off the ground. Proceed as follows working on one side at a time;
- Ensure the vehicle is parked in such a way that it is safe to work under.
- Remove the top and bottom nuts from the shock absorber and carefully pry the shock absorber off its locating pins.
- If not already fitted, fit the new bushes provided to both ends of the new shock absorber and wipe a smear of detergent inside each bush where it contacts the locating pin on the vehicle.
- Fit the new shock absorber to the vehicle using the new washers supplied (they fit on the outside of the bushes) and tighten to spec.
- Repeat on the other side.
Lift Kit
(We recommend working on one side at a time)
- Chock the front wheels.
- Jacking off the diff, raise the rear of the vehicle as high as possible.
- Place jack stands under the chassis and lower the vehicle down onto the jack stands.
- Ensure the diff is supported by the jack.
- Remove the rear wheel on one side.
- Remove handbrake line from leaf spring.
- Remove diff breather.
- Unclip brake lines.
- Undo ABS Brackets from the diff and chassis cross member (IMPORTANT - you'll rip them out if you don't).
- Remove handbrake cables from rear diff.
- Remove shock absorber.
- Remove U-bolts and plate on one side.
- Undo fixed end bolts.
- Undo shackle nuts.
- Lever leaf spring off shackles.
- Remove leaf spring.
- Grease new shackle bushes, shackles and fixed end bolts.
- Fit new bushes into leaf springs and chassis mount. Multi-grips can be used to help fit bushes into the chassis mount.
- Slightly bend the fixed end brackets outwards to help make fitting the new springs easier.
- Fit new leaf springs into place.
- Fit fixed end bolt (do not fully tighten).
- Fit new shackles (do not fully tighten).
- Jack diff up so that the centre bolt head locates into the centre of the diff. It may be necessary to move the wheel/diff forward and back to help locate the centre bolt.
- Fit new U-bolts with the original bump stop and U-bolt plate.
- Fit shock and tighten and then repeat process on the opposite side of the vehicle.
- Undo the tailshaft at the rear differential end and fit the supplied tailshaft spacer.
- Refit wheels, jack up to remove the jack stands and then lower the vehicle to the ground before tightening the fixed end and shackle nuts. Test drive and check achieved heights.
MR Triton fitted with one of our Dynamic Tune levelling kits.
Post fitment notes
A wheel alignment and headlight adjustment must be completed after the suspension is fitted. Some vehicles may also require the steering angle sensor to be reset to suit the new height and alignment. All of this can be done by your local tyre shop.
Re-tension and inspect all suspension components after 1,000km. Components like U-bolts will loosen as the spring pack settles in. It is also important to inspect the shock absorbers for any signs of leaking. If there is an issue with the seal on a shock absorber, it will normally be present after 1,000km of use.
Tyre wear and wheel alignment settings
All-new Mitsubishi 4WDs wear the outside edge of the front tyres, often quite dramatically. It’s because the wheel alignment settings specified by Mitsubishi and fed through to your local tyre store, are concocted to deal with road camber, as found on many Australian roads (so water runs off…). It’s mostly nonsense and just causes premature tyre wear.
If you are fitting new tyres and want them to wear evenly, ask your tyre fitter to use the following wheel alignment settings.
Camber – 0 (both sides)
Caster - +2 to 3 degrees (on both sides)
Toe – 1mm toe out (both sides)
You’ll find it drives really nicely, and that road camber isn’t the issue Mitsubishi seems to think it is.