Are Outlander PHEV shocks the same as other models?

[AndyInOz]

Yes, that has been my experience here in Oz too...

For example, a local area has had its speed limit dropped to 40 km/h.

Roughly every fifty metres you encounter a speed hump (the flat platform kind) and those are marked with an advisory speed of 5 km/h.

 

[ckracer76]

My Outlander PHEV was equally poor on the factory suspension set-up and I covered just 30,000 miles in discomfort from new. My own research found it very hard to get parts for this vehicle outside of the Mitsubishi dealer network. Sadly Mitsubishi genuine parts are notoriously expensive here in UK and maybe more so now that Mitsubishi UK has up and left the country and Mitsubishi has handed UK parts supply and distribution to their old friend IM Group. As of writing genuine Mitsubishi parts are still available my local dealer and via what’s left of the Mitsubishi UK dealer network for now. IM Parts will probably have a direct sell option lined up for future.

I eventually had to settle for Eibach springs and KYB shock absorber dampers with genuine Mitsubishi top mounts.

The ride is far more settled and comfortable and it handles a lot better in corners, no dive under braking and no pitching on poor roads. My only gripe is it now appears a lot lower than before which is annoying because I liked the SUV height.

I was also forced to fit a new rear motor mount as Mitsubishi refused under warranty. The Mitsubishi tech kindly took me to one side and told me NOT to buy the genuine Mitsubishi cast mount but to buy the Powerflex CNC motorsport grade motor mount which has also made a vast improvement.

Win some, lose some.

 

[ckracer76]

 

[Haenzel]

My Outlander PHEV was equally poor on the factory suspension set-up and I covered just 30,000 miles in discomfort from new. My own research found it very hard to get parts for this vehicle outside of the Mitsubishi dealer network. Sadly Mitsubishi genuine parts are notoriously expensive here in UK and maybe more so now that Mitsubishi UK has up and left the country and Mitsubishi has handed UK parts supply and distribution to their old friend IM Group. As of writing genuine Mitsubishi parts are still available my local dealer and via what’s left of the Mitsubishi UK dealer network for now. IM Parts will probably have a direct sell option lined up for future.

I eventually had to settle for Eibach springs and KYB shock absorber dampers with genuine Mitsubishi top mounts.

The ride is far more settled and comfortable and it handles a lot better in corners, no dive under braking and no pitching on poor roads. My only gripe is it now appears a lot lower than before which is annoying because I liked the SUV height.

I was also forced to fit a new rear motor mount as Mitsubishi refused under warranty. The Mitsubishi tech kindly took me to one side and told me NOT to buy the genuine Mitsubishi cast mount but to buy the Powerflex CNC motorsport grade motor mount which has also made a vast improvement.

Win some, lose some.

Did you also replace the rear suspension? I find the rear in particular too weak.... Can you please share Eibach part numbers?

 

[ckracer76]

Yes, the Eibach Pro kit springs come as a set of x4 coil springs.

The Eibach kit part number is;

E10-60 -018-04-22

 

[ckracer76]

The individual springs are shown below;

 

[ckracer76]

These photos show how low the vehicle sits on the Eibach springs and KYB shocks.

 

[ckracer76]

 

[ckracer76]

I also fitted a front suspension upper tower strut brace but have since removed it as it was too stiff and causing vibration at idle and low speed.

 

[Haenzel]

Yes, the Eibach Pro kit springs come as a set of x4 coil springs.

The Eibach kit part number is;

E10-60 -018-04-22

View attachment 1158

View attachment 1159

Thanks for sharing! You couldn't use the original shocks with the Eibachs?

 

[ckracer76]

Thanks for sharing! You couldn't use the original shocks with the Eibachs?

Yes, Eibach said they are compatible with original shock absorbers. I suppose I should have at only 30k but I was advised to renew the shock absorbers at the same time as they had to be stripped down to fit the springs anyway in the garage.

 

[SS2115]

I am very interested in this as I started the thread.

I agree that I'm not keen to use lowered springs as I enjoy the ease of getting in and out (compared to my previous BMW s/wagon) and also the load height of the rear area is mostly convenient as well.
I'm also not of the opinion the factory springs are all that bad either, but its good to know that aftermarket is finally starting to appear.

