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Old 11-14-2010, 07:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scollins View Post
For my own towing needs, I figure it this way:
Driver - 250 lbs
Passengers (wife and 2 young kids plus boosters) - 300 lbs
Tongue weight - 500 lbs
Subtotal - 1,050 lbs.
Remaining payload - 240 lbs (workable.)

My trailer weighs in at 3,500 lbs max, but we are usually towing at 3,000 to 3,250 lbs. So I'm still well below the 4,386 lbs max towing with a fully loaded X5.

I haven't actually towed with it yet (don't even have the hitch installed), so we'll see how "reality" compares to my "theory."
I think you are being safe and conservative. You may not want 500 lbs tongue weight with a 3500 lb trailer, 350 minimum is a good target.

Unless you are referring to your trailer axle weight instead of your trailer weight, you don't need to subtract tongue weight. You calculate 300 + 240 = 540 lbs, 6000 - 540 = 5460, so you could tow 5460 and you are planning on towing 3250, which is lots of safety margin.
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