Planning on towing a ct13, what need? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 09-15-2020, 12:23 PM   #1
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Planning on towing a ct13, what need?

Concern is in the title. Everyone says you can tow these things with anything buuuuuut what are the limits of "anything"? Can I tow this with my 92 525i?
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Old 09-15-2020, 03:20 PM   #2
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The empty weight of a CT13 is supposed to be 1250 lb. Loaded to go you'll probably add another 3 or 4 hundred. They do not have brakes and brakes can not be easily installed without replacing the axle. You'll have to check the tow rating of your vehicle, but I would want a TV rated at around 3000 lb. We towed for a short time with a Honda CRV that was rated at 1500 lb and it was not a good experience. Upgraded to a full size truck but at that time also upgraded to a Casita 17.
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Old 09-15-2020, 03:28 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
The empty weight of a CT13 is supposed to be 1250 lb. Loaded to go you'll probably add another 3 or 4 hundred. They do not have brakes and brakes can not be easily installed without replacing the axle. You'll have to check the tow rating of your vehicle, but I would want a TV rated at around 3000 lb. We towed for a short time with a Honda CRV that was rated at 1500 lb and it was not a good experience. Upgraded to a full size truck but at that time also upgraded to a Casita 17.
She has an unbraked cap at 750 kg. Braked cap at 1500kg. Sufficient?
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Old 09-15-2020, 03:57 PM   #4
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first you need to talk to the seller and see what size hitch ball it needs and how high the top of the ball needs to be to the trailer coupler with the trailer cranked up level. then its about bearing grease and tire condition. with a trailer in poor condition you really have to worry about these things if your traveling highway speeds or long distance. it probably has not been maintained in several years. you don't want a disaster on your way home. you need to find out the trailer wiring on the trailer whether its flat 4 or 7 pin or some other connection. then your tug needs to be set up the same. and the hitch ball set at the proper height. Any loose items in the trailer must reside between the wheels and the hitch. tail weight behind the wheels and the back of the trailer can be a bad thing if you don't know what you are doing.
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Old 09-15-2020, 03:59 PM   #5
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Chunky bits I didn't even think of, thanks mate
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Old 09-15-2020, 04:29 PM   #6
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where did you find those tow ratings? were they from Europe ? European trailers tend to have lighter tongue weight, and a longer distance from hitch to axle, so they rate their cars for higher tow capacity than the US market does. an American 1500 lb trailer likely has 200-250 lbs on the hitch, how does your '92 BMW 525i drive with 250 lbs in the trunk ?
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Old 09-15-2020, 04:47 PM   #7
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No issue with bearing grease as Uhaul has a sealed bearing hub. Hitch ball size is 2 inch. The vehicle tow rating seems to covert to around 1600 lb which I would say is not enough of a safety margin. As for the light wiring, again Uhaul had their own unique wiring that originally was designed to tap into both tail lights on the tow vehicle. And again with the Uhaul tail lights, they are unique to Uhaul, no longer available, and usually in poor condition although there are ways to work around that issue. But with many of these old Uhaul campers, lots of things have been modified, some mods well done, some not. I think what makes them desirable is the "cute" factor, which causes most people to overlook or ignore problems. I have to admit that cute factor had some influence in our buying one, but then came the rude awakening when all the problems appeared, one after another for a couple years.
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Old 09-15-2020, 04:50 PM   #8
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And if the suggestion of using a set of the magnetic tow lights come up, won't work, the bumper is aluminum.
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Old 09-16-2020, 12:38 PM   #9
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"Can I tow this with my 92 525i" you want to think this through thoroughly! I own 1991 Mercedes 190E with 2.6 cylinder engine and would not tow my T4500 very far with it. You have to remember that we are in North America and the distances are much further and the repairs for German cars are almost double of North American cars. In Europe, they use different hitches and electric connections and generally travel at slower speed when towing. A trailer adds air drag as well as weight adding a lot of stress to a 30 year old drive line. I assume that your Auto Tranni is a 4-speed? I have used a set of magnetic lights for years, but always use safety straps or clamps and have never had them come off. Remember you can't always avoid potholes. Good luck!
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Old 09-16-2020, 01:05 PM   #10
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indeed, those European luxury sporty-sedans often have multilink independent rear suspension, which involves a lot of rubber bushings (I think my 1993 Mercedes 3.2L E series has 10 rubber bushings on each side for the 5 arm multilink, plus dual CV joints on each half shaft, plus the center differential is rubber shock mounted in a sub frame thats rubber shock mounted to the car chassis). *ALL* this is put under a LOT more stress when towing, and will wear out much faster, leaving your car driving all sloppy, losing that crisp precise road feel which is likely a major reason you drive it. Replacing all those bushings is a very labor intensive job, likely $$$$ more than a 1992 525i is worth..