I'm mostly interested in shock replacements - particularly the rears as I think that's all they need to improve the Outlander PHEV. Did you do the KYB's on all four wheels? Do you have part numbers for these? When I researched last year they only had front replacements and not rears - perhaps they finally got around to them.

Then also my PHEV is a 2020 model and no one can tell me if they are the same as earlier models for which some aftermarket gear is being turned out for - when I have asked if its listed for a 2014 or 2017 then they have just stuck to relying 'not compatible' without really knowing is the impression I get.

I was also interested in you taking the front strut bar off. I put them on just about every car I have owned - some with great effect felt and other with little, but always some improvement in steering point. You mention it increased rattles - could you expand on that please?
*Again - having trouble finding one for my 2020. Japanese company makes one for earlier, but shied away from the 2020 fit as they 'hadn't tried or tested on the later model".

 

[ckracer76]

You are so right, the rear shock absorbers were a nightmare.

The front KYB were perfect no issue. The rears were completely wrong according to my garage, as were the Bilstein’s supplied and he ended up replacing with different KYB shocks he sourced after much cross referencing of part numbers with KYB and Bilstein customer service.

Thankfully I was able to return the rear KYB and Bilstein shocks to Autodoc and got my money refunded eventually. I should have made a complaint with hindsight.

Sadly the factory Mitsubishi branded rear shocks don’t give away the manufacturer (unless it’s Mitsubishi themselves which I highly doubt).

I don’t have any part numbers to hand as this was last year. Although the old parts are in my garage in storage.

I feel like a hypocrite but I’m now looking at returning my Outlander to original ride height. I don’t really want to use the old factory springs I stored in my garage.

Equally I don’t want to fork out near £100 per spring from my local Mitsubishi dealer for OEM springs especially knowing how poor they are in my experience.

I’m now looking at replacement standard height springs from KYB, Lesjafors or Suplex again from the German based Autodoc website.

As for the front strut brace, I was most disappointed to eventually find a suitable brace that actually fitted between electric motor and engine only for it to become a vibration enhancer.

I’ve always fitted steel 1-piece Omp strut braces from Italy but they don’t offer a suitable item for the mk3.

The steel factory strut brace for the Outlander mk2 I bought didn’t fit my mk3 and had to be returned. I only tried the mk2 brace because I was told both the Outlander mk2 and mk3 are based on the Lancer X chassis platform - which may not be true.

The aluminium 3-piece strut brace I bought is very strong and stiff and nice quality but the main bar is hollow and acts as a resonator to the engine sadly.

The vibration and noise when the engine kicked in was unbearable and you could feel it through the steering wheel and pedal box.

My garage tried to source some supression bushes and seals to help but nothing worked.

The minute we removed the strut brace all vibration retuned to normal. As for handling I couldn’t actually detect any difference in handling other than it made the steering quicker but tighter in feel.

The mk3 is a cab forward design and the brace was very close to the reinforced firewall bulkhead anyway which is probably why Mitsubishi didn’t need to fit one to the mk3.

It did however look very cool under the hood in silver and blue oh well.

 

[ckracer76]

or maybe I fit an aftermarket lift kit and get the height back and the benefit of the stiffer Eibach springs already installed?

I have no experience of such a kit although there appear to be plenty for sale.

 

[greendwarf]

I was under the impression that all speed bumps were 'designed' to be taken at 5 km/h.

Certainly my previous car (hot hatch) thought so.

Of course, that car had only 10 cm ground clearance, unlike the 20 cm claimed by the Outlander PHEV.

I seem to remember that in the UK, gendarmes qui dormez (sleeping policemen) were intended to encourage vehicles to keep to the speed limit i.e. 30 mph. Therefore, I have always driven over them at that speed (now 20 mph in most of Lundun) without much problem. I have also usually had cars like the Outlander with stiffer rear suspension than saloons (e.g. estates), so that they wouldn't bottom out - a problem with all the expensive BMWs and Mercs trying to race around before coming to an almost complete stop to get over the humps, lol!

So, yes, when NOT carrying a load the car does bounce up rattling stuff in the boot but when filled up sails over them with ease and no danger of damage. Drivers here need to remember this is designed with an SUV set-up rather than smooth passenger comfort in mind.