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  #16  
Old 04-02-2003, 02:10 PM
The Warden's Avatar
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Location: Pacifica (SF Bay Area), CA
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If you were over here on the Left Coast, I'd offer my truck as a safe tow base. As has been said, the 300D could probably do the job, but I wouldn't call it safe by any stretch of the imagination...

Just my $.02...

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  #17  
Old 04-02-2003, 02:30 PM
sixto's Avatar
smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
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Quote:
Originally posted by rwthomas1
You have to weigh more than what you're towing, trailer and load.

Hahahaha! Tell that to the guys hauling those monster 5th wheels. Some of those are approaching 15K which is TWICE the weight of the tow vehicle. I still don't think I would do it with a MB. RT
A Kenworth weighs much less than the two or three containers it pulls.

It's a reasonable rule of thumb for towing with a vehicle that's not designed to be a dedicated tow vehicle. The same 617/722 in a 308 chassis would be a different story even if the 308 was not a tow vehicle.

BTW, I borrowed by brother-in-law's fifth wheel V-10 Dodge Ram to tow a 450SEL on a trailer. Lemme tell you, there wasn't much difference in acceleration or stopping with or without the 450 on the trailer

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD
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  #18  
Old 04-02-2003, 04:01 PM
BoostnBenz's Avatar
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Quote:
You have to weigh more than what you're towing, trailer and load.
I was under the impression that was for braking only, most heavy duty trailers have their own braking systems. Pulling my 83 300D back from indianapolis my mom's chevy silverado (5.3L with 3.73) didn't have much of a problem. Unless stopping I really didn't feel it, the motor shifted more and wasn't nearly as responsive but all in all wasn't bad. The trailer itself weighs around 2k, then with the extra 3500#s on top of that, and we didn't have a brake box in the truck so it was only the truck's brakes too! Actually while on somewhat flat open stretches I even shut off the tow/haul feature.
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Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
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  #19  
Old 04-02-2003, 04:25 PM
sixto's Avatar
smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
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Quote:
Originally posted by BoostnBenz
... I even shut off the tow/haul feature.
I was in a rental Chevy van and it had a trailer button on the dash. What does it do? Since it was a rental, I pushed it. I didn't notice anything.

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD
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  #20  
Old 04-02-2003, 10:27 PM
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Mainly it keeps the transmission's shifting on edge, and keeps it in a lower gear longer. Normally the silverado went into last gear around 40-45?, with tow haul it stayed there until maybe 60 or so depending on how much throttle.
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Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k
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  #21  
Old 04-02-2003, 11:19 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Simpsonville, South Carolina
Posts: 77
Ruining your car is a minor inconvience as compared to loosing your life. I lost my brakes the other day towing about 12000 pounds with a 3/4 ton Suburban. THere is nothing like the feeling you will get as you try to stop a load that your vehicle was never designed to tow. If your intersted my rear axle seals broke and ruined the rear brakes, which put too much of a load on the front brakes.

Towing limits today are more limited by braking issues than transmission and engine concerns. You can cool anything with a big enough cooler. You can put down lots of torque with a big motor. You can even change the final drive ratio if your ambitious. The problem is the surface area of the brakes which is limited by wheel and rim geometry.

I tow a lot and would not consider towing with an old MB. I looked into the ML but was concerned about the short wheel base might have handling problems with a big load. Glad to hear it did well. Next time I will get the Duramax.

Have a good day

Paul
1999 E300D
92000
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  #22  
Old 04-03-2003, 09:37 AM
djoyce93
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Thanks for all the sobering advice! I've decided to do the smart thing and I'm flying down to Springfield and will drive the car home. I certainly appreciate all of you who expressed your opinions. Cheers!
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  #23  
Old 04-03-2003, 12:32 PM
narwhal
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Hmm, here is an odd question for you, how much does a horse weigh? [/B][/QUOTE]

most horses range from 900-1100 pounds--regular horse, to 2000+pounds for a clydesdale or draft horse (my experience only for you expert horesemen who are sure to reply).

when you are hauling an animal, the weight is complicated, because the weight shifts. i hauled a 900 pound boar in the back of a pickup with sides on it one time--scary because the pig just kept headbutting the cab and moving around, trying to get out. we had to slam on brakes several times to keep it down. ruined the truck bed.
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  #24  
Old 04-03-2003, 01:37 PM
sixto's Avatar
smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 20,841
Quote:
Originally posted by narwhal
when you are hauling an animal, the weight is complicated, because the weight shifts.
Must be like a half full liquid tank.

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

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