Warning! Improper placement of luggage, as well as carrying too heavy loads on a car or towed trailer, can significantly impair the handling and braking properties of the vehicle / road train, which is fraught with an accident on the roads. Before driving, always carefully check that the vehicle and trailer are loaded correctly.
The models of cars considered in this Guide are, of course, primarily passenger cars and are designed to transport people and their luggage. However, with the obligatory observance of a number of general rules, which are listed below, Mitsubishi vehicles can also be successfully used for towing a trailer.
The total mass of the trailer, including its own mass and the mass of the cargo placed in it, must not exceed the maximum permissible mass of the towed trailer. The maximum permissible weight of the trailer depends on whether it is equipped with brakes or not.
The maximum vertical load on the towing device of the car with the total weight of the trailer should not exceed 50 kgf. For trailers with a gross weight of up to 500 kg, the following rule must be observed: the vertical load on the towbar must be approximately 10% of the gross weight of the trailer. For example, if the gross weight of the trailer with a load is 225 kg, the vertical load on the tow hitch should be about 22.5 kgf. Adjust the load on the towbar of the car, placing the load on the trailer appropriately. To begin with, it is recommended to place the load so that approximately 60% of its mass is in front of the trailer axle, and 40% behind. If the gross weight of the trailer exceeds 500 kg, try to distribute the load along the length of the trailer more evenly. Never load the trailer so that the rear of the trailer outweighs the front - this leads to unloading of the rear wheels of the car, which impairs tire grip on the road surface.
Gross vehicle and trailer weights must not exceed the respective maximum permissible values.
Note. Gross vehicle weight includes: the curb weight of the car, the weight of the driver, passengers and luggage, the weight of the tow hitch and the weight of the trailer falling on it. Remember that the weight of the additional equipment installed on the car and the weight of the trailer attributable to the towbar (when towing a trailer), reduce the payload capacity of the vehicle by the appropriate values.
The most reliable way to check that the vehicle and trailer are properly loaded is by weighing. Load the vehicle and trailer as they would normally be used in a road train and weigh them on the truck scales. Determine the values of the total masses of the car and trailer, as well as the masses attributable to the axles of the car and trailer. Compare the measurement results with the requirements of the Specifications.
Tow hitch
Attention! Installation of towing devices that do not correspond in size to the weight and size characteristics of the trailer, or incorrectly installed on the vehicle, can cause damage to the body elements of the vehicle.
The design of the hitch intended for installation on your car must fully meet all the necessary requirements - the illustrations and the table below give the main dimensional characteristics. If necessary, consult a Mitsubishi workshop.
The tow hitch must be attached at several specially provided points on the base of the car body so that the loads from the towed trailer are distributed more evenly and fall on the body reinforcement elements. It is forbidden to mount trailers on the vehicle that rely only on the rear bumper, which is not designed to carry such loads. The installation of the towbar must be carried out by qualified car service personnel.
The data in the table are given in mm.
| Size | Sedan | station wagon |
| 1 | 885 | 885 |
| 2 | 200 | 200 |
| 3 | 275 | 325 |
| 4 | 95 | 95.2 |
| 5 | 38.2 | 38.2 |
| 6 | 1160 | 1210 |
| 7 | 486 | 486 |
| 8 | 486 | 486 |
| 9 | 518 | 518 |
| 10 | 518 | 518 |
Rear view mirrors
Towing a large trailer (type "Caravan") usually requires the installation of additional rear-view mirrors with extended brackets on the car. Check local laws and Highway Code requirements for towing trailers by passenger cars. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and evaluate the degree of rear vision impairment through the standard rear view mirrors. If the visibility is poor, then for safety reasons it is necessary to equip special mirrors that provide the driver with an adequate view of the space behind the car.
Attaching a trailer to a vehicle
If you are going to purchase a trailer equipped with brake mechanisms, make sure that they have an electric control drive - the design of the hydraulic drive of the working brake system of your car does not provide for the possibility of connecting any additional circuits to it, in particular, to actuate the brake trailer mechanisms. Any method of connecting a trailer brake system to the hydraulic brake drive of a car, no matter how attractive it may seem, will lead to a deterioration in the braking efficiency of the car and a decrease in traffic safety.
When attaching a trailer to a vehicle, always use a safety chain. The ends of the safety chain must be securely fastened to the appropriate places on the trailer drawbar and on the vehicle hitch. Make sure the chain runs under the trailer tongue to prevent the front end of the tongue from falling onto the road if the hitch is disengaged. The free length of the chain must be sufficient so as not to interfere with the completion of turns of the road train with minimum radii, however, the chain should not be allowed to be dragged along the ground.
Outdoor lighting and signaling devices on a trailer
Since trailers of different brands may use different wiring, the towbar equipment should be entrusted to car service specialists. In some cases, it may be necessary to install a transition nozzle (adapter).
