Show us your small Tow Vehicle set-up

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by idroba

Here is a photo from my past. The TV was a 1986 Mercedes 300 D (diesel) 5 cylinder, 77 HP as I recall. The hitch was a custom welded WD receiver type. The trailer was a 1963 Bambi.

It was sloooooooo, but always got me where I wanted to go. This photo was taken on a trip to California from Washington state, to look at a job offer. I didn't take the job, the Bambi is long gone (sigh), and the Mercedes too.

So, yes, Virginia, you can tow a Bambi with a 77 hp diesel.

Hi, I learned very early on to hate those early Mercedes Diesels. When ever you got stuck behind one you could see the black smoke belching out of it's exhaust and smell the rotten Diesel fuel. You could easily spot one because you could see the black stained rear end long before you could see the "D" for Dumb Diesel. And for some reason that I could not understand, was that it seemed to take these cars three blocks to get over 15 MPH. By then you were thoroughly gassed. [pun intended] For this reason, I have never been a fan of Diesels.

[idroba]

Originally Posted by rluhr

Sweet! I've been tempted to hitch up my 1984 Mercedes 300D Turbo to my 1968 Caravel, but I've been afraid of killing the transmission. How many miles would you estimate you towed with this rig?

Being the turbo model, mine has a whopping 125 horsepower and 180 ft-lbs or torque ... or at least it did when it was new. That's still going to be slow by any measure. Perhaps I'll drive it downhill only.

In thinking hard, it was a '76 300 D, non turbo, not an '86. I would bet I drove it about 5000 miles or more, the CA trip was probably 2500 alone. I took it on other shorter NW trips, and one to Utah I believe. Those transmissions were based on the GM THM 400 and are very rugged, even if they shift abruptly. I would not worry about that aspect at all. Your Caravel would be heavier than the Bambi, but you also have more power being a turbo.

I had an '83 Suburban Diesel with all of 145 hp, the early 6.3 L V8. I towed a couple of different 25' Airstreams all over, including the Dempster Highway north to the Arctic Circle. Wore out one engine, and the original POS Turbo 700 R4 transmission, but once I put a THM 400 in it, it went an additional 180,000 miles.

[andreasduess]

I will try and see if I can find a picture of it somewhere but one of the cars I used to own was a 1964 Mercedes 190 diesel in Havana brown with the fintail body.

I bought it from the original owner, a retired officer in the British army, who had purchased it be while stationed in Germany. It wasn't the fastest car in the world but it but still fun to drive. In Europe diesel fuel was never as dirty as in the US so cars never smelled quite as bad. I never towed with the 190, used the Landie for that instead.

The 300 TD should make for a sturdy tow vehicle if you can live with the slow speed.

[xrvr]

Thanks for the photos, jim

[xrvr]

Andrea, do you have any photos or do you just want to talk about small vehicles. The OP wanted to see photos ans so would I. Less talk, more pictures. Jim

[andreasduess]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Andrea, do you have any photos or do you just want to talk about small vehicles. The OP wanted to see photos ans so would I. Less talk, more pictures. Jim

I posted the picture of the Golf Tdi, towing a Bambi.

I don't consider my own tow vehicle a small vehicle, that's why I haven't posted it.

Don't know if this qualifies as small, but here's a Range Rover towing an Airstream all the way to Africa:

[MrUKToad]

Here's a photo, Jim. I snapped this at Can Am last July. It's a sedan and a 30' International; I'm no car spotter so I'm not sure what car it is, but it is a good example of a smaller TV. It's using that basic EAZ-Lift hitch and, no doubt, a beefed up receiver.

[MrUKToad]

My smaller TV, although it's not that small with a 119" wheelbase, acknowledging that the OP wasn't really interested in a minivan.

[ALANSD]

Having read a lot now on the VW tdi I am dissuaded by the flywheel problems many of them had. Major expense to repair these.

[cameront120]

Englishgirl tows with a Volvo XC70:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...ml#post1342339

[cameront120]

Mojave towed with a Golf GTI. I think they got rid of their trailer after too many issues with it and are no longer active here.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f368...ml#post1058885

[Canlib]

The diesel Jeep tows my 68 Globetrotter just fine! The short vehicle and short reach on the trailer make backing tricky, but I manage...

[andreasduess]

Times past:

[cameront120]

Folks, can we please not have this become another debate thread that will ultimately get locked? Can we please respect the OP's simple request for pictures showing small vehicle set ups? If you're not interested in towing with a small vehicle be aware that nobody here is trying to force you to. Please show the same consideration to those of us who wish to discuss smaller options.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

Here's a photo, Jim. I snapped this at Can Am last July. It's a sedan and a 30' International; I'm no car spotter so I'm not sure what car it is, but it is a good example of a smaller TV. It's using that basic EAZ-Lift hitch and, no doubt, a beefed up receiver.

That is a current generation Ford Taurus.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Canlib

The diesel Jeep tows my 68 Globetrotter just fine! The short vehicle and short reach on the trailer make backing tricky, but I manage...

The 3.7 gas with automatic transmission version of that is a very capable torque monster as well.

[rluhr]

Here you go. A Mercedes 190SL wouldn't be a great choice as a tow vehicle but it did make for a great photo!

[mstephens]

Originally Posted by m.hony

That is a current generation Ford Taurus.

Can anyone tell what size trailer that is?

[andreasduess]

Originally Posted by mstephens

Can anyone tell what size trailer that is?

According to Steve, who took the picture, a 30' International.

[Kevin245]

This is thread is temporarily closed and will be reopened at a time to be determined.

The Site Team.