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Old     (16igordon)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-10-2013, 5:48 PM Reply   
My parents 2011 MB ml350 4matic is rated for towing 4600lbs...so the 247 rx (4000lb dry w/o trailer) is a good amount over this. But, would it be okay to tow the wakesetter very short distances (less than a half mile at a time, from the lakehouse to the water, vise versa)? I'm assuming it would be able to do this, because it is very flat ground and such short distances, and if needed we could make sure the boat is just about dry when moving it around. I just want to make sure this wouldn't hurt the car. What do you guys think?
Old     (shawndoggy)      Join Date: Nov 2009       11-10-2013, 6:08 PM Reply   
Flat ground and half a mile... I'd go for it.
Old     (cassidyb)      Join Date: Feb 2012       11-10-2013, 6:45 PM Reply   
id be more concerned with the tongue weight rating rather than overall weight. i have no idea if MB uses a unibody or solid frame in that vehicle, im always skeptical of hitches that are mounted to a unibody rather than solid frame.... other than that it shouldnt be a problem with that short of a distance.
Old     (16igordon)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-11-2013, 3:47 AM Reply   
That was also my main concern. I also just remembered that last year our neighbor had a guy take his mercedes ml350 to oregon and tow a 23' supra (3500lb dry weight) 3,000 miles and it did it no problem. So, i'm assuming that adding 500lb to that and only towing it a short distance would be no problem. I also believe there was some fuel and gear in the boat during his trip.
Old     (wakebrdr94)      Join Date: Jul 2010       11-11-2013, 3:56 AM Reply   
Just remember the weight adds up quick. Another 1200lbs for trailer, fuel, gear, passengers, how steep is your ramp? You don't want to be the guy that launches then gets stuck on the ramp. Also, unless you that lake is the only place you go, you are really putting a limitation on destinations, unless you have friends with something else that can tow your boat, but do you really want to depend on others for that?
Old     (16igordon)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-11-2013, 4:29 AM Reply   
The ramp is not steep, however, it is a natural launch (you just back right into the lake). The only two time the boat would be towed is to put it in the water once, and then it will stay in the boat lift and the marina comes and picks it up and drops it off yearly.
Old     (machloosy)      Join Date: Mar 2013       11-11-2013, 4:38 AM Reply   
The ML350 should be AWD so it won't be a major issue getting stuck and they are stout vehicles. My experience is that you are good
Old     (nailem)      Join Date: Apr 2011       11-11-2013, 4:42 AM Reply   
i would go for it. I always figure there is a 10% safety margin factored into ratings. so add 10% to your 4600 and your at 5060. you are still probable going to be over weight and the 10% rule is just some made up BS to make me feel better about over doing it.
Old     (surffresh)      Join Date: Jun 2010       11-11-2013, 4:51 AM Reply   
I had a Canadian guy come down to the Carolina's to pick up a boat (3900 plus trailer) with a Benz ML350, he had problems from the rear suspension sagging and ended up hiring a uship somewhere about half way. I don't think you will have issues at such a short distance but it's possible.
Old     (16igordon)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-11-2013, 4:59 AM Reply   
Good to know, l think it will be fine due to the fact that we will have the car completely empty besides someone in the drivers seat. Does anyone know roughly how much tongue weight the 247rx on a trailer would have? I think it would be comparable if not less than the vehicle loaded with 5 adults and full cargo (which we have done several times before).
Old     (16igordon)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-11-2013, 5:09 AM Reply   
Another thing...we would get the hitch online and then install it ourselves, because instead of the $550 plus labor, which ended up being over a thousand; we could get one for $200 or less. We probably wouldn’t even install a wiring harness, because we would never be towing it on a road...and if so, it would be once for only a few miles...much cheaper to risk a ticket than installing the expensive harness. But, my point, is that I can only find hitches that work for 3500lbs...does anyone know where I could get one that can actually hold the vehicle towing capacity?
Old     (wakebrdr94)      Join Date: Jul 2010       11-11-2013, 5:48 AM Reply   
Not to sound like a d bag, but you have a nice car, nice boat, why are you going to half ass a hitch install? Usually cheaper spending more upfront and doing it right, vs cheap now, then go back and spend more to do it right. Shop around, I'm sure you have some place near you that can do it for less than you $1k quote.
Old     (axxxiswake)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-11-2013, 5:50 AM Reply   
You can't borrow a neighbor's truck, assuming you're only towing 2x a year?
Old     (Brett_B)      Join Date: Sep 2010       11-11-2013, 6:08 AM Reply   
The dry weight numbers really don't mean anything, you need to research what the boat actually weighs lake-ready on the trailer. That 247 on the trailer probably weighs 6500-7000 lbs when full of fuel. My VLX, which is 3 feet shorter and holds 30 gallons less fuel, was 6000lbs on the trailer when I weighed it. I would not "just go for it" even for a short distance. Towing something a few hundred pounds over the rating is one thing, but you are 2000lbs+ over the rated towing capacity.
Old     (16igordon)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-11-2013, 6:30 AM Reply   
After some more research I found that the towing capacity is actually 7200lb...i've been looking at the capacity for the ml350 without awd (4matic), but just realized that the awd dramatically increased the towing capacity, and our is the 4matic. So now the question is whether or not to get a hitch and wireing harness (probably done correctly, through MB instead of aftermarket) instead of getting the 247 delivered and instead towing it from MD to NY.
Old     (nailem)      Join Date: Apr 2011       11-11-2013, 9:27 AM Reply   
depending on your brake system you will need to hook up 12v to the surge brakes or lock them out
Old     (nailem)      Join Date: Apr 2011       11-11-2013, 9:29 AM Reply   
i bet the wireing is plug and play
Old     (cassidyb)      Join Date: Feb 2012       11-11-2013, 12:35 PM Reply   
^^ what they said. if you dont hook up a harness you will have to manually lock the sleeve in the tongue to keep the brakes from locking up when reversing. IMO its a huge pain in the ass, on my trailer at least it doesnt always work and the brakes still lock up, much easier to just plug in the harness.
most new cars are pre wired for a harness, there is very likely a plug somewhere in your trunk area, if so all you need to do is get the right harness, plug it in and run it to the hitch.
if youre finding hitches with 3500lb ratings you might be looking at class II hitches, look at class III hitches (2''x2'' receiver).
Old     (jmvotto)      Join Date: Apr 2008       11-11-2013, 7:38 PM Reply   
Ian, which marina are you using that will come and get your inboard?

