Trailer

[jaynana]

I've bought an ERDE 122 trailer off ebay, which i plan to go and collect tomorrow.

i've also got myself a spare rear number plate to stick onto it

tbo, that's about all i know about trailers!

anything i should watch out for? things to check when pickin it up, things to do when hookin it up to my X - so that most importantly i won't have an issue bringing it home? pls let me know!

cheers

j

[wilkoturbo]

13 pin to 7 unless the trailer is 13 !

[X5Sport]

Tyre pressures, tread condition, and also the age of the tyres. Anything over 5 years needs a careful and close look for cracking. I've got a small and currently in bits ERDE Trailer - can't remember the number, but it's a car one so a 102 or 105 I think, and as its tyres are about 14 years old they need replacing due to time related oxidation, even though it's been stored carefully in the garage and they look OK. If they are over 5 years old then replace them when you get home. It's a recommendation from the Caravan Club, and seems sensible. We used it as policy with our 20 trailer fleet.

Other than that, if you can get the wheels off the ground (one at a time is fine) carefully rotate the wheels to feel how the wheel bearings run. Should be smooth. Check the tow ball locks home fully and there's no slack when it's attached to the car, and attach the trailer safety chain (if it's got one fitted) to the car so the trailer can't come off and disappear suddenly!

If it has the Erde locks fitted, don't forget the keys!

Once you've been running a while, pull up and check the tyre temps. If high, could indicate a bearing issue, or pressure issue.

And of course unless it has the high cover, as mine does, you won't be able to see it! Handling wise it will bounce about so be aware of that, and allow for it on corners! Runny Grannies over on the kerb gets you shouted at.....

Covered above but.....And finally, it'll probably be 7-pin electrics. OEM BMWs use 13-pin so remember your adapter. Check all lights work.

Just trying to remember the checklist we used to have to run through before towing our erectable aerial trailers. I learned a lot about towing a trailers the hard way after never being trained to tow, and then being asked to bring a 2.6tonne mobile lab back from Yorkshire in strong crosswinds. It was a very unstable outfit and had a 'little lay down' on the A1 near Grantham. We closed the southbound carriageway on a Friday afternoon for two hours. The investigation found all sorts of things we were doing wrong out of ignorance. After that EVERYONE who was then involved in towing was formally trained on how to tow after that and we had no more incidents. The Police told me we got away with being prosecuted simply because it was a Crown Vehicle on Government Business. Such immunity has since gone.

[pvr]

A BE driving licence

[X5Sport]

[quote=""pvr""]A BE driving licence [/quote]

Good point - forgot about that one.

I took my test long before that change was brought in.......but I did at least sit (and pass) a test, I'm not that old - before anyone suggests otherwise....

You must have passed your test before 1st Jan 1997. After that you need the separate B+E test as pvr says.

[CondorX5]

You only need a B + E to tow a trailer if the trailer is over 750kg........if its under that you can tow it on just a B licence. An Erde 122 doesn't need a B + E.

[jaynana]

[quote=""CondorX5""]You only need a B + E to tow a trailer if the trailer is over 750kg........if its under that you can tow it on just a B licence. An Erde 122 doesn't need a B + E.[/quote]

phew that almost was a deal breaker!! i was almost imaginin a negative ebay feedback after cancellin the deal than riskin my license. but actually ur right, B is sufficient:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dr ... G_10013073

thanks x5sport for all that info, tires should be ok as the trailer is not very old.. most importantly - i won't be able to see the trailer at all on the rear or side mirrors? i never thought of that, that will be a huge concern! noted other points - will check wheel hubs before leaving, tires after running a few miles just to make sure.

one more thing - you say to ensure tow ball locks home fully - never done this, don't know how to do it.. tell me more, or i guess i'd go there and figure it out!! can't be rocket science..

wilkoturbo - 7 pin vs 13 pin - none of the sellers indicate what it has! guess it may have to come back home without lights worst case!

thanks guys that was really helpful! off to bed with more confidence

j

[X5Sport]

Make sure the tow ball release handle locks down fully. It should 'snap' closed. Try lifting the drawbar when it's attached to the car. It should not lift.

One more thing. If it's fitted with a 'jockey wheel' (the little one on the drawbar) make sure it's fully retracted and fully lifted up into its travel position. Leaving it down leads to 'interesting' and unwanted effects - especially over speed humps!

Most ERDE trailers are 7-pin. You may be able to get an adapter at Halfrauds if you pass one. They do sell these trailers after all. EDIT: Halfords do indeed sell a Ring 13-7 adapter @£29.99 a pop, sounds too much to me!

