[Royeh32]

I don’t know what the difference is, but I installed the 447-310-04-00 this weekend on a 2018 and fit perfectly. It even came with backing plates, bolts, nuts, and washers.

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I recall you saying you wanted to install hitch and wiring harness and let MB do the control module and programming. How much did your Mb dealer charge you for the install and programming?
tia

 

[Royeh32]

I had my van programmed today as per AN31.10-S-8080EE and we had the same problem. No tailer zoom options on the rear view display.

This despite the fact that the he newly-installed trailer recognition module was clearly alive and talking. It was able to drive a set of trailer tail lamps plugged in to the 7-pin module. And the multifunction display was able to report that a trailer lamp was out.

But no rear view camera zoom options.

The dealer reprogrammed everything a second time while I waited, but to no avail.

After discussing it a bit with the service manager, he noted that although the AN31.10-S-8080EE document describes SCN coding of the electronic ignition lock (step 12), ESP control unit (step 13), signal acquisition and control unit (step 14) and reversing camera control unit (step 15) - it does not explicitly mention re-coding the audio unit itself.

Apparently that was the missing ingredient. I'm not privy to how these operations look on the technician's end, but after they took it back in to perform the additional step of re-coding the audio unit, the the trailer zoom options appeared, and all was well.

I hope this is helpful to someone who finds himself in a similar situation.

How much did MB charge your for programming if I do the rest myself?

 

[Willapa]

I recall you saying you wanted to install hitch and wiring harness and let MB do the control module and programming. How much did your Mb dealer charge you for the install and programming?
tia

Funny you should ask since I’ve been procrastinating about dropping off at dealer to get this done. I’ve had the hitch and harness installed for a month now. I was going to buy and plug in the control module, but I might leave that to them since all of the plugs are right there in the side hatch and I labeled everything. So all they have to do is click the module in and do programming. The module costs around $370 and I was hoping to spend no more than a few hundred on the programming, but we’ll see. I think it’ll vary drastically from dealer to dealer depending on their familiarity. I’m hoping to get it done soon, so I’ll let you know.


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[Gottlieb]

How much did MB charge your for programming if I do the rest myself?

No charge. It was a condition of my purchasing the van. Or looked at another way, it cost me the price of a Metris.

I assume they would charge an hour labor to reprogram another van. I say that because the service manager circled steps 11-15 on the retrofit document along with the annotation "1.0 hr."

 

[Royeh32]

The more I stew on it the more irked I get that MB have added the trailer brake connector for the '19's with no retrofit for the rest of us. Here's what the 2018 OM says:

WARNING
If you tow a trailer without a separate functional
braking system and a gross trailer
weight (GTW) of more than 1635 lbs (750 kg),
then the vehicle brake system may overheat.
This increases the braking distance and the
brake system may even fail. There is an
increased risk of accident and injury, possibly
even fatal.

Always use a trailer with a separate functional
braking system when towing a trailer with a
gross trailer weight (GTW) of more than
1635 lbs (750 kg).

These guys MUST have some responsibility!

Does the 2019 have brake controller capability?? I've been trying to do my research adding OEM hitch and trailer module, but i have a 2019 and all these thread or 2018 and earlier. Wondering if I won't need to do certain parts of this install. TIA

 

[Greenmanedlion]

It can certainly accept the Prodigy RF most people are using, which should suit you fine.

 

[Willapa]

Is anyone using an adapter from the 7 blade round trailer electrical jack to a 4 pin flat plug on their trailer? I saw a couple of reviews on Amazon that they get some vehicles computers confused.


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[imacd]

I've used one on 3 or 4 different trailers. no problem.

 

[Willapa]

I've used one on 3 or 4 different trailers. no problem.

Cool, good to know. I’ll pick one up and give it a try.


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[pawo007]

I've used a 4 pin adapter also with no issues. My trailer has LED light modules with a couple incandescent side markers and it works fine. Buy a 7 to 4 pin converter that has little LED's on it to signify the trailer lights, its very handy!

 

[Willapa]

Well, the deed is done. Had my dealer provide and install the trailer recognition unit and do programming. They supposedly do a bunch of metris hitches so the programming went perfectly. I had to shell out $500 for the labor which seems high, but I was just glad to put this project behind me and know that it’s done correctly. I also saved a boat load on doing the hitch install and wiring harness myself. I know it worked since I have the trailer backup cam option and the dash told me my trailer lights were out. I ordered a 7 pin to 4 pin adapter of amazon and works just fine.


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[birdboy]

Thanks to this thread I successfully installed the factory hitch yesterday (447-310-04-00-MBZ from Pelican Parts). I decided to angle-grind the plug hanger off, and make the bumper cutout as minimal as possible for a cleaner look. Someday I'll do the wiring and tuck the harness behind the bumper, but for now it's just used with a bike rack. With my lift from Santa Cruz Campers I have a full 12" clearance from the ground to the lowest point of the hitch.

