towing an airstream bambi - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

chiwanga · #1 10-21-2006, 12:12 AM

I am thinking about buying an airstream bami, which ways about 2000 LBS. Could or better yet, should I tow this with a w123 turbo diesel? if so what mods should I make to the car, besides installing a good hitch?

Jeremy5848 · #2 10-21-2006, 12:19 AM

The Bambi weighs more than the limits established by Mercedes for towing. I recommend a "teardrop" style trailer; in aluminum they are light (about 1000 pounds) and would look good behind a W123. Another possibility (for light weight, not for looks) would be a tent trailer.

One of many web sites:

http://www.aerotear.com/

Jeremy

Kynetx · #3 10-21-2006, 12:39 AM

I'm going to be building a teardrop over the winter. If that's a route you're interested in, PM me and I'll give you a ton of links.

Jeremy5848 · #4 10-21-2006, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kynetx

I'm going to be building a teardrop over the winter. If that's a route you're interested in, PM me and I'll give you a ton of links.

We will be very interested in hearing how the 300D does as a tow vehicle for your teardrop.

300SDog · #5 10-21-2006, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

The Bambi weighs more than the limits established by Mercedes for towing.

But not too heavy for DOT regs that recommend a trailer no heavier then 2/3 the weight of the car. Hell, I'd pull an Airstream Bambi behind my 4-spd 240D without hesitation. Wouldnt be the first time I've defied MB recommendations.

Things to consider for the turbo would be more frequent tranny fluid changes, supplimental tranny fluid cooler (if possible) and maybe HD shocks for the rear end. Is the car a wagon or sedan? The hydraulic load leveler on the wagon would make it an excellent towing vehicle for a full ton trailer rig.

At motor vehicle department of your state you can pick up DOT Truckers Manuals that cover towing weight regs, also providing tips on driving while under load. Go for it, says me.

t walgamuth · #6 10-21-2006, 08:16 AM

a tranny cooler and tranny temp guage would be essential if going over the recommended tow weights. otherwise i dont see why you couldnt. a leveling hitch might be a good idea too. do they really only weigh 2000? seems a bit light to me.

i towed a 13' trailer in europe with my 220b (1961) back in 73. it was a stick though. also the trailer was a featherweight, typical of euro trailers. probably didnt go over 1500#. it had mechanical surge brakes and a lever on the hitch so that after you picked up the hitch (which was no problem) and maneuvered the trailer around you could yank the brake lever and hold it wherever it was. the brake lever had notches next to it to hold it in place, you just pushed the lever over onto them to grab it. it was a slick little device. the front and rear windows in the trailer were positioned to see through it in the inside rear view mirror. the trailer was low slung and had fully independant suspension. it was perfectly balanced and you could corner aggressively with it. i remember well rompiing through heavy traffic in Paris with it. it didnt slow me down much except in the matter of the extra length.

good luck

tom w

tom w

Jim B. · #7 10-21-2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240Dog

But not too heavy for DOT regs that recommend a trailer no heavier then 2/3 the weight of the car. Hell, I'd pull an Airstream Bambi behind my 4-spd 240D without hesitation. Wouldnt be the first time I've defied MB recommendations.

You know these cars a LOT better than I do, but heck, thef W123 240D only has 67 HP, right?

Add a 2000lb trailer to that and your top speed won't be faster than a Galapagos tortoise

biopete · #8 10-21-2006, 08:44 AM

I installed a tranny temp gauge before towing my pop up trailer. It was 1400 lbs. I had a 1981 300D NA with two weak cylinders. The car went slower but did fine and did about 60 on highway with it. A good turbo diesel has no problems with 2000 lbs. My friend has my old beater SD he uses as a work car. He tows 3500 lbs all the time.

The temp gauge told me an extra tranny oil cooler was unecessary. The temp never got near the red and hardly ever in the yellow and on average even on long trips it ran at coolant temp. In fact, the tranny heated up more driving 80 without a trailer than it did driving 60 with it. I'm no transmission expert but I do trust a B & M gauge if it says my fluid is cool enough.

