My previous car was a Pajero towing a hard floor camper. The hitch was a Treg Hitch. I paid $150-250 for a spare wheel lift kit from Dealer. This raises the tyre and we could fully open the rear door and get access to car fridge in rear.
Thanks Neil, We are considering upgrading to a Pajero and I was aware of spare wheel issue with the standard hitch but it will be easy enough to switch the hitch over. Rod.
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Rod.
Ah! The serenity
Tug - Mitsubishi Challenger, Van - Starcraft Outback Poptop..
I am probably the original cheapskate, and refused to pay over $100 for a simple piece of metal to raise the spare wheel on my Pajero. I simply cut the D handle off my caravan coupling. I then welded a pair of steel strips on the offcut piece, and drilled and tapped the stub which remained on the coupling. Two bolts and the whole handle now swings down and does not intefere with the rear door of the Pajero. Of course, if I ever tow another caravan, I will have problems, but that is not likely at this stage, and should I ever buy another van, I will do the same again.
-- Edited by erad on Tuesday 22nd of December 2015 03:24:23 PM
Thanks Neil and Erad. The Pajero has been around for a long time and for towing caravans and boats would be a very big part of their market, you would think by now Mitsubishi would have altered their rear door design to solve this issue. Rod.
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Rod.
Ah! The serenity
Tug - Mitsubishi Challenger, Van - Starcraft Outback Poptop..
I had the spare wheel lifted when we ordered it, have no trouble with the boat trailer or the car trailer... the caravan needed more attention. I fitted the alko off road coupling, gotta be careful to keep all your fingers with it. We have a new van and I have to go thru it all again. I would go one of the McHitch options or follow erad's path.
In most cases with the Pajero and the Prado, I think you will find it is the bottom of the door and not so much the spare.
With my previous van I also cut off the D and replaced it with a fold down one. My new van having the tow hitch under the A frame gives me sufficient clearance
for the door to open. Just need to remove the WDHs.
I notice the older models had the spare off centre and I think they should still do that for the obvious reason.
The position of the spare wheel plays a part in the ancap safty rating. The pajero has a rating 5. If the spare wheel is moved this rating drops. Mitsubishi is probably more interested in advertising the pajero as a rating 5 passenger vehicle. I'd think there would be a lot more sold as school pick ups than tow vehicles.
Cheers Pete
The position of the spare wheel plays a part in the ancap safty rating. The pajero has a rating 5. If the spare wheel is moved this rating drops. Mitsubishi is probably more interested in advertising the pajero as a rating 5 passenger vehicle. I'd think there would be a lot more sold as school pick ups than tow vehicles. Cheers Pete
Interesting Peter.
Aussie Paul.
-- Edited by aussie_paul on Thursday 24th of December 2015 08:32:09 PM
The position of the spare wheel plays a part in the ancap safty rating. The pajero has a rating 5. If the spare wheel is moved this rating drops. Mitsubishi is probably more interested in advertising the pajero as a rating 5 passenger vehicle. I'd think there would be a lot more sold as school pick ups than tow vehicles. Cheers Pete
Not the from what I've seen in a lot of caravan parks I've been to.
How does it effect the ANCAP ratings Pete? All the tests are done on the front aren't they?
That is correct. I should have said to re position the spare wheel "could" affect the ANCAP rating.
A local Mitsubishi dealer who sells a lot into the rural community won't re position the spare wheel on a new vehicle (prior to sale).
He claims the vehicle was tested with the spare in its original position. To re position the spare & still sell it with a rating, it would have to be retested.
He will re position the spare after sale at the owners request.
All technicalities. There appears to be a difference between fitting approved accessorizes & modifying the vehicle.
