Your towing experience with GLK
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 296
Likes: 23
From: Central coast California
2024 GLC300, 2014 BMW M235i
Your towing experience with GLK
I just purchased a 2012 GLK 4matic with factory towing hitch (it was a bit hard to find). I have 3000 lb. tent-trailer with electric brakes. Appreciate any feed-back regarding towing that much weight with GLK. Also, anyone have any idea how to connect an electric brake controller? Is there a connector interface under the dash?
Thanks,
-3.5L
Thanks,
-3.5L
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 3
From: East Texas
2004 Volvo XC70; 2012 GLK 350 4matic
Welcome! We have a similar GLK. Ordered so we would have the hitch. I am interested in this topic also.
What hitch ball did you buy? Does the ball height match your trailer? Have you asked an M-B dealer or RV specialty shop about the brake controller?
How accurate is your estimate of the trailer weight? You may want to find a truck scale and weigh it. Things have a habit of being heavier than you think. More important is the tongue weight. By all means get an accurate tongue weight. 350 lbs is the max. for a GLK.
Like all towing, use manual shifting and keep the RPMs in the fat part of the torque curve.
Enjoy!
Wayne
What hitch ball did you buy? Does the ball height match your trailer? Have you asked an M-B dealer or RV specialty shop about the brake controller?
How accurate is your estimate of the trailer weight? You may want to find a truck scale and weigh it. Things have a habit of being heavier than you think. More important is the tongue weight. By all means get an accurate tongue weight. 350 lbs is the max. for a GLK.
Like all towing, use manual shifting and keep the RPMs in the fat part of the torque curve.
Enjoy!
Wayne
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 296
Likes: 23
From: Central coast California
2024 GLC300, 2014 BMW M235i
My trailer is stored in a hangar 30 miles from here, so I don't have immediate access to the data plate. From memory, the empty weight is pretty close to 2950 lbs. and the tongue weight is about 250 lbs. I'm sure it would be easy to load it with several hundred pounds of stuff. The vehicle we traded in on the GLK (2002 Ford Exploder with factory tow package) pulled the loaded trailer quite easily and never gave a hint of over heating. The Ford had the standard 4.0L V-6 (210 HP & 255 ft/lbs. torque), plus a 3.73 limited-slip differential (2WD). And while towing I always locked out the over-drive.
On paper, the GLK has much more HP and virtually the same torque. I think with all towing cases, the main issue is getting rid of the heat and not frying your drive train.
-dave
On paper, the GLK has much more HP and virtually the same torque. I think with all towing cases, the main issue is getting rid of the heat and not frying your drive train.
-dave
Welcome! We have a similar GLK. Ordered so we would have the hitch. I am interested in this topic also.
What hitch ball did you buy? Does the ball height match your trailer? Have you asked an M-B dealer or RV specialty shop about the brake controller?
How accurate is your estimate of the trailer weight? You may want to find a truck scale and weigh it. Things have a habit of being heavier than you think. More important is the tongue weight. By all means get an accurate tongue weight. 350 lbs is the max. for a GLK.
Like all towing, use manual shifting and keep the RPMs in the fat part of the torque curve.
Enjoy!
Wayne
What hitch ball did you buy? Does the ball height match your trailer? Have you asked an M-B dealer or RV specialty shop about the brake controller?
How accurate is your estimate of the trailer weight? You may want to find a truck scale and weigh it. Things have a habit of being heavier than you think. More important is the tongue weight. By all means get an accurate tongue weight. 350 lbs is the max. for a GLK.
Like all towing, use manual shifting and keep the RPMs in the fat part of the torque curve.
Enjoy!
Wayne
Last edited by 3.5L; Feb 17, 2012 at 11:13 AM. Reason: typo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,522
Likes: 3
From: East Texas
2004 Volvo XC70; 2012 GLK 350 4matic
You are correct. All of the "essentials" can add up in a hurry. Water is a big culprit if you have supply & holding tanks.
In addition to the Trailer Stability package, there may be some additional engine cooling capacity with the factory hitch. Or that extra cooling was made standard for 2012.
Back in the Stone Age we had a Scotty trailer. I towed the trailer from New Orleans to Glacier N.P. and back with a 1978 V8 Cutlass. The thing put out a whopping 105hp. The GLK 350 will be a huge improvement.
Wayne
In addition to the Trailer Stability package, there may be some additional engine cooling capacity with the factory hitch. Or that extra cooling was made standard for 2012.
Back in the Stone Age we had a Scotty trailer. I towed the trailer from New Orleans to Glacier N.P. and back with a 1978 V8 Cutlass. The thing put out a whopping 105hp. The GLK 350 will be a huge improvement.
Wayne
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,203
Likes: 2
From: Vancouver BC
Flying Spur
Not sure on the total weight with the trailor loaded but the glk seems to handle it quite well!
probably a lot smaller than anything you guys are hauling
probably a lot smaller than anything you guys are hauling
Last edited by ssonss1; Feb 21, 2012 at 10:18 PM.
