Towing question, have read all the threads

[frayed]

naw, wasn't me with the enclosed trailer. . . I ended up going open as I just didn't want to deal wiht the tying down the track car in a tight enclosed trailer. good luck though

[tetice]

Originally Posted by frayed

naw, wasn't me with the enclosed trailer. . . I ended up going open as I just didn't want to deal wiht the tying down the track car in a tight enclosed trailer. good luck though

Oops, sorry that was surgeondress who had the enclosed trailer.

Tom Tice
'93 325iS SE36 #110
'98 M3/4
'02 X5 4.4

[TowX]

I've been considering an enclosed car hauler too, but there's no way to get under 6000 lbs. A 24' trailer will be close to 3000, my 911 track car is 2500, plus all the tools, spares etc adds another 500+.

Right now I tow the 911 on a 950 lb all aluminum full deck open trailer and with tires on the tire rack and the tongue box full of tools etc, it weighs in at 4300 with 500 on the tongue. Pulls extremely well at all speeds but even though I've got the 4.4, there are grades in the Va, WV mountains where I'm donw to 4th gear to maintain 60. Can't imagine adding another ton of weight back there. I'd really like to go enclosed but just don't think there's enough of a safety margin. Towed my old 26' enclosed tagalong with my previous Suburban and it was much better with the 454 and the longer wheel base.

The good news is that I just completed a 1900 mile round trip from Chicago to VIR this past weekend and the X5 performed flawlessly. Even in the WV mountains where I hit heavy snow and 15 degree temps. Averaged 11.5 mpg with speeds ranging from 30 in the snow to 75-ish on the dry flat roads of KY and IN. Did 13 hours straight with only a 15 minute stop for fuel every 225 miles. Got home tired but that's from 3 days on the track, not the drive.

[tetice]

Originally Posted by TowX

I've been considering an enclosed car hauler too, but there's no way to get under 6000 lbs. A 24' trailer will be close to 3000, my 911 track car is 2500, plus all the tools, spares etc adds another 500+.

Right now I tow the 911 on a 950 lb all aluminum full deck open trailer and with tires on the tire rack and the tongue box full of tools etc, it weighs in at 4300 with 500 on the tongue. Pulls extremely well at all speeds but even though I've got the 4.4, there are grades in the Va, WV mountains where I'm donw to 4th gear to maintain 60. Can't imagine adding another ton of weight back there. I'd really like to go enclosed but just don't think there's enough of a safety margin. Towed my old 26' enclosed tagalong with my previous Suburban and it was much better with the 454 and the longer wheel base.

The good news is that I just completed a 1900 mile round trip from Chicago to VIR this past weekend and the X5 performed flawlessly. Even in the WV mountains where I hit heavy snow and 15 degree temps. Averaged 11.5 mpg with speeds ranging from 30 in the snow to 75-ish on the dry flat roads of KY and IN. Did 13 hours straight with only a 15 minute stop for fuel every 225 miles. Got home tired but that's from 3 days on the track, not the drive.

Your setup sounds very similar to mine. I have a custom built steel open trailer that weighs in at just under 1000 lbs. I estimate my total trailer load to be around 4500 lbs. Earlier this year I also pulled through the mountains of WV on the way to Mid Ohio and was somewhat impressed that I could maintain 60 through there but I have no experience towing with anything else. The X5 handles this load with ease and I'm afraid I will be disappointed with a different setup.

Nonetheless, I am about to take the plunge and give the enclosed trailer a try. Featherlite has a $1350 rebate on enclosed car haulers through the end of the year. I'm looking at the 20 foot model 4926 which weighs in at 2900 lbs. and found some dealers offering good deals. The car should fit fine and if I can show some constraint with misc. cargo I won't be too much over 6000 lbs. We'll see how the X5 does. Several others have indicated they are towing well over the 6000lb rating.

Tom
'93 325iS SE36 #110
'98 M3/4
'02 X5 4.4 Sport

[bbh03]

Hey Tom,

It'll be nice to see another SpecE36 guy towing with an X5. All those guys in the paddock with duallys keep giving me the eye.

