alive19

This is a long shot, but has anyone got any ideas on how to raise the car when towing?

We do a bit of outback camping and when I'm towing a camping trailer, I can't adjust the cars level. I presume this is all part of the antisway safety stuff, but not so useful when I'm driving tracks. There are times I need the extra clearance.

My only idea at the moment is to pull the trailer fuse when I need to. I don't really need lights for daytime tracks, but may eventually need power to the trailer.

Max Blast

I think the answer is just unplug the trailer light connector when you need the increased clearance.

I don’t think the car is that smart that it knows it has weight back there unless there’s an electrical connection made, and reported by the rear Sam.

Elbeau

You're probably right. But would it take that much intelligence to monitor the rear springs/air shock compression or pressure to assume there's extra weight?

rapidoxidation

I'm not sure what your issue is. On my ML, I connect the trailer (using load equalizers, but it works about the same without the eq as far as staying level) and the car automatically levels itself. If I'm under 29mph I have the ability to raise the airmatic suspension to the higher position. Do you not have airmatic or are your level sensors shot or is the GL platform so different from the ML platform that it doesn't bring itself back to level when loaded?
All of the above assumes airmatic suspension. If you have a standard spring/shock setup, your best bet will be an equalizer hitch.

lkchris

The vehicle is smart enough to know there is weight there because Airmatic always keeps the vehicle level. But perhaps the suspension raise will work with trailer plug disconnected.

Max Blast

or the bags may blow, unless they are bilsteins

Sallad

Nope. I've been towing my trailer for years now, 6000lbs, and I have cheap Amazon rear bags, for about 4 or so years now.

As soon as I hook up my trailer and put load on the hitch, as in raise the front leg on the trailer, I can hear the compressor kick on and the rear raises up level again. I love this feature for towing. Once I unhook at the site. My rear is about 3 feet in the air, but as soon as I drive a foot forward it vents down to normal height again.

Excellent towing vehicle. Easily goes up the BC mountain passes while towing.

rapidoxidation

I've not had an issue raising my ML even with the trailer attached. The limiting factor is vehicle speed (<29mph), not load or trailer. YMMV

Max Blast

Well, I’d give it a shot and report back to us whether it works or not.

ygmn

What is your Tongue weight?
What is Vehicle and hitch's Tongue weight limit?
Anything in the rear or backseat?
What is your rear and front axle loads?

How much does the camper/trailer weigh?

lots go into setting up a vehicle and trailer to tow.
ever read E-Trailer site? Lot more to towing then just hooking something up and driving off.
etrailer.com

lkchris

You sound like someone with mostly 'merikun iron experience. With Mercedes it is indeed hook up, drive off ... within Mercedes rules for weight, of course.

alive19

Thanks....

I have the offroad option on the air suspension. When I have a trailer connected, I'm unable to change the ride height - ie increase to the 3 different offroad ride heights.

I've also connected the trailer with the car raised (ie in offroad mode) and when I start driving it puts it back to standard height level.

My camper trailer is sub 1000kg, with probably less than 100kg on the tow ball. It's light weight.

So can someone with a GL confirm whether you can raise the height of the car with the trailer connected, while travelling under 29km/hr? Given the commonality with the ML, I would guess it would be the same. Maybe my module needs new software.

Max Blast

Oh you have EORP… I get it now.
I have a trailer and EORP and I’ll try to duplicate this. Although you could try it with your little trailer, and confirm or deny if it works with the trailer electrics unplugged.

alive19

It will work with the trailer unplugged. The functional description talks about trailer detection being on the light circuit, nothing about mass. There are no mass sensors in the car and they havn't implemented air pressure/ride height quasi mass measurement. Otherwise putting 200kg in the rear would trick the car into thinking it had a trailer connected.

Elbeau

I'm no expert by any means, but it seems to me there is (at least) two different systems or functions at play. First, trailer hook-up or not, the Airmatic system is designed to keep the car level. It functions based on position, not weight. So, it would level the car based on the rear being lower, not specifically the weight of the trailer. My guess is the trailer connection would have other functions, such as brake distribution, lights, etc.
My point, which is just a guess, is there may be some interplay between the two otherwise separate systems.