Before connecting the trailer's electrical equipment to the car's electrical system, be sure to consult a workshop.
Preparing to tow a trailer
Before starting the movement, a control inspection and check of the car and trailer should be carried out.
Measure the vertical load on the hitch - use a conventional floor scale.
Check the tightness of the trailer tongue and safety chain.
Check the condition of the tires and the air pressure in the tires on the car and trailer. Reduced air pressure in tires significantly impairs the handling of the car and road train. At the same time, check the condition and air pressure in the spare wheel.
After fully loading and hitching the trailer to the vehicle, check that there is no excessive "subsidence" the rear of the vehicle, - if necessary, the load in the vehicle/trailer.
Check that the exterior lighting and signaling devices on the vehicle and trailer are working properly.
Specify the current traffic rules for the maximum speed of the road train as part of a passenger car and trailer. If you are planning to travel to multiple countries, check in advance for local regulations and restrictions regarding towing a trailer with a passenger car, as each country may have different restrictions.
Note. In European countries, the speed limit for a road train consisting of a car and a trailer is set at 100 km/h.
Trailer Towing Safety Precautions
It should be borne in mind that the braking distance of a car towing a trailer increases. Therefore, when driving with a trailer, you should maintain an increased distance from the vehicle in front. Try to avoid sudden braking and turning. This can cause the trailer to fold over or even tip over.
Remember that the length of the road train significantly exceeds the length of a single vehicle. When turning right, leave a much larger distance between the edge of the carriageway and the wheels of the starboard side of the vehicle than usual to avoid hitting the curb with the wheels of the trailer. Please note that when the road train turns, the trailer moves in a smaller radius than the car and may run into or collide with an obstacle that the car has freely passed. When overtaking another vehicle, do not rush to return to your lane, as this may lead to a collision between the vehicle being overtaken and the trailer.
The road train, compared to a single vehicle, is more sensitive to the action of crosswind gusts and aerodynamic disturbances from other vehicles. If you are being overtaken by a heavy truck or train at high speed, try to keep your vehicle straight and steady. To reduce aerodynamic disturbances from the vehicle in front of the vehicle, slow down to get out of the turbulent flow.
When towing a trailer, the load on all the main units and systems of the car increases. Therefore, if the vehicle is frequently used to tow a trailer, it is necessary to carry out periodic maintenance of the vehicle in accordance with the regulations specific to harsh operating conditions (see chapter Settings and ongoing maintenance).
The additional load on the vehicle increases even more when the road train is operated in hilly terrain. When overcoming long climbs, carefully monitor the temperature of the engine on the arrow pointer on the dashboard. When the pointer arrow approaches the overheating zone, turn off the air conditioner (if equipped and enabled) and keep moving. If the engine coolant temperature does not decrease or continues to rise, stop by the side of the road and allow the engine to cool.
Note. The air conditioner should also be turned off when the speed increases rapidly downhill when driving in hilly or mountainous terrain. If the engine coolant temperature constantly rises when driving in second gear, reduce the speed below the 60 km/h mark.
When driving in hilly or mountainous terrain, the 3rd and 4th gears of the automatic transmission may cycle through. In this case, you should go to a lower range "D3", which will prevent overheating and excessive wear of parts of the AT friction elements. Use engine braking to prevent overheating of the brakes when driving on long descents. For effective engine braking, engage the low range or one of the lower gears of the automatic transmission.
When stopping the road train on the rise, do not hold it in place by pressing the gas pedal - this can lead to overheating of the AT. Use the service brake system, or the parking brake.
When operating an automatic transmission in manual mode, use third, second and first gears according to vehicle speed and road conditions. When towing a trailer, do not shift into fourth gear. The Specifications lists the recommended speed ranges for the use of various gear ratios.
When parking a road train for a long parking, especially on a descent or ascent, take all precautions for reliable braking of the car and trailer. Turn the front wheels of the car so that when the road train rolls, they rest against the curb. Apply the parking brake fully and move the range selector lever to the "R". On manual transmission equipped models, engage first or reverse gear. Place wheel chocks under both wheels of the trailer.
Driving a road train while reversing presents certain difficulties and requires special skills and training from the driver. Drive in reverse carefully and slowly, do not turn the steering wheel too fast. When maneuvering in reverse in tight spaces, it is helpful to have someone standing outside to watch the trailer and guide you. Please note that when turning the steering wheel clockwise (right) the trailer moves to the left and vice versa. When maneuvering the road train in reverse, it is recommended to hold on to the steering wheel rim from below (and not from above, as usual, when moving forward). With this grip, the usual correspondence between the direction of the steering wheel and the movement of the trailer is preserved: moving the hand to the left leads to the trailer turning to the left as well, and vice versa.