[QUIKDZL]

Now you don't see it.



Now you do.



Check rear suspension pressure.



Adjust for towing.



Back-up camera makes it easy.



Electric tongue lift makes it really easy.



All hitched up.



Best truck I ever owned. This rig hauls more than my heavy duty truck ever did. Bought my trailer, sold my truck.

[335dsleeper]

Hahaha sweet! I like it.

[fareast1]

Nice!

[DSB335d]

Looks like that trailer has brake assist. Is 2 tons the max recommend weight with that type of trailer?

[charlie fairmont]

Ha! I was just gonna post on the "what did you do to your d today" thread that I hooked the 'ol girl up for the first day on the water this season. Had a truck for a few months and couldn't stand it either. Traded it on the d.

So you have an air suspension? I was thinking about those...

[QUIKDZL]

Originally Posted by DSB335d

Looks like that trailer has brake assist. Is 2 tons the max recommend weight with that type of trailer?

I have the Tekonsha trailer-mounted brake controller, and it works great. The towing spec in Europe is 4000 pounds. It would be the same here if our market allowed these cars to be recommended for towing. With one axle, the trailer is rated for 3500 pounds gross. The D pulls this better than my 1500HD did, and it stops better because the controller makes the trailer invisible to the car's brakes.

[QUIKDZL]

Originally Posted by charlie fairmont

So you have an air suspension? I was thinking about those...

Yeah, I got air bags for the coils and the Air Lift Wireless One compressor.

[Built4Sin]

Nice!

[TDIwyse]

I like everything about this.

If you have time, I'd like to know more about the air suspension system and the bags you used.

[Mik325tds]

Originally Posted by TDIwyse

I like everything about this.

If you have time, I'd like to know more about the air suspension system and the bags you used.

Same here! Well done!
Also, where did you mount the back-up camera and how did you get it integrated into the CIC?

[Barmlot]

I love this and am very jealous. I hate having to borrow my buddy's truck when i'm buying furniture/moving.

[Poosik]

Originally Posted by QUIKDZL

I have the Tekonsha trailer-mounted brake controller, and it works great. The towing spec in Europe is 4000 pounds. It would be the same here if our market allowed these cars to be recommended for towing. With one axle, the trailer is rated for 3500 pounds gross. The D pulls this better than my 1500HD did, and it stops better because the controller makes the trailer invisible to the car's brakes.

NICe, thanks for sharing!!

What's the tongue weight??

[GadgetBMW]

Very nice! Another fine example of the versatility of the 335d. I would certainly like to hear more about your setup. Thanks for sharing!

[Built4Sin]

Originally Posted by Mik325tds

Same here! Well done!
Also, where did you mount the back-up camera and how did you get it integrated into the CIC?

Check this out:

http://www.bimmerretrofit.com/store/...&product_id=52

I used that last year, Quik's looks the same with the backup lines and being able to adjust the brightness and contrast.

[335dM]

Lol

[kydiesel35]

Throw some truck nuts on that thing.

[WreckerX5d]

This might be a good alternative than getting a 3rd vehicle in truck form.

Thanks for sharing this, it's pretty awesome.

[Jet Wrench]

Especially when your 335d pulls your boat up the ramp effortlessly. Living in Italy, personal pick up trucks are few. I would not hesitate to use the car for towing. My 320d does it all the time, the 3.0 liter six? Like it wasn't back there!

[QUIKDZL]

Yeah, I got the bimmerretrofit camera system. They now have it with active back-up lines, which would be nice.

Tongue weight is not supposed to exceed 200 pounds (European towing spec), and this rig occasionally does, so I added the air bags. Mounted the little compressor high up on the left side of my trunk by riveting it to the carpeted panel just behind the wheel arch. This puts it just above and forward of my water/meth tank.

I can't remember the actual air bags I used, but I can probably figure it out next weekend. I bought everything from airliftcompany.com. The bags are 3" diameter x 9" long, and they could stand to be longer. There is not a system for our cars, but similar ones for Hondas and Mustangs. I wound up with the 3x9 springs with some large flat rings to support the bottoms and allow the air line access to the bags. You also need a couple of their top spacers, which look like large test tube plugs--about 2" tapering to 3" and about 2.5" tall. I didn't want to remove the springs to install the bags, so I tossed them, but now regret it. They're needed to fill the tapered top of the coil spring. One day I'll reorder them and remove the spring and stuff them above the bags.

If these were in place, I could actually lift the back end. As it is, I can only increase the spring rate.

Pulling this enclosed trailer is easy, but it is a parachute. Because of this, I use the manual transmission mode when pulling the large trailer (it wants to downshift too easily). I always start in first and briskly accelerate, shift through second quickly to get torque converter lockup, and then upshift with speed. Once underway, I have never needed to downshift on the highway, and usually use cruise control. Cuts economy to about 18 mpg at 70 mph, and it is pulling going downhill to maintain the speed. Exhaust gas temps will hit 1000-1100 on long uphill interstate sections, but quickly drop to about 800 when the road levels out. I pulled a much smaller two-place PWC trailer with two Wetbikes on it from SC to OK and back last summer with the cruise set on 75 and got 32 mpg. Hard to tell it was back there.

[QUIKDZL]

Yeah, I get a lot of rubbernecking with the enclosed trailer attached.

[DSB335d]

Originally Posted by QUIKDZL

Yeah, I get a lot of rubbernecking with the enclosed trailer attached.

: must get some funny looks passing people too!

[QUIKDZL]

I'm sure I do, but I can't see 'em!