Theres a thread somewhere . Search on "transmission temperature gauge" or "transmission cooler".

hth

t walgamuth · #9 10-21-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biopete

I installed a tranny temp gauge before towing my pop up trailer. It was 1400 lbs. I had a 1981 300D NA with two weak cylinders. The car went slower but did fine and did about 60 on highway with it. A good turbo diesel has no problems with 2000 lbs. My friend has my old beater SD he uses as a work car. He tows 3500 lbs all the time.

The temp gauge told me an extra tranny oil cooler was unecessary. The temp never got near the red and hardly ever in the yellow and on average even on long trips it ran at coolant temp. In fact, the tranny heated up more driving 80 without a trailer than it did driving 60 with it. I'm no transmission expert but I do trust a B & M gauge if it says my fluid is cool enough.

Theres a thread somewhere . Search on "transmission temperature gauge" or "transmission cooler".

hth

here is some excellent personal testamony. but remember a bambi will have a lot more frontal area than the pop up so the temps will be considerbaly more.

tom w

JimmyL · #10 10-21-2006, 09:32 AM

R Leo has towed more 3500lb parts cars behind his wagon than any of us could imagine. You might search "tow" with him as the poster to see what his experience is.
Also, having had RV's, you always cram them full of stuff, and add quite a bit of poundage to just what the trailer weighs...........

t walgamuth · #11 10-21-2006, 10:26 AM

the weight matters on takeoff and stopping, and on a long hill or mountain. for steady flat land towing the frontal area is what matters most in relationship to damaging the tranny. being able to stop in an emergency matters a whole lot too.

i have driven many times with too much weight for the brakes i have available to stop my rig and i can tell you it is a very uncomfortable feeling. you have to maintain a very large distance to the cars ahead and you can never never relax.

so with a bambi be sure to fix up the brakes on the trailer to work too.

tom w

300SDog · #12 10-21-2006, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

......heck, the W123 240D only has 67 HP, right?

Add a 2000lb trailer to that and your top speed won't be faster than a Galapagos tortoise

Engine horsepower has nothing to do with safe towing capacity. Its all about ballanceing weight of the vehicle and trailer. What you dont want is a trailer heavier then the car that will push it off a cliff, say downhill on the California grape vine. But yeah I'd probly be dropping into 2nd gear for climbing mountains at about 30mph. Had to hit 3rd a couple of times climbing mountains at 50 on my last cross country trip with no trailer at all.

What I caint figure out is how folks consider these to be "fragile" automobiles. These damned diesels are tough as nails, high low-end torque that can probly pull a house.

#13 10-21-2006, 01:48 PM

I have a '62 Bambi, and I know it weighs more than a 300D, around 3700 lbs., with water ans gas in the tanks. That alone makes it unsafe.

For safe towing you will need a 2 inch Reese type hitch, with sway control bars rated for the trailer and tow vehicle. Failiure to do so can cause an accident due to the trailer swaying left and right out of control. Don't believe me? Ask my dad, who in the early '70s learned the hard way towing another Bambi himself, without the sway control bars. They help distribute the weight of the trailer further forward along the frame of the tow vehicle.

You can do further investigations here: http://www.inlandrv.com/

Hatterasguy · #14 10-21-2006, 07:26 PM

Towing with under powered vehicals is a pita. Towed my friends boat last year which probably weighs 4k or so with the trailer. Used his Chevy 2500 with that new 6.2 they stick in them, lots of torque.

No problem, cruised 70 without an issue. Those new trucks tow nice, stop nice too since they put discs all around now. The trailer surge brakes are pretty crappy, if he towed it all the time I think having the electric brakes hooked up to the trucks would be worth it.

I say tow it with a nice truck or SUV, then you won't be stuck in the slow lane.

Nothing beats a V8 or turbo diesel when you have to pull up a steep grade.

Sbean · #15 10-22-2006, 10:40 PM

Keeping plenty of distance from the car ahead is a great policy and works fine until something unpredictable happens. Then comes the uncomfortable feeling ... Steve