Symptoms
A heavy clunk from the driveline when you go from off-throttle to on-throttle. NM owners on ExplorOz report it from about 50,000–60,000 km, and say Mitsubishi called it a known issue with no fix at the time.
The fix, step by step
- Rule out the simple causes first.
- Grease the tailshaft slip joint (one ExplorOz contributor found a dry slip joint caused the same clunk on another 4x4), then check the rear diff mounts, the rear subframe and control-arm bushings, and the CV joints for play.
- One owner's dealer replaced the diff centre and drive rods and got only a small improvement.
- Owners note that shifting to 4H removes the backlash, and that the clunk didn't get worse over 110,000–120,000 km.
Tools & part numbers
- Jack and stands
- pry bar
- grease gun
- flashlight.
Where to buy the parts
Drivetrain parts (CV axles, driveshaft), 2004 Montero 3.8 V6RockAuto ↗Amazon ↗
Whiteline rear lower control arm bushing, 2001–06 Montero/Pajero NM-NPHurreys Performance ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero (Third Generation) parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.