220CE (1993) Towing weights

[hedley]

Hi

I have a 1993 220CE 124 Coupe, and thinking of getting a caravan to tow (upgrading from our camping holidays).

I have been looking at all the caravan towing weight discussions on this forum, and the subject appears to provoke a lot of confusion.

So, I am trying to find out what I can tow.

In short, what do the weights below from my handbook really mean (all below), and which one is the important one of which I take my 85%, to give my max weight of caravan.

Or is the max caravan weight for this car specified somewhere (ie. not 85%rule)??

And how do I find my nose weight, as it talks about this in the caravan magazine?

Any information would be gratefully received. I am thinking perhaps the 2.2 (150bhp, torque 210Nm) may struggle whilst towing - has anyone had any experiences with a 4 pot in a W124?

In my handbook, my weights are:

Vehicle Weight 1390kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1890kg
Permissible Axle load (front) 930kg
Permissible Axle load (rear) 960kg

Permissible trailer load:
Trailer, unbraked 730kg
Trailer, braked 1890kg.

Permissible drawbar load on trailer coupling 75kg

Thanks
Hedley

 

[jimti]

the 85% is a recommendation only,(maximum legal is 100% I think) but is the Gross weight X 85%, it is better to work on the actual weight X 85% though.
to find the nose weight of a trailer, go up to your bathroom, get the scales and put them under the hitch on the trailer,(use a short stick between them) it always varies depending on how the trailer is loaded, but it MUST always be positive weight to prevent snaking. I find it better to be as close to 75kg as possible

My personal experience of towing was with a 190e 2.0 and it was not really up to the job IMHO.

others with a car like yours may be better qualified to say whether your car will be suitable for towing

 

[hedley]

Thanks for that. So, what is the actual weight (as opposed to gross)?

We are new to caravanning (haven't got one yet), so trying to keep hold my coupe rather than swap it for a caravan club Rover 75.

 

[Subyland]

Vehicle Weight 1390kg = unladen weight
Gross Vehicle Weight 1890kg = maximum vehicle weight when fully laden

Permissible trailer load:
Trailer, braked 1890kg. = maximum trailer weight

Permissible drawbar load on trailer coupling 75kg = maximum nose weight

To work the 85% you need to use the unladen weight, ie 1390*0.85= 1181kg.

Whilst your outfit will not be superfast performance should be adequate.

 

[hedley]

Thanks for your advice, sorry just one more question.....
so is my kerb weight the same as my unladen weight?

 

[Dieselman]

Thanks for your advice, sorry just one more question.....
so is my kerb weight the same as my unladen weight?

Effectively yes.

Kerb weight is the vehicle without any load but a full tank of fuel. Kerb weigh is actually the kerbside weight or the weight of teh vehicle when parked.

If you're going to tow invest in some new dampers and maybe spring assistors.

 

[BTB 500]

to find the nose weight of a trailer, go up to your bathroom, get the scales and put them under the hitch on the trailer,(use a short stick between them) it always varies depending on how the trailer is loaded, but it MUST always be positive weight to prevent snaking.

Er .. it must be positive to prevent the trailer falling over backwards when you un-hitch!

For caravans, IIRC the guideline is to load so that the noseweight is 7% of the total weight. So 75 kg would be pretty much spot on for an 1100 kg caravan. Nosewight too low and you'll get stability problems, too high and you'll get excessive sagging of the car's rear suspension (and on a newer car you'd void the warranty if anyone found out).

 

[Benzowner]

Hi Hedley, another Bristolian I see. The 85% guidline is infact 85% of the gross vehicle weight, so should be able to tow a caravan up to 1500kg, however, a 220 will be a bit lethargic with that much weight behind it. I tow a 1500kg van behind my E300TD with no problems. I have also towed a 1200kg behind a 1600cc Cavalier, the hills were a bit slow, especially Telegraph Hill on the A38 Good luck in your travels, for all sorts of caravan info, try www.caravan-forum.com

 

[BTB 500]

The 85% guidline is infact 85% of the gross vehicle weight

It's better to use the kerbweight as it's unlikely you will be towing with the car fully loaded to max. gross weight. Towing weights (which represent the ability to do a hill start on a specified gradient towing that amount of weight) also assume the car is nearly empty; the handbook will normally say that you must reduce trailer weight as you load the car up.

The other thing you need to double check is the "gross train weight" in the car's handbook ... that's the maximum total weight of car and caravan combined. Usually you're fine with an 85% match, but if the car is fully loaded then you may not be. You can be prosecuted if you exceed this (or the max. towing weight for your vehicle).

A few useful links:

http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/glossary.htm

http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/preparing/preparing.htm

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/features/caravanlaw.html

 

[Benzowner]

BTB500, you are correct, I read the wrong bit, it should be 85% 0f the kerbside weight.

More info see this

 

[BTB 500]

BTB500, you are correct, I read the wrong bit, it should be 85% 0f the kerbside weight.

More info see this

No problem, very useful link.

 

[bolide]

Towing

Bear in mind there's a fair amount of rubber in the rear suspension of a W124 and that when you've got a caravan on the back it'll tend to move the back of the car around quite a bit. This, in turn, makes the car steer from the rear and it can all feel a bit marginal. There's quite a lot of side area on a caravan - more than a trailer - so sidewinds will cause a fair amount of wandering too

I think I'd want to go through the rear end and make sure everything is 100% before towing and then not run a caravan that's too heavy or too big. Maybe add a towing damper as well

You'll get used to packing the van to get the best weight distribution when towing. Quite a small change in where the weight sits alters the nose weight and will change the handling characteristics of the combination

Probably the best W124 tow car would be an estate because of the self-levellling rear suspension. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Dieselman]

You'll get used to packing the van to get the best weight distribution when towing. Quite a small change in where the weight sits alters the nose weight and will change the handling characteristics of the combination

Not being a mobile roadblock user I don't know the answer to this but wouldn't packing the weight as close to the caravan axle line be a good idea. Wouldn't this reduce the centrifugal force acting on the 'van similarly to a mide engiend sports car?

Probably the best W124 tow car would be an estate because of the self-levellling rear suspension. But then I would say that, wouldn't I?

You are probably right here but it will be more to the superior damping charecteristics of the hydropnumatic suspension than the ride height.

 

[Subyland]

Careful loading is essential if you are to avoid handling problems. All heavy loads should be secured on the floor and placed as close to tha axle as possible. Adding weight to the rear because the nose is too heavy is looking for disaster.

The s124 would indeed be a better towcar than a C124, but the longer wheelbase of the estate will play a more important role in stability than the self levelling rear suspension.

 

[hedley]

That's all useful stuff. I need to have a look at these websites then.

Interesting you say a 124 estate would be better. I did almost persuade myself over the last few days that I needed an E320 estate (124) if we got a caravan, due to the rear suspension (do all the E Class estates have self levelling?), extra power, and more space, over my coupe.

But then I thought is it really worth getting a second 124, if the 220 coupe can pull it OK. I now have my doubts and wonder whether we really should get an estate, I don't want to be dangerously underpowered, or have the rear bumper dragging along the A10 through France

So, are detachable towbars worth getting. My specialist says you can't tow as much on them, but not sure of the limits compared to fixed bars.

Also, I understand I need two power outlets by the bar, one wired from the rear light clusters for the rear lights on the 'van, and one wired from the car battery to power the caravan battey and all its electrical appliances. This sounds sensible. Should I be doing anything special in this department??

 

[Subyland]

For the tow bar get it from a reputable manufacturer, or even from MB (will be expensive). Detachable tow bar should not have a lower limit but barely the possibility of removing the towball without any tools.
Check before you buy the type of bar you're getting. Some designs are not recommended if you caravan is fitted with an Al-Ko stab head.

For the electrics you need a twin socket system, one black and one grey. Black is for the road light and grey is the supply for the fridge, battery charger etc...Hella make very good twin relay kit. Get one and you'll avoid having a flat battery.

 

[hedley]

Haven't got the caravan yet, so not sure what tow assembly will be (a stab head what!!).

Spoke to my specialist, he's got an MB bar for £75 brand new which seems quite good, and the fitting and electrics are on top, so I'm estimating about £300??

 

[bolide]

W124 estates

A few amendments & corrections here:

* all W124 estates have self-levelling suspension, at least in the UK
* wheelbase of the estate is the same as the saloon at 2800mm
* estate overall length is greater than the saloon by 10mm at 4765mm
* IIRC max towing load for 280/320/300 Diesel is 2100Kg
* max load of a T-Model estate is around 600 Kg

Diesel estates are pretty good for towing. Torque and power figures for the E300 Diesel are very similar to the E220 - same torque, slightly less power for the E300 Diesel. Estates will carry pretty enormous loads and it's better to carry heavy stuff in the car, and between the axles, than in the boot behind the axle line or hung out behind the car on trailer/caravan. That's one option you don't really have in a coupe unless you load up the back seats

The Oris brand Mercedes-fit bars have removeable goosenecks - you just turn the catch and pull it out. They also don't have the horrible ground-clearance-reducing longitudinal bar under the rear silencer like Witter bars do so I recommend the Oris over aftermarket bars. Factory bars came with a European 13-pin socket which requires an adaptor for use in the UK - but don't leave the adaptor on the car as someone will steal it. Many have probably now been converted to UK spec with twin sockets

In my experience a W124 estate tows well up to a certain weight and feels a bit sketchy thereafter. A damper may well help here. I can tow a BMW 2002 on a light (~500 Kg) alloy Brenderup trailer with no problems. But load a W124 estate on the back and it's a whole new ballgame

I'd put a good bar on the coupe and test drive a few caravans. With a smallish (lightish) van I'm sure you'll be fine

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Benzowner]

Hedley, get yourself off to one of the local caravan dealers and talk to them or just have a look round at some vans. The newer models will come complete with an Alko tow hitch which is a combined stabiliser usually red in colour with a big lever can't mistake it. The older vans will come with a standard hitch, galvanised steel, which you will need an additional stabiliser. On the A frame of the caravan will be a bracket with a plastic channel section fixed to it. This is where a Bulldog blade tyrp stabiliser fits and is attached to your car tow bar.
Now it can get a little complicated, if you go for the detachable towbar, it will be a "swankneck" towbar and will need a different type of stabiliser bracket if you go for the blade type. If you get a caravan with the Alko type stabiliser, you will not need any extra bits. The electrics as mentioned before by others. I have a 13pin socket on my car and an adapter lead, no problems with it. Good luck with you van.

Geoff

 

[Subyland]

A few amendments & corrections here:
* wheelbase of the estate is the same as the saloon at 2800mm

Correct but as our friend has a coupé it does have a smaller wheelbase @2715mm

The one thing that lets the E300D down compare to the E220 is it gearing which is higher and does not allow for the diesel to make the most of its torque, despite being available at much lower revs. But the estate get a lower ration final drive compared to the saloon.