Fully wet and loaded with all your gear and supplies and provisions, an r-pod can get close to 3500 pounds in some situations, and then you will also probably have some gear loaded in the van.

Possible 'tail wagging the dog' situation.

I dont see that small engine being happy towing the r-pod up a steep mountain grade. 

That 12% figure bothers me so I downloaded a Metris users manual to look at it. I couldn't find it in there, where did you see it?

The reason it bothers me is that the ability to climb a grade is going to be limited by the GCVW not the trailer weight. I would agree that loading a Metris and trailer to the GCVWR (11,600 lbs) and then climbing mountains would not be a good idea with that little engine.  But it should be easy enough to keep the actual GCVW down to something in the 9000 lb range which would give about a 25% improvement in hill climbing ability.  

The Metris alternator is rated at 190A which is quite good so I think it must be something else that is limiting the current through that connector to 20A, probably the conductor/fuse. Just running a separate 30A circuit from the Metris batter to the 7 pin connector (like all the rest of us do who don't have a prewired connector) would probably solve that.

If you look on the Metris forum there are folks who tow 4000+ lb trailers (including in the mountain west) with satisfactory results. The main criticism seems to be low hitch height. That forum would be good to be on to get answers from folks already using their vans for towing.  

I did find a spec that the Metris receiver can take a weight distribution hitch, and has a max of 500 lbs tongue weight (with or without wd).  Its very easy to exceed 500lbs tongue weight on a 190 so that should be considered. 

The other question is, does the Metris already have the tow package installed? There are multiple frustrated folks on the Metris forum trying to get that added aftermarket. 

If this link only gets you close, click Technical Data, then Vehicle Data, scroll to the bottom.

It's in metric values, but of course, 12% Imperial is 12% Metric.

Also, here is a source for towing information with the Metris at higher altitudes:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1030159/Mercedes-Benz-Metris.html?page=142&term=altitude&selected=3 - https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1030159/Mercedes-Benz-Metris.html?page=142&term=altitude&selected=3

I'm sure people are doing it...but I would not...having spent that much money on the van, only to thrash the little engine near maximum RPM trying to climb up long mountain grades. 

If the plans are to keep the rig mainly on flat, non-challenging terrain, then I won't make a lot of noise about it. 

OK, I see. You're looking at the GB (Great Britain) manual. That's why all the numbers are different than the US specs and are presented in metric. Also, there must be some kind of gradient climbing/desending spec in the GB towing certification process that doesn't exist in the US.  Here's the US manual. 

https://assets.mbvans.com/Mercedes-Benz-Vans/Manuals/2018/2018-Metris-Operators-Manual?_ga=2.219909593.118351282.1560714488-962094937.1560714488 - https://assets.mbvans.com/Mercedes-Benz-Vans/Manuals/2018/2018-Metris-Operators-Manual?_ga=2.219909593.118351282.1560714488-962094937.1560714488

None of that shows up in this version. There's definitely something different in Britain because the same spec section in that manual calls out a "permissible max nose weight"  of 100kg which is only 220 lbs, and we know that the US tongue weight is listed at 500 lbs.

I think one thing that's going on in the GB version is that one of the specs is probably for climbing and one is for descending. Probably they want to limit climbing by GCWR and descending by trailer weight, with different descent numbers for braked and unbraked trailers. That would at least make logical sense. But I'm no expert of European towing specs and don't ever want to be. 

Assuming the British GCVW numbers are for climbing, a 4800 kg GCVWR is about 10,600 lbs and the 5700kg is an astronomical 12,600 lbs, more than the 11,600 lbs we see in US specs.  I wouldn't load things anywhere near either of those numbers if it was me, especially in the mountains.

Nor would I tow a 5000 lb trailer in the mountains with that vehicle, or with my Highlander either for that matter. The GVWR for a 190 is about 3800 lbs anyhow so even a fully loaded one isn't anywhere near 5000 lbs. 

Bottom line for towing, as always, know what your rig and each of its axles weighs, and the trailer tongue weighs, and stay well below the max ratings for each of those numbers, especially in the mountains. Use a good wdh and sway control, and drive carefully and keep your speeds down. 

