Remember to take the OEM wiring harness and module ( module is mounted near the
battery)

Remember you need the long bumper steel insert as well as the steel brackets that replace the stock bumper pistons - both are OEM Hitch specific.

I have removed 6-7 OEM E53 hitches, all in rusty New England. Each time I had the heavy tow bar and bumper insert sandblasted and repainted and they looked new.

Save ALL hardware and plastic grommets

Good idea to look on eBay or elsewhere and see ALL the parts that are included in a complete kit it’s like 8-10..many on EBay are missing important pieces, which can’t be bought separately.

You need
A large torx socket…I think it’s t-50 for bolt that holds bumper to brackets
I bring a map gas torch to heat up rusty fasteners
A breaker bar
Impact wrench 3/8 is fine
A 3/8 universal joint or wobble
Metric sockets particularly 15,16mm but 10 also
SAE sockets which might fit better on a rusty corroded fastener.
Penetrating fluid
And a sawzall if there is any chance you might want to cut a fused bolt..

Take the bumper off first. remove small bolts from each of the rear wheel liners. You can then either remove the T-50 bolts holding bumper to bracket, OR remove the 15 or16mm tow bar nuts at 3 and 9 o'clock from inside the car near the spare tire well. Be sure to remove the long steel OEM-hitch- only insert from the bumper cover....its a lot of plastic grommets...keep those.

On each side of the tow bar, there are three of the bolts/nuts holding the heavy tow bar to the X5 are accessible from inside the trunk..they are never rusty and come right off.. the 4th nut on each side is under the car, exposed to road salt and can turn the job into 5 hours…you can always cut them off but that is the last resort.

Good luck. Well worth the effort.