Towing with a Pajero

[Big_Waity]

Hey guys, picked up my Pajero this morning and dropped it straight at the mechanic for a work over.
I just have another quick question. How do you guys go towing a load with a Pajero? Whether it be a box trailer, caravan or car trailer... any of you have any bad experiences/recommendations to share? I doubt I will use the pajy to tow a car as I have my Falcon Wagon for that, just more wondering how it would go if I wanted it to...

[StevenB]

no issues with towing in my NH 2.5TD, just hook up the trailer and go (2500kg tow pack)

[Big_Waity]

Sounds fair...
I can't see I'll do much towing, maybe a box trailer on a big camping trip, but I doubt I'll need the trailer often as it's just me and the missus, no tin lids just yet...

[humpa]

Waity what spec's your engine and gear box mate as this will help ???

[Big_Waity]

I have a 1989 3.0V6 with a 5 speed.

[yobekaw]

i have a 93 nh pajero with 3lt v6 and tow a 7 by 5 box cage trailer full of gear when we go camping and had no hassles

[Big_Waity]

Awesome.
I'm liking the responses thus far.
I got a roady on the paj this morning, gonna get it rego'd tomorrow and see how long it take me to get stuck...

[stagger_lee]

i got a 89 pajero with a 2.6 lt petrol which is tired i tow a 6x4 box trailer everyday loaded with work gear,its never let me down

[eddy76]

Mate I have a nk 3.5 v6 tow a trailer with over a tonne in it every day and no dramas at all I have been doing it for around 2 years.

cheers eddy

[Tired Triton]

I have a 92 MH Triton with same 3l V6 petrol and 5 speed as pajero. There are no workshop manuals available for my Triton but have been using the Pajero workshop manual as the driveline is very similar. I tow a work trailer around nearly every day with no hassles. Just remember to allow for extra braking distance if not using electric / override brakes on trailer. Power is a bit lacking with the heavier loads, but motor has been reliable and always gets us there. Just watch the revs, dont tow with revs under 2200 rpm or so or u will "labour" the motor.

[humpa]

Sorry for the delay,

My Ex Bro in law (the tossa) had a 92 3L 5spd GLS Paj and stuffed his G-Box quite quickly towing his small van with it. A Mitsubishi trained mate who rebuilt it for him told me the G-Boxes in the petrol's was pretty average and quite often needed a rebuild after 150,000 k's or so as they just weren't up to the task "design wise" for towing much. Obviously there are a few variables and circumstances that led to this issue but the mechanic was merely quoting on jobs coming into the dealers workshop over the 5 year period he was there.

The Diesel Tdi G-Boxes were bullet proof by comparison and were designed around the canter box which would make sense for cost savings I spose.

I would be a bit careful with the petrol Paj's G-Box and take it easy, just incase.

Cheers.................:thumb:

[Tired Triton]

It really depends on how heavy the trailer is. A 6x4 box trailer can be towed behind a teeny weeny subaru brumby ute no worries. It also depends on your driving behaviour - dont expect to do a lap of bathurst in record time with a 20 foot caravan hooked up to the paj (a 6x4 trailer maybe if the weather is nice)

[Big_Waity]

Well I have just answerd my question first hand.
On Saturday morning I attempted towing a car on a trailer. The car trailer, sans car, towed great. Put the car on and the extra weight with the nice soft coil springs on the back caused havok. It gave some pretty good trailer steer which I managed to control. Until at 1 point a tyre blew and spun the trailer, forcing me to spin the car in order to keep the trailer from pulling me backwards off a 20ft bank! I have spent a lot of time towing trailers and driving trucks, so I understand all about longer braking distance, taking corners wider, all that sort of stuff. I have only once had a car trailer steer this bad and that was because of an incredibly long set of shelves on a trailer behind a little ute(really shouldn't have been done, but my boss was insistant). I have had tyres blow on trailers many times but never spun a car with a trailer on. I have now decided that I won't tow anything but a 6x4 with the pajy. I love the paj, but an awesome tow vehicle it is not...

[humpa]

Damn Waity :eek: That spin would've had ya pucker valve hangin onto that seat pretty tight mate !!

I towed 1.8t trailer (put her over the weighbridge) a little while back for over2000k's with my standard suspension 2.8 tdi Paj and she groaned abit but still did me proud. Wonder what happend to yours !!!

Wow mate I think you got outa that one lucky by the sounds !!!!! :)

[Big_Waity]

Surely scared the shite outa me. The hardest part was calming my passengers down whilst dealing with the situation and trying to keep myself calm...

[Yonnee]

First of all, glad to hear you and your passengers are OK... even if your jocks might not be.

If you've spent as much time towing trailers as you say you have then you'd know how critical the weight distribution is, more so the heavier the trailer, and particularly with a car trailer. I'd have been interested to see how the trailer was loaded, and what tyre pressures were on the trailer. Under-inflated tyres are the biggest cause of trailer tyre blow-outs and subsequent loss of control. Was the trailer a borrowed one or a hired one?

The earlier model Pajero, pre '91, are only rated at 1500kg towing capacity with the heavy duty hitch on it, so with 1/2 a tonne of car trailer, anything bigger than a Gemini on the trailer and you would have been overloaded.

I recently towed a HT Wagon back from from Yarrawonga with an NH Pajero with a trailer I made for a mate of mine (so I know and trust the trailer), without any dramas. Safe towing is all about having the setup right.

[Big_Waity]

I believe I would have been overweight a little. The trailer was loaded correctly and the tyre pressures were about 35 each I think. We checked them all just before we left. I think the drama here was that the tyre was a dodgey retread that delaminated itself. I don't believe it was the car's fault, but I feel that had I been using my Falcon wagon which I have towed with many times, I may have been able to recover more easily as I find it much more stable in the rear with or without a trailer.

[gavntez]

;) Hi I have a 93 nj 3lt 5speed, Just got back from birdsville, Towed a fully loaded 800kg offroad camper there and back no probs.
sat on 100kmp/h all the way with gr8 fuel consumption.

[Tired Triton]

The thing about towing with a car trailer is to make sure the towed vehicle is balanced over the axles correctly. Not too far forward (will push pajero rear end down too much) and not too far back (paj rear end up in sky). If you wish to tow heavy loads like this, you should look at getting your rear suspension modified to suit (heavier springs or bigger shockies).

[Yonnee]

...the tyre pressures were about 35 each I think. We checked them all just before we left.
Too low!! Even for a good condition car tyre, 35psi is too low for the weight.

I think the drama here was that the tyre was a dodgey retread that delaminated itself.
Probably didn't help...

[Big_Waity]

Too low!! Even for a good condition car tyre, 35psi is too low for the weight.


Wasn't keen to put much more into that retread...

[humpa]

Yeah Waity, Yonnee's got it right there, 35psi is too low man, I run 34-36 in my vehicles just around town! For towing I up them to 38-44psi depending on the weight to be carried!

If the re-treads a goodn (good rep) it should have its max pressures stamped on it mate !

As for trailers, 42-48psi is not uncommon for me when it carrying 1.0 - 2.5ton loads. If your using the proper tyres for trailers etc (LT) then these things can handle a lot more pressure than that so don't be spooked. :)

And yeah rear suspension setup is vital for safe towing, it sounds like your rear springs could be shot man !!! Good news is, new aftermarket ones are cheap as chips and change the whole attitude of the car when towing and normal driving so don't go buying H/D's cause their cool etc when you arn't gunna use them, as it makes your ride harsh and ya kidneys bounce (ouch) :cry:

Cheers..........:thumb: