Asking for a friend

[Wearsafoxhat]

Has a 2012 S212, E350 d.
He is worried about towing his boat as has heard of transmission cooling problems with these ??
Is this a known problem.

His boat isn’t huge, 18 foot fishing boat, 180 mile journeys and no, he won’t be using his “pride and joy” on the slip way to get the boat in the water.

TIA..


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[V6Matty]

Does it have the factory fit tow bar?

 

[SL63 Mark]

From what I know about towing, it's all about towing weight. So the car will have a towing weight limit, probably something like 1,500 kg for a large car like the e class. The concern is more about the brakes, than the transmission. If you try braking with an overweight load, the car won't stop.

Now, one of the reasons we keep our Defender is that it can legally tow 3,500kg, but not many can do that.

I have no idea of the weight of an 18 foot fishing boat and trailer, but if it is within the recommended legal towing capacity of the Mercedes, you should be fine. It should be stamped on it somewhere, or find a weigh bridge.

 

[NJS5]

I suggest your friend does a search here.

NJSS

 

[EmilysDad]

there's a weight plate on all cars these days in & around the A or B post.
4 weights shown .....
max load for the car
max train weight
max load front axle,
max load rear axle,
this is mine for the ML

 

[EmilysDad]

... The concern is more about the brakes, than the transmission. If you try braking with an overweight load, the car won't stop.

....

Trailers over 750kg need their own brakes, so stopping it all shouldn't be a problem

 

[M80]

I've towed a 17 foot yacht at approx 770Kg, for about 230 miles.
and a 21 foot yacht at approx 1,100Kg, longest journey about 100 miles.
Both were hauled up v steep inclines.
They were both keel boats so more likely heavier.
It was with a 2.1 639 Vito, max trailer weight of 2 tonnes.
No issues towing, auto box handled with ease, I didn't perceive the ATF had suffered when I changed it, didn't smell burnt.

The engine'd fishing boat will also likely sit lower, so less of an issue centre of gravity wise, the 21 footer did rock some.
On an empty road I brake tested the 17 footer, prior to faster roads. I then found the flippin' trailer didn't have front stops so the yacht slid forward. It might've taken out my tailgate or worse, it didn't fortunately. We winched it back with a ratchet strap.

Of interest how does he intend to pull the boat and trailer off the water?

Another tip here is, if doing this in the water, when bringing the boat back onto the trailer be aware that the trailer is likely going to be on an incline due to the slipway, the front roller is likely invisible under the water, and the boat can be pushed rearward as it settles.
In a swell that can be dangerous.
If it is to be craned out then no issue, but costly.

 

[Wearsafoxhat]

Thank you all for your inputs..

To answer some questions..

He has a factory tow bar and the boat is within the towing weight as per plate on pillar.

He hopes to be able to con his other friend into trailering the boat up and down slipways for him.

He just has a notion that the gearbox needs extra cooling, though think someone has planted a £3k unnecessary worry.


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[Srdl]

I believe there is extra cooling factory fitted on some Mercedes models with factory tow bars so he can probably assume his is fine.

 

[M80]

I believe there is extra cooling factory fitted on some Mercedes models with factory tow bars so he can probably assume his is fine.

Would that be apparent in a VIN decode?

 

[EmilysDad]

If it's a factory towbar I'd expect any extra cooling would have been added in the factory. I'd have thought that it would only be a problem if not added when towing in hotter climates than the UK.

 

[SL63 Mark]

Trailers over 750kg need their own brakes, so stopping it all shouldn't be a problem

Absolutely not true. It's called momentum, regardless of whether the trailer is braked or unbraked, it will keep moving if overweight. Ask me how I know (downhill with too many logs in the Truck and on my Ifor Williams braked 2.7 tonne trailer). I think the seat is clean now.

 

[EmilysDad]

Absolutely not true. It's called momentum, regardless of whether the trailer is braked or unbraked, it will keep moving if overweight. Ask me how I know (downhill with too many logs in the Truck and on my Ifor Williams braked 2.7 tonne trailer). I think the seat is clean now.

well .... it is true, if the trailer is loaded correctly. As a braked trailer catches the tow car up, it compresses the trailer's hitch, which in turn actuates the trailer's brakes. Therefore .... stopping shouldn't be a problem

 

[V6Matty]

Thank you all for your inputs..

To answer some questions..

He has a factory tow bar and the boat is within the towing weight as per plate on pillar.

He hopes to be able to con his other friend into trailering the boat up and down slipways for him.

He just has a notion that the gearbox needs extra cooling, though think someone has planted a £3k unnecessary worry.


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The extra cooling rad for the gearbox would have been added at the factory as the tow bar was a factory fit option, so your friend will be fine.

 

[alcmackew]

I've just fitted a Redarc Tow Pro Elite V3 - totally electric and applies brake force to the trailer based on the pressure applied to the cars brake pedal. I tow a 1000kg caravan.

Worth fitting to avoid trailer wobble and wearing out your cars brakes...

Here a link ----> https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/asking-for-a-friend.195677/

As far as the car is concerned it does not detect the unit being fitted. A lot of cars have these fitted for much heavier applications also. Mainly 4WDs with 3500kg caravans!

 

[alcmackew]

Whoops I put the wrong link...

Heres the Redarc link REDARC TOW PRO ELITE V3