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Had cause to stop and assist some people in their rented Pajero. They were on the Bandya Road heading for Mulga Queen community out of Laverton. They'd blown a rear tyre (stock Bridgestone). They had no idea where any of the jacking equipment was nor how to get the spare off the back.
I look inside. Fold open the floor panel, lift the third row seat and there's the bright orange jack and jack handle. Without worrying about looking for the wheel brace I grab my 12 volt impact driver and wooden base plate. Crawl onto the wet and dusty gravel, place the jack and crank up the rear end. Using the driver, off comes the flat tyre.
Now to get the spare. What ABSOLUTE CRAZY TWIT designed that STUPID rear cover? You have to pull two little covers from the inner door, undo two long bolts (12v driver was handy here). This then allows the cover to swing away from the outside of the door so you can then remove the 3 special nuts holding the spare tyre in place.
Put the spare onto the axle, drop the jack, put everything back into place. All the time it's piddling down and all the gear in the back of the car gets soaked because you have to have the door open for so long while you remove and replace the spare wheel. Then, when you bolt the flat tyre in place, it rattles like crazy because it's been designed to rely on the inflated tyre to get the proper nut tightness.
What a piece of shite. Total time to change = 35 minutes. 20km down the road I come across another group in a bog stock 09 GX Prado with a flat tyre (skinny Grandtreks). Tyre changed by me in 12 minutes flat.
Common theme with both cars was people in unfamiliar vehicles driving on unfamiliar roads. Pajero tyres were at 55 psi and Prado were at 50. Replacement tyres sourced at Laverton came to $750 for the two.
I look inside. Fold open the floor panel, lift the third row seat and there's the bright orange jack and jack handle. Without worrying about looking for the wheel brace I grab my 12 volt impact driver and wooden base plate. Crawl onto the wet and dusty gravel, place the jack and crank up the rear end. Using the driver, off comes the flat tyre.
Now to get the spare. What ABSOLUTE CRAZY TWIT designed that STUPID rear cover? You have to pull two little covers from the inner door, undo two long bolts (12v driver was handy here). This then allows the cover to swing away from the outside of the door so you can then remove the 3 special nuts holding the spare tyre in place.
Put the spare onto the axle, drop the jack, put everything back into place. All the time it's piddling down and all the gear in the back of the car gets soaked because you have to have the door open for so long while you remove and replace the spare wheel. Then, when you bolt the flat tyre in place, it rattles like crazy because it's been designed to rely on the inflated tyre to get the proper nut tightness.
What a piece of shite. Total time to change = 35 minutes. 20km down the road I come across another group in a bog stock 09 GX Prado with a flat tyre (skinny Grandtreks). Tyre changed by me in 12 minutes flat.
Common theme with both cars was people in unfamiliar vehicles driving on unfamiliar roads. Pajero tyres were at 55 psi and Prado were at 50. Replacement tyres sourced at Laverton came to $750 for the two.
Matty80
Some people would simply refer them to the manual and keep driving. Good work for lending a hand!
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