Brian
SE36 #206

[TowX]

Originally Posted by tetice

Your setup sounds very similar to mine. I have a custom built steel open trailer that weighs in at just under 1000 lbs. I estimate my total trailer load to be around 4500 lbs. Earlier this year I also pulled through the mountains of WV on the way to Mid Ohio and was somewhat impressed that I could maintain 60 through there but I have no experience towing with anything else. The X5 handles this load with ease and I'm afraid I will be disappointed with a different setup.

Nonetheless, I am about to take the plunge and give the enclosed trailer a try. Featherlite has a $1350 rebate on enclosed car haulers through the end of the year. I'm looking at the 20 foot model 4926 which weighs in at 2900 lbs. and found some dealers offering good deals. The car should fit fine and if I can show some constraint with misc. cargo I won't be too much over 6000 lbs. We'll see how the X5 does. Several others have indicated they are towing well over the 6000lb rating.

Tom
'93 325iS SE36 #110
'98 M3/4
'02 X5 4.4 Sport

I think your challenge with the enclosed trailer will be wind resistance more than weight. I hooked my sister's 24' Haulmark behind my X5 with their 993 Supercup car in it to see what it would do. On flat ground with no headwind it would be fine, but at 65+, the wind resistance of the flat face of the trailer was like a giant parachute back there. And when I hit a headwind, I was down to 4th gear at 65 just to maintain speed.

I notice the same thing if I have the tire rack loaded with 8 wheels and tires. The entire set of tires is exposed to the air. And standing in front of the X5 and looking back, even the open trailer is so much bigger than the hole the X5 punches through the wind. If I tow with no tires up there, it's amazing how much better I can pull at speed.

Where do you live that you come through WV to MidOhio? I get to MidO twice a year, and to VIR at least twice each season. It's a very long tow (13+ hours from Chicago) but VIR is worth it, and the comfort of the X5 with Bluetooth and Sirius makes it easy. As long as I don't hit snow coming up I-77 like I did last month coming back. No fun towing when the interstate is just two tire tracks in one lane in the snow.

[tetice]

Originally Posted by TowX

I think your challenge with the enclosed trailer will be wind resistance more than weight. I hooked my sister's 24' Haulmark behind my X5 with their 993 Supercup car in it to see what it would do. On flat ground with no headwind it would be fine, but at 65+, the wind resistance of the flat face of the trailer was like a giant parachute back there. And when I hit a headwind, I was down to 4th gear at 65 just to maintain speed.

I notice the same thing if I have the tire rack loaded with 8 wheels and tires. The entire set of tires is exposed to the air. And standing in front of the X5 and looking back, even the open trailer is so much bigger than the hole the X5 punches through the wind. If I tow with no tires up there, it's amazing how much better I can pull at speed.

Where do you live that you come through WV to MidOhio? I get to MidO twice a year, and to VIR at least twice each season. It's a very long tow (13+ hours from Chicago) but VIR is worth it, and the comfort of the X5 with Bluetooth and Sirius makes it easy. As long as I don't hit snow coming up I-77 like I did last month coming back. No fun towing when the interstate is just two tire tracks in one lane in the snow.

I expect you are right about the wind resistance... and I am about to find out as I just bought the trailer. This particular trailer should give me the best possible chance with the X5. I got a 20 foot Cargo Pro which is all aluminum, only weights 2500 lbs, has a V nose and a slope nose. I bought it used from a guy in Florida and towed it home yesterday about 350 miles. Granted it was empty but the wind resistance is still there regardless. I rented a Ford E150 cargo van to pull it home with which was an interesting test. The van had a 4.6 liter 255 HP V8 motor. Even with no trailer, it couldn't hold its speed going up hills in overdrive. Pulling the trailer, I disabled the O/D and was able to pull 75 mph on flat ground and maintain 65 up some decent hills (not quite the mountains of WV though). Anyway, the X5 has a much higher performing engine than this van so I am hopeful it will be okay. I expect 4 gear will certainly be required on hills.

I live in Greensboro, NC so the road to Mid-Ohio takes me through the mountains of both Virginia and WV. My tow to VIR takes me all of 60 minutes .

