Mabuhay

I'm having a hard time speaking with someone live from the DMV to answer this question.

Does anyone here happen to know the trailer laws in Massachusetts? I want to trailer my C4S using my X5 but don't know if I need to have an electric brake controller installed or can I do with the "surge brakes"?

Thanks!

ltc

AFAIK, the MA RMV only cares about paying sales and excise tax on your trailer.

For example, you can register a Trailex car trailer with surge brakes no differently than registering a Featherlite car trailer with electric brakes.

There are rules regarding how large a trailer can be and not have ANY brakes.

If you have trailer questions, I would strongly suggest contacting the guys at Atlantic Coast Trailers ... they are all racers and trailer sales/service experts.

http://actrailers.com/contact.htm

PorscheDoc

You are going to want electric brakes and a brake controller with the X5 towing tha load or you will warp rotors. Buddy of mine just killed his brakes in his X5 towing a 2000lb VW bug with my trailer that doesn't have the brakes hooked up (i tow with a slightly bigger vehicle, lol).

ltc

Unless the trailer is equipped with surge brakes

Mabuhay

I figured if it has surge brakes, then I wouldn't need to have electric brakes... I just don't want to have the added complexity of electric brakes and have someone muck around with the X5's electronics...

ltc

In general, adding an electric brake controller is a simple task (assuming the vehicle is pre-wired (has a towing option/kit)

There should be a 4 pin connector under the dash and a receptacle (might be covered with a blank plate) at the rear bumper for a standard 7pin Pollack connector.

On the Cayennes, there is occasionally a need to have the software updated (RoW vs US specs), but normally it's plug and play.

You will need to make sure the connector is there anyways, even with surge brakes, you will still need to have functioning trailer lights.

Also, depending on open vs closed trailer, you may need towing mirror extensinos for the side mirrors, so you can see behind you (IIRC, you need to be able to see an emergency vehicle following you at 100'...or some law like that).

PorscheDoc

The advantage of the electric brakes is being able to control sway independently by applying only the trailer brakes if the trailer starts moving around on you. A 3400lb car plus the weight of the trailer behind a short wheel base X5....yea, you're going to have some sway at some point.

Also backing up with surge brakes is a pain in the butt, as well as they require a bit more maintenance.

Coochas

I am fairly certain that the MA DMV doesn't care which trailer brakes you have and hence does not care if you have a trailer brake controller installed. It also never came up in my talks with my insurance guy.

MUSSBERGER

You need "free backing" surge brakes.

U4EEAH

Towing with a marginal tow vehicle (such as the X5), the braking force adjust-ability of a quality )such as Prodigy) electric controller makes it HIGHLY desirable. Even without a prewired harness the connection is no more intrusive than that required to work the brake and signal lights. Most of the brake function is controlled by the controllers internal de-accelerometer.

Kein_Ersatz

Not an expert, more of a rookie here, so . . .

I have 3 U-Haul/911 tows with my '03 X5 4.6 under my belt in the last 2 years (longest 5-hours one-way) here in fly-over-land (not dealing with extreme duration steep grades). U-Haul has surge brakes.

I think if I was investing in a trailer with the X5 as the tow vehicle, I'd go light as possible on trailer and go with Prodigy electric brakes for the added safety.

A small investment in money (and set up time) will pay big dividends. I'd say the riskiest part of a DE tow, is the drive home from the track. Or any time it is raining. Any advantage you can have then is worth it. YMWV and always, always, always remember to keep an assured clear distance and heads up in traffic with a lookout for left lane dive-bombers, passing and stopping. It will only take one stab of the brake pedal to realize a tug from the rear beats a push from the rear. and a code brown.

And if you haven't found it yet, the Xoutpost has lots of details (and even more opinions) on towing with an X5.

Mabuhay

Although you mentioned above, you didn't say how it was to tow your 911 with just surge brakes... uneventful? scary? etc...

ltc

There are many folks here who tow with surge brakes, as this is a popular configuration on Trailex (aluminum) trailers.

FWIW, I just prefer electric brakes, a diesel engine and a long wheelbase tow vehicle configuration.
I've towed my Cup car, 24' enclosed aluminum trailer with both a Cayenne and a Ford Excursion, the difference was night and day.

That having been said, tow vehicle discussions are in the same pantheon as oil viscosity and H&N restraints......

Mabuhay

Night and day what? Which was better, the Cayenne or the Excursion?

ltc

I don't mean to take this Off Topic or open the floodgates of hell to another tow vehicle thread, but the Excursion tows better than the Cayenne.

I just like torque and wheelbase .... and 15W-40