Pajero Gen4 dash shake on corrugated roads

[JohnGavin]

Hi Guys
I have been on the forum for some time and I believe this is my first post here.
I drive a 2007 3.2did lwb pajero and many here in South Africa have the same issue.On bad corrugated roads the dash looks like its gonna jump out the vehicle.
Here is a link to a solution i found that is cheap and very effective.
The local dealers want a fortune to fix the problem and my fix is cheap as it comes.Not sure if you guys have your own fix as i could not find anything here so i hope this helps.I am Mr.G on the link

http://4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=119236

[Dion]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

Someone else also just recently posted up that thread:

http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=33010

Your work looks very promising, as I have also noticed the dash issue on corrugations.

Wondering if you were thinking of exporting some of those brackets you're making ...

[JohnGavin]

I will post the dimensions.It is really easy to do yourself,or get a welding shop to just do it on spec.Should be no more than a few Aus dollars.
I have a copy of the Dealer fix which i am not allowed to share and i believe my fix is more robust and makes more sense than theirs.
Thanks for the link.

[JohnGavin]

You will see i initially used a 3mm aluminium angle iron and cut to fit.
The second bracket I welded an section to the foot piece for rigidity and I also added the small side bracket to mount to the radio casing.

The third attempt and the final product works like a dream.
basically its a 330mm flat bar of 3mm thickness.
100mm from the bottom you do a 90degree twist.
235mm from the bottom you add a small 35mm extension piece.
20mm from the top you bend the bracket to 90degrees.
The final product looks like this
This is more a labour of love than to make money,so hope it helps anyone with the issue

[Patagonia]

John, thanks for sharing here, I was looking at the thread on the other forum as posted but if you are not a member you can olny see very small version of the photos...now you can say your idea will fly all the way to Chile hehehe

Regards

[JohnGavin]

glad i could help

[cooksta1959]

Waiting on delivery of a new NW my 14 Pajero, do they still do this?

Work colleague has an NS and said the dash on his has bad shake on corrugated roads, I will advise him of this fix he will be rapt.

Great work John.

[JohnGavin]

On the issue of steel thickness of the bracket:
I used 5mm steel with the first bracket i installed.Obviously it works great and is way way stronger than 3mm.Problem comes in when mounting to the radio casing.
The 5mm is a tad thick and also comes too close to the airvent duct and once you put the bolt and nut through the casing mount the head of the bold is slightly obstructive where the airvent connects to the duct,it works,but its a fine line.
The 3mm,although slightly "flimsy" does work very well though as it has 2 mounting points and it "connects' to the top of the dash leaving distance between mounting points short and a pretty rigid bracket.
In the picture you will see how i mounted the middle sectiion of the bracket to the radios plastic casing.Its imperitive to try keep the bolt in the lower sections of the casing,basically not higher,but rather lower than i have mine here.It just ensures it will not interfere or tough the radio once put back together.
I use a sticky foam strip on the top of the bracket between mine and the dashboards flimsy supports.i decided to take the bracket right to the top so that it minimizes dash movement as much as possible.It gives the dash something to rest on basically
In the pic you will see how the bracket of mine comes out from the rear of the plastic casing and rests below the dash bracket.

[grhyso]

John you've been most generous to post all this. I'm a tad confused on what the brackets are meant to be made out of though. 3mm for thickness but is this aluminium or steel?Also how wide, 20mm, 25mm?

Also how are you bending them? If steel, I don't have a welder or oxy torch, will I still be able to do it?

Thanks again

[Fritterbug]

Also how are you bending them? If steel, I don't have a welder or oxy torch, will I still be able to do it?

If it is 3mm of either then you will be able to bend it with a mallet and a vice. In leiu of a vice you could use a clamp and something heavy of the right shape.

It looks like a steel bracket to me.

Thanks for the thread too. I have only been down one rough road but didn't notice any dash movement. However if there is I will be looking to fit these brackets.

[JohnGavin]

My initial bracket was made of aluminium but the new one is steel,20mmx3mm.
I got a local welding shop to Twist the steel for me and then All i do is bend the head myself in a bench vice.

[Fritterbug]

I would have thought you could put the twist in it yourself using a vice and large shifter. Maybe some pipe on the shifter.

[grhyso]

Cheers John, The newer brackets definitely looked like steel. I'll try bending it in a vice with some vise grips before going to a local fabrication joint

[markpeh]

I know the dash shakes a bit, ok a lot . First time I saw it I thought the dash might have leapt out the window...
But Has anyone had any damage done by the shake? Iknow mine is still
Good with no dash rattles and it done lots of rough roads and corregations.

[JohnGavin]

I have never heard of any damage done,but i would not be surprised the excessive shake could influence the audio system,especially the cd unit,which i know many guys have an issue with.
I have heard guys placing their gps units just above the dash and having the dash knock it off its fitting.
The only explanantion i can give as to why some dashes are more prone to this is that the mounting bolts loosen over time or are not fastened properly and maybe a more hardened plastic encasing the audio unit.