but, reading between the lines, it sounds like you just want to tow this shell once and park it somewhere and live in it like a 'tiny house' ? you don't plan on using the BMW to haul it all over the place on vacations? if you take it very slow and easy, and you're only hauling it a few 100 miles, you'll probably do OK. Keep the car as unloaded as you can, keep the trailer as empty as you can. plan B would be to rent a van or truck for this one shot trip.
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Old 09-30-2020, 10:29 AM   #11
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What the hell is a 525i???
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Old 09-30-2020, 10:36 AM   #12
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What the hell is a 525i???
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Old 09-30-2020, 10:38 AM   #13
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or it could be...
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Old 09-30-2020, 11:29 AM   #14
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Thanks. Speaking English, not acronym.
If that POS German car has a 6 cylinder inline engine it should be strong enough for pulling. Weakest componant is likely the frame or transmission, but that depends on the weight being towed and terrain.
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Old 09-30-2020, 11:37 AM   #15
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You have made excellent points on the towing issues. I just wanted to add a detail on the towing issues - there are many types of tow bars that can be used so that the trailer is towed evenly rather than being towed high to the tow vehicle or low to the tow vehicle - I found this out with my 17' Boler ('77) and my 2007 Honda Ridgeline.
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Old 09-30-2020, 12:10 PM   #16
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You have made excellent points on the towing issues. I just wanted to add a detail on the towing issues - there are many types of tow bars that can be used so that the trailer is towed evenly rather than being towed high to the tow vehicle or low to the tow vehicle - I found this out with my 17' Boler ('77) and my 2007 Honda Ridgeline.
Simply get an adjustable one to cover any future towing.
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Old 09-30-2020, 04:15 PM   #17
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I towed my CT13 with my 84' Mercedes 300CD from Newport Beach, CA to the Jersey shore and back on a trip that lasted 3 months. Its been about 8 years ago so I dont remember all the numbers but as I recall according to the towing specs of the vehicle, tongue weight, trailer weight, it was within the limits for my car. I must say I did have a couple mods to the car, bigger front brakes, heavier torsion bars front and rear and heavy duty shocks and springs. My tow hitch was European, 50mm ball, (1mm smaller than 2"), made by Oris as optional equipment through Mercedes. I also used a Euro round trailer plug. Picture is the morning we left Newport.
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Old 10-01-2020, 06:45 AM   #18
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You need to check the tow capacity of any vehicle prior to towing anything with it. Look it up on the internet before you endanger yourself or others towing something your vehicle can't handle as it's dangerous to not do so.
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Old 10-01-2020, 07:08 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Queenie View Post
Concern is in the title. Everyone says you can tow these things with anything buuuuuut what are the limits of "anything"? Can I tow this with my 92 525i?
It’s only sellers that say “you can tow with anything.” You are wise to be skeptical. Your final gross loaded weight will depend on how much stuff you bring, which will depend on whether you’re weekending, full-timing, or something in between. Typical on-the-road weight for a no-bath 13’er is in the 1500-1800# range.

I recommend a tow rating of at least 2000/200# (trailer weight/tongue weight) for a 13’er. More might be warranted if you carry extra people or gear in the vehicle, if your trailer has lots of upgrades (fridge, A/C, awning, toilet...), or if you tow frequently in severe conditions (steep grades, hot temperatures, high altitude, headwinds). For all those reasons we tow our 13’ Scamp with a 3500# rated Honda Pilot.

Check the owner's manual for the towing specs of your 525i. Most CT13’s do not have trailer brakes, so you’re looking for the unbraked ratings. The engine has plenty of power of course, but your concerns include engine and transmission cooling, braking, and strength of the rear subframe for hitch attachment. Because of its age, an inspection of the frame and overall mechanical condition of the vehicle deserve a hard look before committing.
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Old 10-01-2020, 08:49 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
It’s only sellers that say “you can tow with anything.” You are wise to be skeptical. Your final gross loaded weight will depend on how much stuff you bring, which will depend on whether you’re weekending, full-timing, or something in between. Typical on-the-road weight for a no-bath 13’er is in the 1500-1800# range.
+10 Not everyone says you can tow a UHaul with "anything". Step 1: get data on your car, and a real weight on the trailer.
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