figured i would ask in the section of the forum with the most knowledge on trailers!!

picking up an e36 in the next few weeks and will be hauling it home (~5hrs) on a car hauler that will be rented. Anybody know the approximate weight for an e36 & trailer. I have a 2003 pathfinder with a class III hitch and want to see if it will be okay to haul it home.

thanks

towing capacity of the pathfinder?
how big is the trailer? steel? wood? open? closed?

i believe the Pathfinder has 5,000 lbs tow capacity. will be an open trailer - something like the u-haul type

Not a very specific term.

If this is a boxed, enclosed trailer, I think you may be in trouble.

If this is a steel large open trailer, you may barely be ok, drive slowly.

If this is an aluminum open trailer, you may be ok, drive slowly.

If this is a two wheeled device that just elevates the steered wheels of the towed E36, then you're crazy.... I meant, drive VERY SLOWLY and pray.

Alex.

(truth is you need to consider the towing capacity of the Pathfinder, but seriously consider the risks of crosswinds and open vs close systems and the probable lack of load stabilizing bars for whatever you renting, and consider that the tongue weight may well lift up the front of your tow vehicle so much you've dramatically decreased your braking ability, and that the trailer may not have good brakes on it, and you've not mentioned if you've got a brake controller installed to use them if they're there)

You're fine for one trip with an open trailer. Drive carefully.

If this is a two wheeled device that just elevates the steered wheels of the towed E36, then you're crazy.... I meant, drive VERY SLOWLY and pray.

Alex.


Forgive my naivete here, but what would be the problem here? The lack of brakes on the "dolly" ?

one should never tow above 75% of tow vehicle capacity. your suspension is not set-up for the added weight and can cause any number of ugly things to happen. the front end of your tow vehicle will not be where it was designed to be, potentially affecting handling and steering, particularly in an emergency situation. the brakes will take a beating. be very aware of tongue weight as this can affect trailer stability.

take your time and plan your braking way in advance of the stopping point and you should be fine.

Your vehicle is rated for a tow capacity (this assumes 175 lb driver and no passengers or gear in the truck) of 5000 lbs as is the hitch.
A uhaul car trailer is 2000 lbs, the E36 curb rate is 3175. If you have an accident while towing in excess of approved weight then your insurance may be void and you may be charged vehicular homicide if there is a death involved.
Make sure the Pathfinders brakes are in good shape. Empty the gas tank of the E36, take out the spare and tools out of both vehicles and put them in a "support" vehicle, position the car with 10% of the weight on the tongue, head over to a truck stop with scales to confirm (weigh both, then with just the Pathfinder wheels on the scales, then unhook and weigh the truck). The total - the truck = trailer weight. Truck hooked up to trailer weight - truck weight = tongue weight.
Get the tongue weight wrong the the trailer will sway (to little tongue weight) or not brake steer well (too much).
Pick a nice day without wind or rain and like the man said drive slow, ie 50 mph. Your on the edge but you are prepared and legit.
You could wing it, but if you run over my daughter coming back from college...

Some of what is posted above is more than you were hoping to hear, but towing can have serious consequences.

The U-Haul trailer is heavy. You'll probably be okay with the Pathfinder if you know what you're doing and take it very easy. Allow a lot of room in front for braking, like 4x the normal. Say 8 seconds rather than 2. Use your transmission for coompression braking. Don't use the overdrive.

The comment about the trailer weight distribution is dead on. This is critical. I've been in a vehicle pulling a trailer that was tail loaded. This is a very scarey and dangerous situation. Since the E36 has close to 50/50 weight distribution, you should be okay if you put the center of the car over the forward axle on the trailer. This will give a bias towards the tongue of the trailer and should provide a stable and safe ride. Don't over do it and pull too far forward or you'll over load the tongue/truck.

If the trailer has electric brakes, you'll have to get a brake controller wired up. Don't even think of attempting this pull without brakes. The U-Haul probably has surge brakes, but know this in advance.

To my knowledge the UHaul flat bed(if he is getting this) has a break away break. IE if the trailer brakes away it will activate the brakes...

The dolly has nothing.

I would look into borrowing someones Aluminum trailer because you will be dropping ~1000lb.

Do you have the towing package on the pathfinder with a trans cooler? If not I would recommend another tow vehicle or that is going to COOK...