My next step is to install the brake controller. I haven't done that yet since my open trailer has surge/hydraulic brakes (which by the way are a great option to avoid the hassle of installing an electric brake controller).

I'll report back results after some initial tests. I may do a test even before getting the controller installed.

Tom
'93 325iS SE36 #110
'02 X5/4.4 sport
'98 M3/4


PS BTW, the van cost me all of $55 to rent with unlimited miles and I drove it for 700 - not so sure about that business model??? For $55 I saved a lot of wear and tear on the X5. With the trailer loaded I will need a brake controller so that will not be an option in the future nor would I want it to as that has to be the loudest street vehicle I have ever been in.

[tetice]

Originally Posted by bbh03

Hey Tom,

It'll be nice to see another SpecE36 guy towing with an X5. All those guys in the paddock with duallys keep giving me the eye.

Brian
SE36 #206

Hi Brian,

Were you at Mid-Ohio back in May. I thought I saw another X5 there towing an enclosed trailer. I wanted to talk to that person but have not been able to find out who it was.

There are actually two of us here in North Carolina. Mark Fishero from Charlotte tows with a 4.6 and tows an aluminum Trailex trailer.

Hope to see you at some races this year.

Tom

[bbh03]

Hi Tom,

Yes, that was me - black X5, red v-nose trailer. I think we actually might have met - you have the blue cage in the red car, right? - I remember the plinth setup of your cage. I'll definitely be at the NJ races this year and possibly MO, VIR or Summit Point depending on how finances look. Were you at Oktoberfest?

Brian

[TowX]

Originally Posted by tetice

........

I live in Greensboro, NC so the road to Mid-Ohio takes me through the mountains of both Virginia and WV. My tow to VIR takes me all of 60 minutes .

My next step is to install the brake controller. I haven't done that yet since my open trailer has surge/hydraulic brakes (which by the way are a great option to avoid the hassle of installing an electric brake controller).

.........

Tom
'93 325iS SE36 #110
'02 X5/4.4 sport
'98 M3/4
.

Tom- first let me say that you're a bum for being that close to such a great track. I'm jealous. I have to tow 1800 miles to run at VIR, and MidO is still 6 hours for me. I miss the days when I lived in CT and was 80 miles from LimeRock, then when I lived in upstate NY and was 2 hours from the Glen. Lived in DC area for 9 years and had Summit Point 70 miles away but that track will never be in the same league unless Bill Scott spends some $$ and paves it the right way.

Sounds like a great trailer you got. I like the idea of the V-nose and the slope top too. With all that wind cutting, it could end up less resistant to head winds than my open trailer with all the tires, mountain bike, and car disturbing the wind.

Sounds like you'll need a Weight Distributing Hitch now. I tow my trailer with about 600lb on the tongue dead weight and it works perfectly even through that stretch of I-77 from I-81 to Charleston WV. that's the worst part of my drive to VIR. Down to 4th in a number of places especially if I get slowed down by traffic in the left lane.

I run a Prodigy brake controller. Works great. I picked up the brake trigger from the light control unit in the right front passenger's footwell. There's a couple of writeups here that describe it. But on my '04, the pin I needed was in a different location from the articles. I mounted my circuit breaker in the engine compartment right next to the positive terminal on the firewall. Ran a 10awg wire to the rear to the brake box. For me the hardest part was deciding where to mount the Prodigy. I have it just above my right knee at the moment since I like the idea of being able to access the trailer brake trigger if I need it.

I may need to get your advice on the best way to VIR for me. First time I went down 77 to rte 58 across to Martinsville and Danville. That 2 lane road is horrible for towing. So in November I just went further south, through your home town, and back up 29 to Danville. Added about 40 miles to my drive but was so much easier. Is there a better way?

BTW- this last trip, my sisters, bil's and I rented a villa at the track. What a great setup. Easily sleeps 6. Had a grill, and we brought steaks and chicken, had about 20 people over Sat night and had a great time. VIR is such a great setup. Ever do DE's there? I instruct for PCA, Audi Club and Track Daze there. And if you want some extra MidO track time, the Potomac PCA region has May 8-10 there, and will be allowing non-Porsches to attend the DE. Great way to get the season moving.

Ed