Prado door opening

Hi Johno,

I can't help with a measurement, but with Kimberley Kampers it's the hand brake that the door will hit. I've heard that some people shorten the handle, to allow the door clearance and then use a steel tube to operate the brake.

Someone on a previous post suggested that Kimberley had a modification that changed the position of the handbrake.

With the number of vehicles that have side opening rear doors, I would think other manufacturers would be able to help with this as well.

Graeme

Had a similar problem with my Coota Camper. Made up a new plate to move the handbrake back about 120mm. Now only hits if the vehicle is turned to the right, straight ahead no problems.

Hi. I have a 90 series Prado. But my experience may apply to you. There are various tongue heights and lengths, even tho they are all 50mm square tube in the towbar. When I raised the Prado suspension (a 50mm lift), I had to lower the tongue to keep the van level, and, guess what, that gave me more clearance between the trailer drawbar and the door of the Prado!! In my case it was handbrake and even the actual hitch if the locking mechanism was 'up' not 'down'. Even the jockey wheel can get in the way.
So beware of simple answers to your question!! there are many variables, and it's a bugger when you can''t get into the back of the Prado for the block you want to put under the jockey wheel to lift the trailer clear!! Been there, done that!!

VERY LONG

Hi Johno,
I have a Prado and a Challenge off road camper. I have hydraulic brakes, so the break mechanism sticks up above the swing line of the door opening. The door passes over the brake cylinder, but can't get past the "brake handle". This means I can only access the left drawer in the Prado. If I had electric brakes, I would have enough room to get the right draw half open (as the prado door would then hit the stone guard.

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I've just altered the Pioneer camper we have for just that reason, damn nuisance having to jack knife the vehicle to get into the fridge.
Luckily I'd ordered our camper with an extra frame in to take a dinghy outboard but have never bothered (I've already got a boat I never use!) so I took it out and moved everything back by about 35 cms.
Only finished it yesterday and the Prado door now clears the winch for the hard floor by about 5cms.
I've just measured the distance between the centre pin of the Treg hitch and the winch which is the first thing it would hit, and it's approx. 78cms.
Cheers.
Johno.

Geez, its so easy with a lift up tailgate !!!!!

But as you've seen, so many variables.....what sort of trailer ?? Can it be ordered with a longer drawbar ?? ( I know KK do a drawbar extension )

Will it have brakes ?? What sort ??

As you have seen here, the stoneguard doesn't seem as important as the brake lever etc ....

We have a Goldstream wind-up with a Treg and the Prado's door goes over that fine (don't even think the hand brake get's in the way but I could be wrong) but the door hits the gas bottles unless I jack-knife it a little. If I had a stone guard it would be the 1st thing it would hit. At one stage I had thought of getting a longer hitch tongue (or changing the 9kg gas bottles to 4.5ers) but it really hasn't bothered us. I have to un-hitch the car to put the bed ends out (technically possible to leave hitched but we like to level camper front-to-rear as well) so I can then get at the fridge in the back of the car. If we have the camper on and want to open the fridge, having the door at it widest we can still get in and access the fridge.

Cheers, Nige

Hi Johno
I have a 120 prado & jayco outback camper. door swings open OK, does not hit brake handle or anything else.
cheers Tom

Gday Johno

I had an '03 Pajero when I bought an Outback Camper (WA version). One of the questions I was asked was the type of vehicle being used, when I mentioned Pajero, 'long draw bar' was written on the order.

Hopefully, manufacturers should be able to assist in allowing easy access to the rear of the tow vehicle. If they don't offer, make sure you asik.

Cheers

Ray

I have an NT Pajero and tow a Avan Cruiseliner, I can only open the door far enough to fit my arm in. I will be changing the coupling to on of Vehicle Component's DO 35 www.vehicle components.com.au/content/contentDetails.asp?ContentID=652 This should allow plenty of clearance.