NP Pajero weight, bull bars and all that sort of stuff

[mal&glo]

Hi, still not happy

Hands up all those with a NP DiD 3.2 Pajero and have weighed it. (NM probably much the same)

I did a few days ago - 3 TIMES - 2 different weighbridges, 1 a registered one, the other a newer unregistered one but much more acurate - the results still the same. This was all in preparation to try and comply with road rules for my upcoming caravaning holiday after hearing reports of road traffic authorities starting to vigorously enforce them.

According to these weights, I cannot legally drive my now pretty much stock GXL Pajero with my wife as passenger because the front axle mass is 1225kg, 25kg over the maximum front axle mass specified in the owners manual, therefore unroadworthy, therefore uninsured, therefore I don't really know what anymore.

With the steel bull bar & driving lights, the front axle mass with no driver or passenger was 1195kg - 5kg under max. With driver, 1250kg, 50kg over max. with wife, front axle mass was estimated to be 1285kg - 85kg over max. - bull bar now removed and plastic std. bumper?? refitted.

The driver, me, is no lightweight 115kg, wife about 68kg, but I was't told 2 1/2 years ago when I purchased the new vehicle that there were any weight restrictions to legally drive it or I would have to lose about 50kg to do so. (pretty much exactly 1/2 the driver and passenger weight goes to the front axle) Only a small percentage of middle seat pasengers weight ends up on the front axle, but they still add to it.

It appears as though Mitsubishi use a standard person weight of 68kg in their calculations for the specification tables with virtually no tolerance for any variance of a person's weight over that.

At the moment, a very helpfull and sympathetic Mitsubishi dealer's service manager is following this up for me and hopefully Mitsubishi will see the error of their ways and suitably revise the spec.s, but I think this may all be wishfull thinking unless some others also lobby Mitsubishi to correct this poor situation.

It gets very difficult when towing a caravan to comply with vehicle mass limits with a 235kg ball weight when restricted by such unrealistic starting points.

Anyone with a higher spec.ed GLS or Exceed must be in real trouble weight wise because the Exceed's base kerb mass is 80kg more than my GXL, most of that 80kg of trinkets etc. must be on the front axle.

Pity help any one with a 50kg steel winch bar still fitted, let alone 40kg winches and additinal batteries all of which have their total mass added to the front axle or worse - to caculate extra mass of bar & winch, muliply by about 1.25 - 2nd battery is near enough over front axle. GXL with no-one in it with steel winch bar and winch would have a calculated front axle mass of around 1245kg.

How did Mitsubishi get around this for the Police Pack Pajero as seen in the eastern states? A couple of burly coppers, radio equipment, policing aids & trinkets must have seen a front axle mass approaching 150-200kg over the Mitsubishi front axle maximum. There used to be a photo of a police Pajero with steel winch bar & winch on the web somewhere - does anyone know where to find it now or if anyone has it, how about posting it in a reply.

By the way, I don't for a second believe Mitsubishi is any orphan in this regard - any new suggestions? in addition to the ones in the old forum thread "NP weighbridge weights - not good"

Mal

[obione_98]

Mate - I believe you are being excessively scrupulous - and relying on dodgy information. It is highly unlikely that a major manufacturer would release a vehicle onto Australian roads which was effectively not fit legally to drive on those roads as normally driven!

I look forward to seeing the outcry which shall surely arise - if the thrust of your post is accurate!!

[mal&glo]

Hi obione_98

Then either 2 public weighbridges or the spec's in the owner's manual must be wrong!

I don't think 85kg over weight on the front axle is being "excessively scrupulous" when I had steel bull bar on and only my wife and I in the front of the vehicle.

The chances of getting pulled over and weighed by RTA when towing are getting quite high when towing due to high non compliance with towing vehicle tow ratings, towed vehicle weights, brakes etc.

Not too worried when not towing, should be from insurance angle, but then it's pretty standard looking at the moment and noboby would suspect or believe it's inherant problems as you just demonstated in your reply - but I intend to push this issue until something is done about it.

If you own one of these vehicles, please weigh it to confirm for yourself and if you find it over spec. contact Mitsubishi too!

Mal

[marquis]

Is it per axle or per axle the weight limit?

ie. 1200kg (odd) per wheel/axle or ...

In the mean time:
Bright side of life

[6G74]

Are you retired?

