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#1
10-26-2003, 05:03 PM
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Towing with ML 320
I know the limit is 5000 lbs. and I've towed small boats and small trailers with combined weight of trailer and load of up to 2500 lbs without any trouble, but with decreased fuel economy.
My question is has anyone towed a trailer with a combined weight of trailer and load of at least 4500 lbs ? I want to tow a trailer loaded with a car and I'm wondering how stable the ML feels at highway speeds doing this. Has anyone had any experience with this? 
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#2
10-29-2003, 12:56 PM
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Ron, I tow a 4500lb boat and trailer a few times a year. The truck handles better towing than either the Grand Cherokee or full sized Bronco I owned previously. The 320 doesn't have the same grunt as the V8s but is fine if you stay in 4th (keeps the trans frint hunting back and forth from 4-5). I downshift early to 3rd or 2nd going up hills and seldom get bogged down that way. I get 24 on the highway with no load, 18 with the 1200lb double axle trailer and drop to 12 with the boat and trailer together. The truck clearly isn't made to do this on a regualr basis, but keep the heavy hauls within reason and you should be fine.
__________________
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
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#3
10-30-2003, 07:03 PM
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Lewis,
Thanks for the reply. Does you boat trailer have surge brakes or electric with the controller? I would prefer the electric and I've heard that the ML may have the wiring run up under the front dash for the controller. Do you know anything about that? I was thinking I'd be better with the electric brakes so I could adjust them. I'd be towing an aluminum Featherlite 3110, about 21 ft. long, 17 1/2 of which is the bed of the trailer. It weights about 1300 lbs. The car I'd be towing weighs 3100 lbs. so figuring the additional gear that would accompany the car I'd probably be at about 4700 lbs.
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#4
10-30-2003, 11:44 PM
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Re: Towing with ML 320
Quote:
It was very stable at speeds up to 90 mph. To make matters more challenging my car is rear-engined so a great deal of the towed weight was at the very back of the trailer. No "tail wagging the dog" or other instability experienced.
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#6
10-31-2003, 08:44 AM
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Ron,
I have surge brakes on my boat trailer on the front axle. The 320 handled it even when they weren't working (blew a line) but stopping was a little longer. The wiring is there, I want to say the factory plug and harness are a 10 pin setup, so electric brakes should be doable fairly easily. They likely dead-end under the dash somewhere, Gilly may know for sure.
__________________
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
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#7
10-31-2003, 12:28 PM
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Quote:
 I'm sure the guys on the Rennlist DE/Racing board have some good trailer recommendations.
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#8
10-31-2003, 02:54 PM
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Lewis,
I'll need to take a look under the front dash and behind the raidio to see what I can find. ThatPeteGuy, Actually I've posted on the Rennlist Racing and DE board about the difference between leaf springs and torsion bar suspension trailer. I've also got a thread on the Rennlist 993 Board about towing with the ML too and between this Forum and Rennlist I've got a lot of good information.
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