75 Kg. is the "stutzlast" or post load. This is the max weight that can be put on the ball. Your "anhangelast" or trailer load should be in the neighborhood of 1900 Kg. I got this from the factory install manual for a Westfalia brand Euro trailer hitch for a W123. The sedan, coupe and wagon all have the same hitch capacities, but the wagon hitch is a different part number.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Many Europeans go camping and pull a caravan or travel trailer. They all don't have pickups like many US families.

Oris, who is an OEM supplier of trailer hitches to MB now has a retractable ball system that electrically retracts the ball out of sight when it is not needed.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Maybe on wagon or SUV, but I just wouldn't stick one on a sedan. IMHO, they just look stupid and if I need to tow something I'm going to use a a different type of vehicle anyway. I doubt I would by a used one with a hitch installed, it would make me wonder what they car had been used for.

I ran a 1978 300D 4 spd. in the Netherlands when the car was new in 1978. It had a hitch that I used with a utility trailer for hauling whatever. When my choice was use the MB for towing or buy another vehicle the answer was easy. It towed beautifully. Remember that these cars are almost 4,000 lbs. I would think that this would be close to many of the small pickups out there.

My goal is to have the hitch and a highly convertible trailer that will allow me to haul everything from a car to sheetrock to furniture. I know it is not a 1 ton truck, but it will haul small loads without a problem.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Visit a European campground sometime. You will be astonished at the size of the caravans that are pulled by tiny cars. Europeans probably view a 240d as a powerhouse when it comes to camping.
Consider the fact that my 307d was a 22-23' class A motorhome powered by a 616NA and a 5 spd manual. I drove it all over the UK and France and had no trouble keeping up on the motorways. Nobody in their right mind would consider putting such a small engine in a motorhome in the USA but there are thousands all over Europe, some with trailer hitches on them.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

You got a 5 spd in yours too, as I remember.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I don't know Kerry, ... but the power/weight ratio of your 'Bird with 210hp and 32,000lbs is probably worse than the 307D was and an auto-trans to boot!

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I have a hitch on my 83 240D and pull a small trailer now and then. I never really saw any performance problems while towing, lots of torque and a right foot on the floor.

The man I bought the car from used to tow a 21ft Boston whaler a few times during the summer from his house to the water and said it was not a problem at all for him to keep up with traffic.



I would love to have a real euro hitch to pull larger stuff with, I saw one at the junk yard in Sweden but the price was high (100bucks) and it would have been hard to get back on the plane. The hitch was the simple on that bolts to the bumper mounts. The car was a 78 and did not have a box section where the bumper mounts on the car, unlike my 83 (could be a US crash add on) and a brace was added to the trunk to help with the load.

I have been thinking about making a hitch like this on http://www.mercedesw123.info/w-123/print.php?sid=57
but don;t have the time and not to much to pull at the moment.

It sure feels that way.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That's soooooo the truth.

With notorious efficiency, they're known to stake out all the best spots on the beach with their umbrellas and chairs, as early at 6:00AM!!! That syndrome is very well known to other european holidaymakers as "The Germans got there first".

I even saw an English cartoon in "Private Eye" that showed a beach with a sign that said "Beach Closed - due to toxic contaminants"

......With 2 downcast British campers looking on at it with one of them saying "OH noooo, the germs got there first".

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

For the time being...the swap project moved up a notch last night when my wagon puked it's old 4-speed.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Come on Randy, tell the truth. Have you been dumping metal shavings in that tranny to hurry up the project.......
My newest 240D came with a hitch, but it is not secured in a way where I would tow very much with it. It is connected to the bumper-holding struts, and drilled into the bumper on the bottom, so basically all the weight is on the bumper struts.
It sure is a clean looking setup, though, and gives me something to bang my shin on......

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

That's not the problem; finding the time to be w/o a car that can carry the dogs and pull a trailer is the problem. My pooches aren't fond of riding in the SDL.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

In the short time I visited Germany I noticed that many people had small utility trailers that were used in lieu of pickups to carry pretty much everything we haul here so alot of cars had hitches. Seemed very practical.

John

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John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

yes arent they all spoiled dogs
My parents have a his car a her car and until recently the dog car I use to say Ma you treat those dogs better then you treat your children until she said "SON those dogs never gave me any trouble" I was quiet after that
But i do remember dad's 62 MB he had a hitch on that back then no one owned pickup trucks to do everyday stuff

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commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)