I put mine on a trailer twice a year and haul it 90 miles at the beg and end of season.
Old     (16igordon)      Join Date: Jun 2013       11-12-2013, 8:42 AM Reply   
They do not come to my house and get the boat, sorry for the confusion. We have to drive it over to the marina (east bluff harbor marina on keuka lake) in the water, and then they take the boat out of the water for us and put it on our trailer and store it. However, our neighbor's boat is being picked up by seagar's marine (on canadaigua lake) and they are bringing it from their house to the marina....about 40mins away.
Old     (pprior)      Join Date: Jan 2012       11-12-2013, 10:40 AM Reply   
half mile, heck you could probably pull it with a prius that far.
Old     (machloosy)      Join Date: Mar 2013       11-13-2013, 5:21 AM Reply   
Do the hitch right. I commented earlier that the ML is fine, and it is, but towing DOUBLE what a class II hitch is rated for, is quite literally begging for problems. If you're balking at the $1K, go by a beater half ton truck with a hitch on it for the same money and use it 2x/yr for the boat.
Old     (jmvotto)      Join Date: Apr 2008       11-15-2013, 8:26 PM Reply   
Ian, thanks.

I knew Seager did that but was not sure east bluff stored and winterized inboards.

Look forward to seeing you out there next season.


Jv

Last edited by jmvotto; 11-15-2013 at 8:28 PM. Reason: Typo
Old     (Tommy1005)      Join Date: May 2013       11-19-2013, 6:10 PM Reply   
Don't do the hitch yourself. They charge that amount of cash because you have to completely remove the bumper to bolt the hitch in, then trim the bumper around the hitch to get it back on. If it were my $50,000 truck I wouldn't waste my time, much easier just to pay the dealership.

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