Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Advice on the HOW of overlanding, camping and caravanning. Travel location is discussed elsewhere
Gr
Gryskoos

Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Sat Nov 22, 2014 7:47 pm

Guys

I am as confused as a fox terrier in a chicken coop.

Question 1.
May I legally tow an empty Xplorer with an empty Gen 4 with a EB license?

Question 2
If yes then what is the weight I may load? In the Pajero, In the Xplorer, Combined load?

Question 3
What is the axle max weight of the Gen 4 for front and back axle?

Info
Pajero
3020 GVM
2000 Tara

Xplorer
1650 GVM
1290 Tara

Psst I did a search but found nothing helpful.


User avatar
CATS
Contact:
Vehicle: 2001(Gen3) Pajero 3.2 Did, 2008(Gen4) Pajero Did
Location: Centurion
Posts: 2119
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:11 pm

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Sat Nov 22, 2014 11:09 pm

You are definitely legal. What is the GCM? Gross Combined Mass on your disk?

As i understand it in South Africa you are not allowed to tow more than 750kg unbraked, above that, if braked, the limit is that the trailer must not weigh more than the vehicle doing the towing. Thus the Pajero can legally tow up to its own weight, so even when empty, 2000kg according to your info, it can tow the full loaded Xplorer, 1650kg.

Just for info as I understand it:
Tara - vehicle empty weight
GVM - gross vehicle mass max when loaded.

Some manufacturers also place limits on towing which might be more restrictive than the SA limits, but the Pajero is not one of them as far as I know.

CATS
2009 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS (Gen4) - Casper (Starting to grow on me)
2001 Pajero 3.2 DiD Lwb GLS Manual (Gen3) - Snoopy (SOLD but not forgotten)
2008 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS Auto (Gen4) - Silvester (SOLD)
Image
Gr
Gryskoos

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Sun Nov 23, 2014 6:08 am

Cats

From what I understand is that weighbridges are now fining you on the following.

Combined weight
Overloading of pajero
Overweight of xplorer
Overweight per pajero axle.

The difference between the GVM and Tara of the pajero is about 1000kg so one can load more than one beer and a steak. But the xplorer difference available to load is only around 300kg.

With the holidays coming and the many weighbridges now active a lot of holiday makers are going to lose huge amounts due to fines.

The weight per axle is also something to worry about when hitching a heavy van. So even through one is within the legal weights, the weight on the rear axle may cause a fine.

This is my understanding and this is what's confusing.
Gr
Gryskoos

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Sun Nov 23, 2014 8:05 am

Cats

Gen4 info

Combined mass is 6430kg
Front axle is 1330kg
Rear axle is 1780kg

Pajero payload is 1030kg
Xplorer payload is 355kg

No change of getting a fine on combined mass with the xplorer hooked.

Small change of getting a fine for overloading the pajero. (payload is 1030kg and that incl passengers etc)

Big change of getting a fine for the following.
1.) Xplorer overloaded (food, water, diesel, beer, chairs, table etc would be more than 355kg)
2.)Pajero rear axle when loaded and explorer hooked can be close to 1780kg.

And the scary part is that one may not drive a till the weight is down to legal.

Now where is that list of the weighbridge locations..... :twisted:
User avatar
CATS
Contact:
Vehicle: 2001(Gen3) Pajero 3.2 Did, 2008(Gen4) Pajero Did
Location: Centurion
Posts: 2119
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:11 pm

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Sun Nov 23, 2014 8:17 am

I have often worried about this with my Xplorer and fully loaded Pajero to the point where I have often wanted to drive into a scrap metal dealer or local co-op to weigh my fully loaded rig. But to be honest once loaded one don't have time for this and secondly I was too scared of the possible results!!!

So far I have not had to do any required weigh bridge stop on all my years of travel, luckily - touch wood.

CATS
2009 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS (Gen4) - Casper (Starting to grow on me)
2001 Pajero 3.2 DiD Lwb GLS Manual (Gen3) - Snoopy (SOLD but not forgotten)
2008 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS Auto (Gen4) - Silvester (SOLD)
Image
User avatar
KaiV
Vehicle: Pajero
Location: Midrand, Gauteng
Posts: 652
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:38 pm

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Tue Nov 25, 2014 11:40 am

On every trip into Africa that my Dad has done, he just pulled onto the weigh bridges next to the highways and asked to be weighed. Never paid for it and went merrily on his way with a slip of front n rear axle weights.... never mind the fact he was overloaded on all occasions
mplester
Country: South Africa
Vehicle: pajero
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2012 4:25 pm

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Mon Dec 01, 2014 5:47 am

With regards to overloading, I found that it was easier to load the rear of the pajero with the heavier stuf ie chairs tent beers etc and go light in our xplorer. We had our xplorer weighed with the basics for a weekend away, with an empty water tank and it was 50 kg over. We checked the pajero and it was well in, however we did have one side of the rear seat folded so that heavy weight was in front of the rear axle
Ro
RoelfleRoux

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Fri Dec 05, 2014 12:45 pm

We have a weighbridge at work, I'll have to hook up the old Echo Chobe one day soon to see what the axles are carrying.

I have a nasty suspicion my plannned trip with four adults to overland Namibia, with caravan in tow, is gonna break the camel's back.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Forum Runner
Gr
Gryskoos

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Sat Dec 06, 2014 7:21 am

[quote="mplester"We had our xplorer weighed with the basics for a weekend away, with an empty water tank and it was 50 kg over. We checked the pajero and it was well in, however we did have one side of the rear seat folded so that heavy weight was in front of the rear axle[/quote]

That just support my presumption that caravan and trailer manufacturers are not really sharing all the facts with us. Yes we seem to get away with overloading but the bribers are waking up to this money making scheme.

Did you weight the rear axle of the pajero with the xplorer hitched?
mplester
Country: South Africa
Vehicle: pajero
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2012 4:25 pm

Re: Legal tow. Gen4 plus Explorer?

Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:39 am

It was weighed as per test in a road block, then I had then weigh the van solo to get an axle and jockey wheel weight. Can't remember the exacts on pajero but it was well within spec. The xplorer was just below 1600kg with 128kg measured on the jockey

Return to “Overlanding, Camping and Caravanning Advice”

Login · Register