2011 Interstate Towing capacity

[UAPachyderm]

Avenue aside, do you think we'll ever see the Interstate tow rated for 7,000 pounds?

For 2011 the Interstate is built exclusively on the Mercedes-Benz 3500 Series Sprinter chassis and features a more powerful engine producing 188 hp and 325 lb.- ft. of torque up from 154 hp/280 ft. – lbs. of torque. Why didn't tow capacity increase as well (still 5000#)??

[lewster]

Originally Posted by UAPachyderm

Avenue aside, do you think we'll ever see the Interstate tow rated for 7,000 pounds?

For 2011 the Interstate is built exclusively on the Mercedes-Benz 3500 Series Sprinter chassis and features a more powerful engine producing 188 hp and 325 lb.- ft. of torque up from 154 hp/280 ft. – lbs. of torque. Why didn't tow capacity increase as well (still 5000#)??

The tranny won't handle the excess load! I have a new 2011 Sprinter that just replaced my '04 which had engine failure at 160,000. And YES! it was extremely well cared for and maintained!

It is still the same unit that MB has been using in the Sprinters since 2002. I had mine go out at 115,000 on my '04 Sprinter after towing a 19CCD for 4 seasons cross country. No warning....it just burnt up.

If you intend to do any towing with a new Sprinter, I strongly suggest that you add a secondary tranny cooler from The Sprinter Store at: Sprinter Store. And be sure to use a good weight distributing hitch as well. I use rear air bags, but Firestone was asked by MB to stop selling the Sprinter airbag kit since several folks did not read the directions and overloaded the Sprinters (these were Winnebago View models) and had accidents directly attributed to overloading the chassis.

Hope this helps!

[UAPachyderm]

Thanks Lewster. We love the Interstate and would love to have one as a TV but we're not giving up the family nostalgia and memories of our 28' CCD. At 7000+ lbs, I don't think there is any way to make the current Interstate work.

Where do you spend summers ... stay in central/south Florida or do you migrate north?

[pattonsr]

The 2011 Mercedes sprinter is rated for 750/7500. Late model 2011 Airstream Interstates are now rated for 7500 lb. from 5000 lb.

[UAPachyderm]

Originally Posted by pattonsr

The 2011 Mercedes sprinter is rated for 750/7500. Late model 2011 Airstream Interstates are now rated for 7500 lb. from 5000 lb.

I read 5000 lbs ... http://www.airstream.com/products/20...ate/index.html

[lewster]

Originally Posted by UAPachyderm

Thanks Lewster. We love the Interstate and would love to have one as a TV but we're not giving up the family nostalgia and memories of our 28' CCD. At 7000+ lbs, I don't think there is any way to make the current Interstate work.

Where do you spend summers ... stay in central/south Florida or do you migrate north?

Summers are either on the road working at rallies or getting a little R & R in Hood River. Winters (Nov.-May) are in SW Florida....Naples area.

[wayneskid]

Originally Posted by pattonsr

The 2011 Mercedes sprinter is rated for 750/7500. Late model 2011 Airstream Interstates are now rated for 7500 lb. from 5000 lb.

Is there some confusion between the Sprinter Model Year and the Interstate MY? They are likely different due to shipping & AS build delay. In any case, on the MB website it see that the 2011 Sprinter Cargo 3500 170" has the same GVWR as my 2008; which is 11030 #. And I don't see anywhere on the Airstream site where it shows an increase in trailer towing rating.

[Coloradobus]

Our local hitch installer/trailer towing dealer told us that our 2010 Seated Sprinter has a "dead weight" towing cap of 500 hitch/5000lb dead pulling weight. With a load leveling equalizing hitch like on many other vehicles, the rating goes up.
For ex. 2011 Nissan Xterra, dead weight towing is 5000lbs. With Load leveling bars and hitch, 6000lbs.
2007-11 Jeep Unlimited 4dr towing cap 3500lbs, w/loadleveling hitch 4000lb.
2010 Sprinter with loadleveling bars/hitch 7500lbs.
Lampert Hitch in Denver told us this information.

[SmokelessJoe]

HowStuffWorks "Is it possible to increase the towing capacity of a truck?"

