E34 520i Towbar down thrust

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   Hi, me again. Having just read the manual I have noticed this car has a very low downthrust on the towbar at 50kg only. Since most 5 berth caravans are more in the region of 75kg upwards does anyone have experience of towing larger vans. can the suspension be upgraded to allow a higher level. I know the self leveling sus. can take 75kg but don't want to have to start fitting all that to it.
help

nick

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nick mcd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05-August-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5	Topic: E34 520i Towbar down thrust Posted: 23-August-2004 at 18:39
	Hi, me again. Having just read the manual I have noticed this car has a very low downthrust on the towbar at 50kg only. Since most 5 berth caravans are more in the region of 75kg upwards does anyone have experience of towing larger vans. can the suspension be upgraded to allow a higher level. I know the self leveling sus. can take 75kg but don't want to have to start fitting all that to it. help nick

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Andrew Rolland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579	Posted: 24-August-2004 at 09:30
	Nick 50 kg that's crap! Are you sure, most cars can take more than that, only diddy wee Corsa's etc can only take 50 kg nose weights? What kinda Beamer is it? My E39 can take 90kg I think I have just bought a E39 98 S 523i Auto and I am working my way thru reading the manual too. Fords and Vauxhalls can take 75 kg. I would have thought that it won't be your rear suspension set up that limits your nose weight it will be the car a a whole that limits the nose weight as it will affect the balance of the car as a whole. But I stand to be corrected. I know of a lot of caravaners fit beefed up suspension to their tow car to cope with the extra demands on the cars suspension when towing. Might need to go down that road I'm afraid. Might be worth writing in to the Q&A pages of Practical Caravan or another caravaning magazine for advice. Andrew
	Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series! Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto

Savo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I :-) Joined: 26-July-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 128	Posted: 04-September-2004 at 12:14
	Hi, I tow a Swift Challenger 440 with my '92 525i sport and think the car tows the van brilliantly even though my suspension has gone soft. My mother tows a large 2003 Sterling Europa 520 with her 94 525I sport and thinks its brilliant safe and steady, a hugh improvement on her previous car which was a 93 Volvo 940. The caravan club printed an article about a year ago on towing with the 5 series and their view was that they made excellent tow cars. Andrew
	1992 525I Sport, Bilstein Sport Suspension. Viper 2 Chip