Also wouldnt having the weight of the caravan hanging over the back axle slightly decrease the weight over the front?

[olderperson]

Mal, If I understand what you are saying correctly the front axle weight of your NP is 1225 minus half of the human load which in your case is 90kg so that the front end weight when empty is 1135kg. If this is true then when my wife and I are sitting in the front we are just 1kg from the maximum axle load of 1200. .
If I can find a weighbridge nearby I will weigh mine just to satisfy myself.

[mal&glo]

Yes, olderperson,

That is what I have found with my DiD auto and have a weighbridge docket, front axle 1135kg empty - petrol engine vehicle GLX tare is 55kg lighter by my Owner's Manual, so will probably be okay until a steel bullbar is fitted, but I am expecting that an Exceed DiD auto with a tare of 80kg more that a GLX, more than half of which I believe will be on the front axle will probably be over weight with only a heavy driver, (90kg or so) and no passenger.

Please weigh you vehicle with a full fuel tank to confirm if at all concerned and post your results.

I am still waiting for a reply from Mitsubishi.

Mal

P.S. Just looking at the NS spec.s - I wonder if they really are 130kg heavier for like models, or have Mitsubishi realized that they had a problem with the similar previous model and fixed the situation up!

[Pathy]

according to the np sales brochure "maximum front axle load all models is 1200kgs", "Maximum rear axle load all models is 1650kgs"
ns sales brochure "Maximum front axle load 3.8l 1300kgs, for 3.2d 1330kgs"
"maximum rear axle load all models 1600kgs"
go figure

[sinbad]

There is lots of ways to take the front axle weight, If you are driving the paj onto the weighbridge and only putting your front wheels on make sure that your rear wheels are on the flat and level approve before the bridge.
Also weighbridges have a reverification tolarance of upto 1.5 divs under 500 divs which in the low end will and can give you 30Kg allowed error as the bridge will be by 20kg increments. Some bridges could be by 50kg increments.

Other thing to check is you do not have your back jacked up and brakes Must be off or you can transfer load to your front axle.

What size bridge are you using as there is a minumium loading on the Manufactures plate of so many divs.

If you really want to check your front axle you really need to get the vehicle onto 4 wheel pads that are acurate, a weighbridge as a split weighing device is not accurate enough for what you are doing.

I'm not into getting a blasting for this posting, but i think somebody has given you some wrong info. finding 25kg over max weight and using a weighbridge will not be getting a accurate enough reading.

[Monterorider]

The whole brouhaha about front axle weight is blown out of proportion. I've described it here: http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/...?p=859#post859
It's only importance is when determining safe load range for tires. Since rear axle is far more loaded and we run same tires for and aft. Front axle weight is pretty much irrelevant.

[vinceb]

Does this mean that all the police pajeros are not legal?

[mal&glo]

Does this mean that all the police pajeros are not legal?

Yes, I am pretty sure that's what it means, ask Mitsubishi? - still trying to get an answer on this whole deal from Mitsubishi - my case in the hands of engineering, I am being told when I ring Customer Relatons, I have been ringing at least once a week since getting back from holidays.

See this thead too, has Mitsubishi contact details - http://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/...read.php?t=586

Please help and give xxxx my case manager at Mitsubishi Customer Relations a call expressing your concern ((1300131211 or 1300130099) - only a local call charge I assume, 20c or so.

Thanks
Mal

[cutting it]

Geeish... just load the caravan and go on holiday's... i'll be dam'd when i get in this older age group and worry about things like this.

Chill Bill

[mal&glo]

Hi
Just a quick update

Vehicle was been weighed by Mitsubishi Area Serive Manager 04/10/07 and comfirmed the information I had previously presented to MMAL. This was requested by engineering in Japan being an imported vehicle. Last response to a follow up email I sent after the latest weighing correspondence was 09/10/07 as below.

"Receipt is acknowledged of your email dated 8th October, 2007. Please accept our sincere apologies for the delay in our response. MMAL are endeavouring to have a response for you by the end of this week."
i.e. Friday 12/10/07

Well that didn't happen, so will send off another email shortly querying lack of response and follow up with a phone call tomorrow - Friday.

Mal

[Monterorider]

Just contact you local police and tell them they should arrest every Pajero driver with car equipped with bull bars Same goes for pretty much any other make and model of 4bys
They also need to make sure driver and front passenger are in good shape (weight < 150 kg)