Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

I am somewhat confused with the maximum towing weight (caravan) I can tow. I have a code EB driver's license. In accordance with the EB code, I am allowed to drive a vehicle plus trailer of gross load 3500kg.

My vehicle owners manual tells me that the vehicle's weight (empty) is 2010kg and the gross weight is 2510kg (500 kg for presumably 5 people with baggage?). Normally one would load your caravan with say up to 400 or even 500 kg. This then means I may only tow a caravan of 3500-2510-500 = 490 kg!! Most caravans are in the range of 700 to 1300 kg (empty).

Do most of us (myself included) tow illegally or do I have it wrong?

What gross caravan load can the 3.2 L SWB Pajero tow safely if the driver's license restriction is not considered? I have had no problem towing a fully loaded Jurgens Xplorer at 120 kph.

Regards
Hannes Smith

Your licence allows you to tow a overrun-braked load of less than 3500kgs and a car of less than 3500kg's, so if the vehicle allowed you could drive a vehicle/trailer combo weighing 7000kg's.

However:

Mitsubishi allows the pajero to tow in excess of it tare (3500kg) but you are limited, according to South African Law, to that you may ONLY tow up to you vehicles tare (unladen mass), ie: 2010kg.

To sum up, your vehicle may weigh fully loaded 2510 kg(GVM) and tow a maximum weight of 2010kg. Gross Combination Weight(GCM) of 4520 kg's for whole rig.

Also bear in mind you need to deduct your trailer's towbar/towhitch induced weight from you vehicles gross mass as it adds to you vehicles mass.

Eg: So if the tow-hitch weight of your fully loaded caraven is 120kg, you must subtract that from your total load of your Pajero. GVM - TARE = 500kg load of SWB Pajero, less 120kg towhitch load = 380kg load to vehicle including fuel(TARE weight excludes fuel in tank) and passengers!!!
This is easily over loaded with long range fuel tanks, ARB type bumpers, fridges etc. The weighbridge officials give hefty fines for being overloaded and will not let you depart the weighbridge while being over-loaded... Chose what to dump if you are there alone and cannot distribute your goods.


Hope this makes sense.

Thank you Nick for an excellent reply. It all makes sense now.
Regards
Hannes Smith

Hannes Smith wrote:Thank you Nick for an excellent reply. It all makes sense now.
Regards
Hannes Smith

Nick, Thanx for one of the best replies on this matter.

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