Long Distance Driving & Towing
4WDs (and Pajeros in particular) have been designed to be long distance tourers, with comfortable seats, all-round vision and ergonomic interiors. But it’s not a one-way street – you must play your part to ensure that you and the vehicle arrive at your destination safely, as planned.
Fatigue
We’ve all been guilty of ambitious itineraries, but driving long periods without a break is never a good idea. Take heed of the Government’s advice to ‘stop, revive, survive’ every two hours .When fatigue sets in, the result is a lack of concentration and all its inherent dangers.
There are a few things you can do to help avoid the onset of fatigue. Without taking your eyes off the road for prolonged periods of time, look away to take in the scenery of the country you’re travelling through. Staring fixedly at the road ahead induces White Line Torpor, as mesmeric and trance-inducing as any world class hypnotist.
TIP: Regularly stop the vehicle, get out and look at things. There’s little point in touring if you don’t see everything on offer. If you’re travelling with kids, involve yourself in the games you should encourage to minimise their boredom – I Spy or making words out of the letters on other cars’ number plates, for example.
Towing
If you’re towing a van or camper trailer, the necessity to be mentally alert is even more crucial, simply because there are more things that can go wrong. The possibility of disasters like jack-knifing is far more likely when instead of predicting what might occur, you’re reacting to events at the last minute, as you do when you’re tired.
Pajeros are superbly equipped as a tow vehicle. The 09 Pajero 3.8 litre petrol engine develops a magnificent 329Nm of torque (torque is what you need to get the vehicle/van combo rolling from rest), while the diesel has a stump-pulling 441Nm. Both manual and automatic diesel Pajero LWB models are capable of towing three tonnes. Even with this impressive pulling power, remember that it will take you longer to reach desired speed than normal.
TIP: In manual vehicles, you will need to hold them in gear longer than you would when driving unencumbered.
Before the trip
Before you set off, there are a few checks that need to be done. First, make sure both the vehicle and van are in A1 mechanical condition. You’ll undoubtedly need to fit a load distribution hitch; this spreads the load across the rear of the tow vehicle and prevents the whole assembly sagging in the middle – something to be avoided at all costs as it raises the front of the vehicle, interfering with steering and braking efficiency. It also puts strain on the vehicle’s rear suspension components, possibly shortening useful life. Both the vehicle and van should be level.
TIP: How you pack the caravan is also extremely important. Heavy items should be stowed in the rear to avoid strain on the A-frame and again, cause sagging. Other objects should be packed with the weight spread as evenly as possible.
On the road
First up, don’t drive too close behind other vehicles – you have a lot of weight and mass to pull up if you have to brake. Approaching hills, accelerate to increase speed slightly.
TIP: When descending hills, engage a lower gear than you would when driving normally (even in an automatic) and avoid any sudden braking. When overtaking, allow a much greater time than you customarily would. This is to compensate for reduced acceleration and the greater length of the vehicle/van combo. And, before you overtake, use your side mirrors to ensure that you have enough time to move into the overtaking lane without compromising or endangering any following vehicles in that lane already.
A final tip: Every day, make sure you check your tyre pressures, particularly on the van. These should be run near the tyre manufacturer’s maximum inflation.
Have a great, safe trip