Decision time. Replace the Paj with a Triton ?

[BruceandBobbi]

Surely the Tritons rear drum brakes have to come into the equation.

[craka]

Surely the Tritons rear drum brakes have to come into the equation.

Really do they have drum brakes instead of disc?

[old Jack]

Surely the Tritons rear drum brakes have to come into the equation.

Yes, I forgot about them!

Also the shorter rear overhang of the Pajero Sport will provide less weight transfer from the front axle and more stability in pitch and yaw even though the Triton has a slightly longer wheel base.

Sometimes these decisions are not made by engineers but marketing people.

OJ.

[Ian H]

This is interesting, considering what we've been discussing......

https://magazine.unsealed4x4.com.au/en_US/17769/249291/houston%2c_we_have_a_payload_problem!.html

(Note the pic of Paj !)

[Ian H]

Yesterday I had the new van and car weighed by a specialist who does mobile weighing and who has scales accurate to 05.kg.

It means I'm legal !!

With van attached and no WDH, the results came out as follows....

Car 2971 kg (GVM allowed = 3030, so 58 under).
Van GTM (weight on the wheels) 2254 kg (compliance plate = 2340)
tow ball 194 kg
total van ATM 2448 kg (compliance plate 2516)

Car had full fuel plus about 20L in the aux tank which I can travel without so i can peg back a bit there.

Van had two full water tanks and gas bottles full so only needs clothes and some food in the fridge.

But it does go to show that even with not much extra in the car and a van of only 17'6, it doesn't take much to put you over on GVM, even though GCM is almost 800 kg under the allowed maximum.


But...and there's always a but, I'm over on the rear axle by 29 kg (1809 when it should be 1780 max). Taking out that extra fuel from the aux tank which hangs out the back should get that close enough and I doubt they'd pick me up on that if I got weighed on a highway check point.

Looks like I won't have to change cars after all.

[2bad4u]

Yesterday I had the new van and car weighed by a specialist who does mobile weighing and who has scales accurate to 05.kg.

It means I'm legal !!

With van attached and no WDH, the results came out as follows....

Car 2971 kg (GVM allowed = 3030, so 58 under).
Van GTM (weight on the wheels) 2254 kg (compliance plate = 2340)
tow ball 194 kg
total van ATM 2448 kg (compliance plate 2516)

Car had full fuel plus about 20L in the aux tank which I can travel without so i can peg back a bit there.

Van had two full water tanks and gas bottles full so only needs clothes and some food in the fridge.

But it does go to show that even with not much extra in the car and a van of only 17'6, it doesn't take much to put you over on GVM, even though GCM is almost 800 kg under the allowed maximum.


But...and there's always a but, I'm over on the rear axle by 29 kg (1809 when it should be 1780 max). Taking out that extra fuel from the aux tank which hangs out the back should get that close enough and I doubt they'd pick me up on that if I got weighed on a highway check point.

Looks like I won't have to change cars after all.

It's good knowing your weights. As I posted earlier, I keep a spreadsheet of everything that goes in/out of the van and car so that I have a rough idea of my weights. Took the loaded combo over a weigh bridge a couple of weeks ago and was within 20kg of what I estimated.

I suggest now that you know your weights you do something similar as it will give you piece of mind. It also makes you stop and think "do you really need to add that" extra item if it puts you close to or over your limit.

[Jasonmc73]

Yesterday I had the new van and car weighed by a specialist who does mobile weighing and who has scales accurate to 05.kg.

It means I'm legal !!

With van attached and no WDH, the results came out as follows....

Car 2971 kg (GVM allowed = 3030, so 58 under).
Van GTM (weight on the wheels) 2254 kg (compliance plate = 2340)
tow ball 194 kg
total van ATM 2448 kg (compliance plate 2516)

Car had full fuel plus about 20L in the aux tank which I can travel without so i can peg back a bit there.

Van had two full water tanks and gas bottles full so only needs clothes and some food in the fridge.

But it does go to show that even with not much extra in the car and a van of only 17'6, it doesn't take much to put you over on GVM, even though GCM is almost 800 kg under the allowed maximum.


But...and there's always a but, I'm over on the rear axle by 29 kg (1809 when it should be 1780 max). Taking out that extra fuel from the aux tank which hangs out the back should get that close enough and I doubt they'd pick me up on that if I got weighed on a highway check point.

Looks like I won't have to change cars after all.

I bet thats a good feeling!
Congrats!

[Ian H]

. Took the loaded combo over a weigh bridge a couple of weeks ago and was within 20kg of what I estimated..