And for sure, the little turbocharged 2 liter 4 cylinder engine is going to be working hard, no doubt about it. Its a personal decision whether or not you are comfortable with that. Just don't expect your fuel economy to be good just because its good running around town in a lightly loaded van. 

Originally posted by offgrid OK, I see. You're looking at the GB (Great Britain) manual. That's why all the numbers are different than the US specs and are presented in metric. Also, there must be some kind of gradient climbing/desending spec in the GB towing certification process that doesn't exist in the US.  Here's the US manual.

BTW, there IS a USA standard for towing, called J2807. If Mercedes publishes a towing rating in the USA that complies with the SAE J2807 standards, then the 12% gradient, horsepower, torque, handling, steering, cooling, gear ratios, brakes, etc are already figured in to the rating. I dont know if Mercedes complies with that rating or pulls the 5000lb rating out of thin German air,...but either way, it is what we have to go by. My Nissan Titan XD is rated using J2807, so I'm confident in it's towing capabilities.

https://fifthwheelst.com/SAE-J2807-Tow-Tests.html - https://fifthwheelst.com/SAE-J2807-Tow-Tests.html

http://www.rv-project.com/resources/j2807.php - http://www.rv-project.com/resources/j2807.php

(note the typo on that last page: 12% grade is 12 feet change in 100 feet, not 1000 feet.)

The thing that makes me more comfortable with the Metris is the high vehicle gross weight and the high GCVWR. There is around 2000 lb available there to apply toward the trailer weight as long as the van itself is kept reasonably light when towing. So even if the vehicle doesn't meet the spec at the 11,600lb GCVWR, at a more reasonable 9000 or so lbs it probably does OK.  

If not, I know it might be a bit of a buzz-kill, but that is better than some other outcomes I can think of.

There are lots of camp trailers that weigh less than the r-pod, although they will certainly be smaller.

What you should strive for is 'towing authority'...where the tow vehicle is always in control of the trailer, not the other way around. All one has to do is watch the video linked in this thread:

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12932&title=some-sobering-video-of-what-not-to-do-towing - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12932&title=some-sobering-video-of-what-not-to-do-towing

Sometimes this means buying a smaller, lighter trailer than the one that caught your eye.

C'mon now, I object, All those crazy videos create fear unnecessarily. 

No one is suggesting towing a huge trailer behind a tiny tow vehicle. The Metris is a big, heavy vehicle with an impressive payload capacity and a decent wheelbase. It's not going to lack "authority" to control an rPod. And plenty of folks tow rPods just fine with 5000 lb tow rated vehicles, myself included. There is over 1000 lbs of headroom there.

Where the Metris is lacking is in power, its got a small engine, so it will work hard.  Perhaps  harder than the owner would want. That's normal in Europe where fuel is about $6 a gallon. It won't rocket up mountains, but that's got nothing to do with what's going on in those video clips. Those are people with way to big trailers behind small tow vehicles, or people driving stupidly, or both.

I was just looking up the specifications for the Metris on Car and Driver. The Metris is classed as a mid-sized, rear wheel drive van. The rating was 5,000 lbs towing with a 500 lb WD hitch or dead weight hitch rating. I think this van would have no real issues towing any of the RPod models. GVWR is 6,614 lbs and GCWR is 11,724 lbs. These figures are direct from the https://www.mbvans.com/sprinter/commercial-vans/metris-cargo-van - Mercedes web site .

I don't think Mercedes would advertise these for sale with these specifications without meeting appropriate standards. Mercedes has a reputation to maintain. As for the 4 cylinder engine, it is a turbocharged engine with a 7-speed transmission. I was towing with a Ford Escape with the 2L Ecoboost engine. That engine was amazing, especially when we were at increased (5,000 ft and up) elevations. It has more power than my naturally aspirated 4L V6  in the Frontier we use now for towing. See also the https://assets.mbvans.com/Mercedes-Benz-Vans/Brochures/2019-Mercedes-Benz-Metris-Vans-Brochure.pdf - brochure for the Metris .

Since you have the Metris, go ahead and use it with confidence. You'll be just fine.