[UAPachyderm]

Colorado, that is an interesting glimmer of hope that they say you can increase the Sprinter tow capacity by 50% ... but SmokelessJoe's link really rings in my ear ... "Exceeding your towing capacity is a dangerous gamble because it reduces your braking and steering control. Push the limit too far, and you could end up calling a tow truck to take away your totaled car and trailer."

[Coloradobus]

While I do see Smokeless Joe's point, his link doesn't take into consdieration supplemental trailer braking. Lampert Hitch in Denver, 303-433-8746 is the foremost towing/hitch expert/business here eeven above Camping World.. Papa Lambert was a longtime member of the Denver Unit.
Our 2010 Sprinter seating van did just as well towing the 26 ft Overlander Around the World trailer home 1500 as would our past tow vehicle, 2004 duramax. The Sprinter did better in miles per gallon than the duramax with simiilar weighted trailer.

[xrvr]

2011 Interstates could still be built on 2010 or even 2009 Sprinter bases. The year of the AS is the year the conversion was done. jim

[gmillerok1]

It did. My 2011 Airstream Interstate is rated 750/7500 lbs. They beefed up the frame and hitch is my understanding.

Gerald

Originally Posted by UAPachyderm

Avenue aside, do you think we'll ever see the Interstate tow rated for 7,000 pounds?

For 2011 the Interstate is built exclusively on the Mercedes-Benz 3500 Series Sprinter chassis and features a more powerful engine producing 188 hp and 325 lb.- ft. of torque up from 154 hp/280 ft. – lbs. of torque. Why didn't tow capacity increase as well (still 5000#)??

[lewster]

Originally Posted by gmilleroik1

It did. My 2011 Airstream Interstate is rated 750/7500 lbs. They beefed up the frame and hitch is my understanding.

Gerald

The one thing that they didn't do is BEEF UP THE TRANSMISSION! It is the same across the entire Sprinter line and in speaking to the head of Mercedes service here in Naples, he said that he considers the tranny the weak point of the entire vehicle!!!

I still wouldn't tow 7500 lbs with it after I lost mine towing just over 4000!!!!

[gmillerok1]

You may have a point. When I bought mine, the dealer told me the tow capacity had been increased on the 2011 models to 7500lbs, and this was reflected in the documents and on the MB Sprinter USA site as well.

Now, everything says 5000lbs again. Something definity has changed, so I guess MB must agree with you.

I won't be towing more than 3500 lbs, and even then only once or twice a year, so it really doesn't make any difference to me, but you would think they would know what the tow capacity is. Apparently not.

Gerald

[lewster]

Gerald,

After burning up the original tranny on my '04 Sprinter, I put on a re-built from Silver Star Transmillions in OK. They said that they re-inforced a few parts in the reman, but that these trannies needed an auxiliary cooler in addition to the one that is OEM from Mercedes.

I checked on my new '11 Sprinter and the cooler is a bit larger, but I am still going to add a second tranny cooler when I get the chance. It will benefit from that, even if you don't tow. My service van weighs close to 8000# loaded, so the extra cooling will be a definite plus!

[wayneskid]

I see on the 2011 Data Sheet that MB has increased to spec but lewster has it right! If the tranny is the unchanged, I'd be very wary of pushing this limit. If you want to confirm that the tranny is the same as the earlier MY Sprinters, get someone to run the data card for your VIN and see what the transmission part number is. My 2008 FL 3500 has an A 642 010 52 45 transmission. If you send me your VIN by PM I'll run it on EPC and send you back a data card. These are pretty handy to have as they show the build data for your Sprinter in detail.

[wayneskid]

Originally Posted by gmilleroik1

You may have a point. When I bought mine, the dealer told me the tow capacity had been increased on the 2011 models to 7500lbs, and this was reflected in the documents and on the MB Sprinter USA site as well.

Now, everything says 5000lbs again. Something definity has changed, so I guess MB must agree with you.

Gerald

Gerald, I just looked at the MB datasheet for the 2011 Sprinter and it does show 7500# tow capacity for the 3500. You can see it at Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: The Official Website.

[gmillerok1]

According to the MBUSA Sprinter site, the 3500 chassis, which Airstream uses, is tow rated for 7500lbs.

Whether it is a good idea or not based on the tranny, is another thing.

[gmillerok1]

We must have been looking at it at the same time.

Thanks,
Gerald