Have fun. And you can always tape a garden cane vertically into each rear corner so you can see where the trailer is in the mirror. I've even seen them with a ping pong or tennis ball stuck on the top end too.

[shadrack]

And you can always tape a garden cane vertically into each rear corner so you can see where the trailer is in the mirror. I've even seen them with a ping pong or tennis ball stuck on the top end too. [/quote]

or buy a man sized trailer!!!

[CondorX5]

An Erde 122 is so small you could probably fit it in the car It will look somewhat dwarfed by an X5 We've got a 422 and that's a nice garden trailer size - the box is only 6ft x 4ft on the 422. They tow very easily, don't worry just remember the thing is hitched up behind you when overtaking and parking etc
Oh, and remember that when towing even a titchy little job like the 122 your speed limit suddenly reduces to 60mph on a motorway........

[X5Sport]

I've only kept my Ickle timy Erde because the Mini can tow it. I'd want a bigger trailer behind the X6 as you say. Trouble is I use one so rarely now it's probably cheaper to hire as and when, or even to hire a van. Got nowhere to keep a larger trailer anyway. Well nowhere close by.

[jaynana]

and the baby comes home pic below.

its relatively new and unused.

the ball release handle locks down well, but its wierd that its such a small bit of mechanics and a single point of failure that can result in unbelievable consequences if it ever fails!??

not a man sized trailer? you guys are crazy - its big enuff its now occupied a huge part of my garage!

speed limit when towin is 60 eh? good thing i didn't speed more than 60 not that i knew the limit but i was so worried - first time towin a trailer and that on the m25, with no visibility whether it exists any more or whether its fallen off!!!

i certainly don't like the fact that i can't see it at all in any of the mirrors, garden cane with a ball on it sounds like a good idea.

first trip tomorrow - to the dump yard - got to clean the garden, overdue for this spring, trailer is right on time!

connector - yeah its got a 7pin, and the car has a 13pin. so need a converter. £29 sounds too much

i feel like a kid with a new toy!!

[X5Sport]

Glad you're back and the purchase was all good.. If you get the 'high cover' for it you will be able to see it in the rear view mirror. It adds quite a bit to the height. It's just a tubular frame over which a fabric/vinyl cover fits.

One thing I did with mine when I built it was to paint the whole underside of the box area (including the chassis suspension boxwork parts) with black Waxoyl as i reckoned the galvanising wouldn't last.

Of course, BMW should have supplied the adapter with the car, which means you should have one. I made sure my X5 was sold with its adapter, and that I still have one for the X6.

Loads of suppliers on line from under a tenner upwards.

[dirtymonkey29]

[quote=""jaynana""]
connector - yeah its got a 7pin, and the car has a 13pin. so need a converter. £29 sounds too much [/quote]

eBay!!!

[CondorX5]

[quote=""jaynana""]and the baby comes home pic below.

its relatively new and unused.

the ball release handle locks down well, but its wierd that its such a small bit of mechanics and a single point of failure that can result in unbelievable consequences if it ever fails!??

not a man sized trailer? you guys are crazy - its big enuff its now occupied a huge part of my garage!

speed limit when towin is 60 eh? good thing i didn't speed more than 60 not that i knew the limit but i was so worried - first time towin a trailer and that on the m25, with no visibility whether it exists any more or whether its fallen off!!!

i certainly don't like the fact that i can't see it at all in any of the mirrors, garden cane with a ball on it sounds like a good idea.

first trip tomorrow - to the dump yard - got to clean the garden, overdue for this spring, trailer is right on time!

connector - yeah its got a 7pin, and the car has a 13pin. so need a converter. £29 sounds too much

i feel like a kid with a new toy!!

[/quote]

Tee Hee, it IS a toy so you are a big kid with a new toy Trailers are great, having had one or other trailer for many a year now, I wouldnt be without one. I tug an Erde 422 to the dump and general lugging stuff and have also got a Loadlugger closed 6x4 trailer - same footprint as the Erde but much more useful in many respects - roller shutter door and loads of room inside means you can load up about 3x the stuff you can get in the same size Erde. Erde do make some side rails and a tarpaulin thingy to extend the size of the Erde a bit, but not quite the same. The Loadlugger is my little pride and joy
My Xes towhitch just lives on the X permanently as I often use it and its a pain to remove the hitch all the time.
Be careful with the road laws regarding trailers, I'm serious about the speed limit when towing being reduced, whether you're towing a large caravan or a little garden trailer. Its also fun reversing them although with little trailers its just easier to unhitch. Enjoy your useful toy