Just looked it up. If you're looking at the U-Haul, it does have surge brakes.

http://www.uhaul.com/guide/index.aspx?equipment=towing-autotransport

thanks all for the awesome information folks - i knew i was asking the knowledgable!!

given the excellent advice and since i don't feel like toasting my pathfinder, i will bumming a better tow vehicle to bring my track rat home

thanks all for the awesome information folks - i knew i was asking the knowledgable!!

given the excellent advice and since i don't feel like toasting my pathfinder, i will bumming a better tow vehicle to bring my track rat home


I've seen some guys use rental pickups to pull their car to the track. See if a rental place near you rents trucks for towing.

figured i would ask in the section of the forum with the most knowledge on trailers!!

picking up an e36 in the next few weeks and will be hauling it home (~5hrs) on a car hauler that will be rented. Anybody know the approximate weight for an e36 & trailer. I have a 2003 pathfinder with a class III hitch and want to see if it will be okay to haul it home.

thanks

You would be much better off asking your local Uhaul or trailer shop these questions. Also, search the net for someone that HAS a pathfinder and knows what it requires.

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0dceb1

Your issue will be stopping. If you do not have a brake controller in your truck I would forget about using it and rent one that does. Rated towing capacity is one thing, rated stopping capacity is another.

Don

wow, you guys are really paranoid about towing, I tow cars all over the country with my M3, if the trailer is balanced correctly, and you drive according to conditions (ie, leave plenty of room in front for braking etc) take bigger turn radius, as trailer will cut corners slightly, and is wider than tow vehicle, you should have no problems

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/morerevsm3/Picture336.jpg

one should never tow above 75% of tow vehicle capacity.
That doesn't really make sense. If the vehicle manufacturer only wanted you to tow 3750lbs, then they would put 3750lbs in the manual. The 5,000lb number should already have a safety factor figured into it.

EDIT- I guess I'm just a wreckless tower.

Why waste money on a trailer. Just strap it to your roofrack.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q320/lazywoman/Rednecks/Towing.jpg


or if you remove few parts you can move it using a bicycle like this guy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/mystical_munkee/ideasfortowingcar.jpg


and do not worry about weight distribution like all of the paranoid people above. This Benz seem ready to tow. lol

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa187/henrydupont/tow.jpg

That doesn't really make sense. If the vehicle manufacturer only wanted you to tow 3750lbs, then they would put 3750lbs in the manual. The 5,000lb number should already have a safety factor figured into it.

EDIT- I guess I'm just a wreckless tower.

Says the guy who tows with a F250 and F650 or whatever that thing is.

Says the guy who tows with a F250 and F650 or whatever that thing is.

He's right. The manufacturer allows for a large margin of safety, as evidenced by people that regularly tow over the stated tow capacity and live to tell about it. The manufacturer also has to assume the lowest common denominator in terms of common sense, conditions, and driver skill.

That said, I think most of use feel more comfortable towing well within the vehicles rated capacity.

Your issue will be stopping. If you do not have a brake controller in your truck I would forget about using it and rent one that does. Rated towing capacity is one thing, rated stopping capacity is another.

Don

Surge brakes don't require a brake controller.

Surge brakes don't require a brake controller.

Yes, I know. Didn't say otherwise. I said I wouldn't tow a trailer with a pathfinder if it DIDN'T have a brake controller in the cab...meaning, surge brakes suck and I wouldn't use them(if I was towing with a pathfinder) That's why most states are outlawing their use in anything under 10,000lbs.

I also recommended he talk to a trailer sales company/Uhaul...because 90% of what is in this thread is BS.

Don

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/mystical_munkee/ideasfortowingcar.jpg
:help the people that believe this image is real.
:rofl:

wow, you guys are really paranoid about towing, I tow cars all over the country with my M3, if the trailer is balanced correctly, and you drive according to conditions (ie, leave plenty of room in front for braking etc) take bigger turn radius, as trailer will cut corners slightly, and is wider than tow vehicle, you should have no problems



+1...it's all about brakes, being able to adjust them(on the trailer)and distribution of weight(tongue weight).

Don

He's right. The manufacturer allows for a large margin of safety, as evidenced by people that regularly tow over the stated tow capacity and live to tell about it. The manufacturer also has to assume the lowest common denominator in terms of common sense, conditions, and driver skill.

That said, I think most of use feel more comfortable towing well within the vehicles rated capacity.

Do you know this for a fact? Do you know how much it is? As far as I know, there is no standard for establishing this rating. I completely agree that there is some safety factor built in, but how much is unknown.

Also, I know greg and was giving him a hard time. Over loading an F650 is a bit different than over loading a pathfinder.

That doesn't really make sense. If the vehicle manufacturer only wanted you to tow 3750lbs, then they would put 3750lbs in the manual. The 5,000lb number should already have a safety factor figured into it.

EDIT- I guess I'm just a wreckless tower.

well that is a rule of thumb generally.

and besides the thumb is a much more polite finger than the other one i typically use.:eyebrows