 

[noman]

Thanks to this thread I successfully installed the factory hitch yesterday (447-310-04-00-MBZ from Pelican Parts). I decided to angle-grind the plug hanger off, and make the bumper cutout as minimal as possible for a cleaner look. Someday I'll do the wiring and tuck the harness behind the bumper, but for now it's just used with a bike rack. With my lift from Santa Cruz Campers I have a full 12" clearance from the ground to the lowest point of the hitch.

View attachment 18001

Thanks so much for sharing a photo of your install. Very clean look!! Can you confirm that the 447-310-04-00-MBZ from Pelican Parts came with the necessary hardware (nuts, bolts and washers) that you need to install the hitch? Also, from the manual, it looks like the backing plates are not necessary. Is that correct?

Thank you for your advice in advance.

 

[birdboy]

Thanks! Yes I can confirm the part #447-310-04-00-MBZ from Pelican Parts (called "Trailer Coupling" in their system) did come with the necessary installation hardware (nuts, bolts and washers), and the backing plates. The bolts that arrived are the same as the type holding my tow hook that I removed during the hitch installation. It all arrived in a single box with the installation hardware included in a plastic bag inside (arrived this week, in August 2020).

Note: I didn't use the backing plates in my hitch installation because they seemed unnecessary - in fact they would have limited the amount of thread the bolts would be able to grab, thereby weakening the system imo.

Also note: It took 5 business days for Pelican to get the part to their warehouse in Los Angeles, then took 2 business days to ship it to me in Northern California. The part description says it weighs 11lbs, but I ignored that, and the box indeed weighed more. Sure enough, when it arrived it was the genuine Mercedes part with the "Westfalia" sticker affixed to the hitch's plug hanger (as discussed by others earlier in this thread).

 

[Greenmanedlion]

The purpose of backing plates in most instances where they are used is to distribute the load from the fastener across the surface they are backing. The backing plate has nothing to do with the load caused by the vehicle weight of a towed trailer, as that is lateral load.

The backing plate is used to distribute the weight load placed on the hitch by the TONGUE WEIGHT of the towed trailer, that is the percentage of the weight that is supported by your car, rather than the trailers wheels. In North America, generally speaking tongue weight is about 10% of the trailer weight, and indeed the maximum load for the Metris’s hitch for tongue weight is 500 lbs vs it’s 5000 lb tow rating.

With a heavy duty bike rack and two bikes you could easily by putting over 200 lbs of load on that mounting- the equivalent of towing a 1-ton trailer for the hitch mounts. I am not your lord and master, but I suggest you re-install that thing WITH the backing plates.

 

[noman]

Thanks! Yes I can confirm the part #447-310-04-00-MBZ from Pelican Parts (called "Trailer Coupling" in their system) did come with the necessary installation hardware (nuts, bolts and washers), and the backing plates. The bolts that arrived are the same as the type holding my tow hook that I removed during the hitch installation. It all arrived in a single box with the installation hardware included in a plastic bag inside (arrived this week, in August 2020).

Note: I didn't use the backing plates in my hitch installation because they seemed unnecessary - in fact they would have limited the amount of thread the bolts would be able to grab, thereby weakening the system imo.

Also note: It took 5 business days for Pelican to get the part to their warehouse in Los Angeles, then took 2 business days to ship it to me in Northern California. The part description says it weighs 11lbs, but I ignored that, and the box indeed weighed more. Sure enough, when it arrived it was the genuine Mercedes part with the "Westfalia" sticker affixed to the hitch's plug hanger (as discussed by others earlier in this thread).

Thanks for the details! One more thing: Did you have to remove the spare tire while installing the hitch? It looks like the hitch can be installed without removing the tire first, but maybe it's much easier if the spare is out of the way?

 

[birdboy]

@noman installing the hitch with the spare tire up does appear possible, but lowering it was definitely worth the effort to get it out of the way and to learn how to do it (there's a hidden port with a cover, the van's toolkit is needed, and the tool's sticker showing turning directions seemed backwards to me). I didn't need to detatch the muffler though. Otherwise I mostly followed the steps in the YouTube video posted earlier in this thread (except I didn't remove the bumper insert).

@Greenmanedlion thanks for those points. The backing plates would help, but the bolts included in the kit don't accommodate the added thickness. Maybe someone who bought a Metris new including the factory hitch could check if backing plates are used there?

 

[Lane on the fence]

I just looked at mine (factory install) it has a backing plate...it a triangle that connects all three fastners. I would use the plate. I would call the mfg and tell them the problem. You should have a thread or two exposed after its tight. If you source fasteners on your own make sure they are of spec and not just a normal bolt.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Here is a picture.

 

[Gottlieb]

the tool's sticker showing turning directions seemed backwards to me

The direction on the sticker is backwards - for the spare tire hoist. I believe it's intended for the scissor jack. It's a goofy use of labeling.