Marty,

You will be just fine. Mercedes would not rate it for 5,000 lbs if it were not up to the task. If it were only rated for 2,000 or 3,500 lbs, I would be concerned but since it has a 5,000 lb rating, then go ahead and don't worry about it. You have the torque (more important for towing) that is more than adequate. Horsepower is for speed, torque is for traction (vital for towing). There are others who tow with vans with no problems. As I said above, a turbocharged 4 cylinder beats a naturally aspirated V6. The one caveat is pay attention to the manual's recommendation for fuel. I suspect that when towing, you will need to run premium gasoline. That is what Ford recommended for the Ecoboost Escape.

I am the type of person who prefers plenty of engine power for towing, and I dont like over-stressing the components of an expensive vehicle....BUT....if the Metris is what a person has, and they want a small travel trailer, it certainly sounds do-able.

I think r-pods are a bit heavy for the Metris, but then again, they are affordable. 

There are apparently some issues regarding the hitch configuration and getting a non-factory brake controller to work, so this might be an ideal situation for a Curt Echo electric brake controller.

Anyway, here is the link:

https://www.metrisforum.com/forum/193-mercedes-benz-metris-general-discussion/9594-6-000-mile-trip-trailer-brake-controller-check-engine-light-noisy-tires.html - https://www.metrisforum.com/forum/193-mercedes-benz-metris-general-discussion/9594-6-000-mile-trip-trailer-brake-controller-check-engine-light-noisy-tires.html

I have the opposite bias from podwerks, I tend to prefer vehicles with smaller engines and I've never had an engine quit on me from being overstressed. My old VW's did suck exhaust valves pretty regularly but that was typical for those air cooled engines in hot climates.  

There are those who wouldn't pull a popup with anything smaller than an F250 with a 6.2 liter  385 hp V8, and those who think nothing of heading across country in a 80's Toyota class B with a 2.4 liter 105 HP 4 cyl. Either can be perfectly safe, or not. Safety comes from staying well under the weight specs for the tow vehicle (trailer, tongue, axle, and GCVW), from driving conservatively, and from not towing in really bad weather.  

Nuts.

It sounds like you want 100% certainty when 98% won't do. What possible good would pulling any trailer for a little while around town do for you??

1. The metris with a turbo engine is plenty powerful enuf for an r-pod (5000 pounds towing capacity!).

2. On level ground the metris will be very satisfactory. You may not go very fast up steep hills, but speed kills and even on level ground trailers shouldn't be pulled over about 65 mph anyway.

Your van conversion should work very well where there are showers etc, like at a typical state park, and if that is what you want - wonderful for you.

No one has owned a TT before.. until they own one. That's how everything in life works.

We all go/went into it guessing.

If your van has a 5k tow rating, then it should be fine, does your owners manual give you any frontal area restrictions? If not, then you are within the manufacturers rating, just the same as you would be with any other 5K rated vehicle. No one here can tell you anything more than that.

The first is to rent the TT you are thinking of buying and to tow it with what you have, but you had indicated that local dealers weren't willing to rent.  

The second option is to rent a u-haul, load it to an equal weight as the 190, and tow it with your existing vehicle.  That would give you some idea as to how adequate you feel your current vehicle is for towing.  

One option that I don't believe has been mentioned is to buy the TT you want and to rent a tow vehicle for the times you want to go camping.  This seems like an expensive option but may be less expensive than new truck payments.  Of course, if you are retired and spend 3-6 months on the road like some of us, this may not be cheaper. 

And, of course, there is the option of converting your existing vehicle.  You may be able to convert it back.

I was once told that torque determines what you can move and horsepower determines how fast you can move it.  I feel that the 5000 lb tow rating is adequate for a 190 but you may or may not be happy with the performance.  I got my tow vehicle back when I had a 13500 lb fifth wheel camper.  It is a diesel and has a super charger on it.  I tow at 62 mph even though it is possible to go faster because of fuel economy.  I discount the concept of 4 cylinder vs 6 or eight cylinder for the simple reason that Offenhauser 4 cylinder engines were used in Indy car racers quite successfully.