The problem with that is that weigh bridges aren't accurate to that degree. They're built for weighing trucks and as I posted in the other thread on this topic, I took the van in the same configuration and same fuel load to the local weigh bridge prior to getting it done by a specialist and the weigh bridge was giving me results which were about 70kg higher on the van wheels and had the car within 10 kg of gvm.

[Alben]

I was interested about how accurate some bridges are so went and did some weights this afternoon. I have a feeling that the bridge (closed, but can read kg on illuminated sign) I went to only measures in 20kg increments. Each of the various weights I took were all factors of 20kg.
This was with our NS pajero with a full tank of fuel, basic recovery gear (ie snatch strap, 4 shackles etc) and just me the driver. Other list of accessories is pretty much as per my signature.

Front axle with driver 1320kg
Front axle without driver 1280kg
Total with driver 2720kg
Total without driver 2660kg
Rear axle with driver 1400kg
Rear axle without driver 1360kg

The figures themselves don't even add up correctly which probably comes down to rounding or lack of accuracy at these weights.
Based on these figures with just me in the vehicle with no passengers or luggage we are 10kg off the front axle limit.

[nj swb]

I was interested about how accurate some bridges are so went and did some weights this afternoon. I have a feeling that the bridge (closed, but can read kg on illuminated sign) I went to only measures in 20kg increments. Each of the various weights I took were all factors of 20kg.
This was with our NS pajero with a full tank of fuel, basic recovery gear (ie snatch strap, 4 shackles etc) and just me the driver. Other list of accessories is pretty much as per my signature.

Front axle with driver 1320kg
Front axle without driver 1280kg
Total with driver 2720kg
Total without driver 2660kg
Rear axle with driver 1400kg
Rear axle without driver 1360kg

The figures themselves don't even add up correctly which probably comes down to rounding or lack of accuracy at these weights.
Based on these figures with just me in the vehicle with no passengers or luggage we are 10kg off the front axle limit.

So - do you weigh somewhere between 60 & 80 kg?

Ignoring the total weight figure (because it seems least likely to be accurate, unless you're a featherweight boxer or champion jockey) the driver's weight is distributed approximately equal across front and rear axles. I can accept that as being about right. A front seat passenger's weight will be distributed about the same, rear seat passengers will be mainly rear axle load.

Once you start adding weight behind the rear axle you will not only load up the rear axle, but help to unload the front axle. So depending on how you load your Paj for big trips, you may find your front axle load improves slightly as you load up the rear - but you can't (legally) add any more than 310 (ish) kg over what went on the weighbridge.

[arrow]

Those weights are not too far out as I read them:-

Front axle with driver 1320 + rear axle with driver 1400 = 2720 kg. Scales registered 2720 kg.
Front axle w/out driver 1280 + rear axle w/out driver 1360 = 2640 kg. Scales read 2660 kg.

So, a difference of only 20 kg overall which, as you say, could be because of the 20kg increments in the displays.

I would think the scales would have to be calibrated (I've seen trucks from time to time marked as such for that purpose and carrying known weight ballast on them) as they are used to prosecute errant truck drivers should they overload. Otherwise it’d be like not having a calibrated speed camera or breath test machine and get thrown out.

[Ian H]

So - do you weigh somewhere between 60 & 80 kg? .

All were done with me in the drivers seat.

[Alben]

I do weigh somewhere between 60 and 80kgs. The weighbridge that I went to is a Vicroads one on the highway just out of town so I am pretty certain it would be re calibrated as needed.
It does mean that adding a winch or even an extra battery under the bonnet (my 2nd battery is in third row seat well) would put me over. It could also be a reason to tell the wife that she cant sit in the front on long trips, but I'm not going to try that.
Cheers
Ben

[pharb]

I do weigh somewhere between 60 and 80kgs. The weighbridge that I went to is a Vicroads one on the highway just out of town so I am pretty certain it would be re calibrated as needed.
It does mean that adding a winch or even an extra battery under the bonnet (my 2nd battery is in third row seat well) would put me over. It could also be a reason to tell the wife that she cant sit in the front on long trips, but I'm not going to try that.
Cheers
Ben

Vicroads weighbridges are calibrated annually and most, maybe all, measure in 20kg increments.

[nvll.mrrs]

I have the Paj Sport 2.4. I had a Rexton 2.7 before that a 3.0 Surf. The Sport has more power [Bhp] than the other two and more torque but the biggest plus is the 8 speed as it has the first two ratios very low so towing 2.5tons is a breeze handling is great too. Sure it has soft suspension but it handled the load easier than I had hoped. When I tow heavy loads I use the 4x4 mode for better handling. A very comfortable ride and the most important thing to me are the brakes, all good. I am satisfied that Mitsi have got a strong vehicle here as they would not have backed it up with a 10yr warranty if it was a lemon. Don't know much about the utes though.