2014 ML350 towing and weight distribution system
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
@Diabolis on "Mercedes and BMW actually say the opposite - do not use WDH under any circumstances." Could you please point me to where Mercedes says this? I searched the owner's manual and could not find any information WRT WDH.
Thanks!
Thanks!
The short of it is that weight distribution hitches should not be used with unibody vehicles. They are an American invention for trailers with heavier tongue weights. The ML was designed in Germany, and trailers in Europe are much lighter and have a considerably lower tongue weight.
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'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
However it's the factory hitch. The factory hitch on my166 said the same thing.
They are both spec'd for WDH. (Weight Distribution Hitch.)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,025
Likes: 2,205
From: Colorado
'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
Oris was the manufacturer for my 2014 Bluetec hitch, too. However it said had the same sticker ratings for both WDH and Weight Carrying as the W164 one I posted above. Interesting.
I didn't realize you are in Canada. It must be that your Canadian spec car is different from our U.S. spec cars. I don't think Canadian hitches themselves are different, since they appear to have the same part numbers. It's probably a Government thing.
And yes, I had never heard of Flex-N-Gate, the manufacturer of the W164 hitch either. Flex-N-Gate is a U.S. company, Illinois based with dozens of factories around the world. I think they manufactured the hitches at an Alabama site, close to M-B.
At any rate, I was happy to use a WDH on the M-B factory hitch. Especially considering its performance. The finite-element-designed-unibody transfers weight forward and rearward far better than working with half-tons, with their low bend stiffness.
And I WOULD NOT pull anything over @3,500# with an ML without a WDH. Except around the yard.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,745
Likes: 811
From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
@mikapen - At least we're both sane and talking about the same thing.
It is indeed possible that cars destined for the US market get a different hitch and/or label from the ones that end up on this side of the border (despite the fact that they're both made in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) due to different regulations.
Sorry for whatever impolite words I may have said in the heat of the moment as a result of the misunderstanding.
Cheers,
D.
It is indeed possible that cars destined for the US market get a different hitch and/or label from the ones that end up on this side of the border (despite the fact that they're both made in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) due to different regulations.
Sorry for whatever impolite words I may have said in the heat of the moment as a result of the misunderstanding.
Cheers,
D.
