Hitch Receiver e53 OEM vs aftermarket

[stevekat]

I have seen this topic somewhat beat to death, but I have not seen any associated hard evidence on the topic, just rhetoric.

I want to carry a dual sport bike to the dirt roads using a carrier. About 300 lbs. I know about the multiplier effect and the moment forces, the specs for tongue weight, and that their are dynamic loads.

In the past there are ad nauseam posts that say, 'use the factory hitch', 'use the factory hitch', 'use the factory hitch.' The claim is the earliest design of the aftermarket hitches damaged the rear pan due to it twisting downward. This makes sense. However the manufacturers added a strut to the rear subframe to correct this deficiency.

Some past posters claim they have seen this same failure after this design change, but I have not found a single one of these posters describe the failure mode or show a picture, with various excuses for not doing so.

I can get a factory hitch. And if I was pulling a heavy load of 5000 - 6000 lbs I would do so. I understand the argument. The factory hitch is well designed and appears very strong in this tension mode. However, in terms of the potential for a high tongue weight only, with no trailer towing, to me, the aftermarket hitch with the strut bar (Reese 51093, Draw-Tite 75492) seems like a more robust design than the OEM solution in terms of tongue load.

There was one member who had an aftermarket hitch with the strut reinforcement and claimed no problems in carrying a dirt bike, after much use.

I'd like to know if any members have experience with a failure of the system using the new type aftermarket hitch with the strut bar, carrying a high tongue weight, and who can describe the failure (did the strut collapse?) or has photos. Or success stories of using the aftermarket hitch carrying a motorcycle or other heavy tongue load.

As an aside, is there any OEM hitch (receiver) failure (twisting downward) recorded due to high tongue weight? For the aftermarket hitch, not as interested as much for failures due to tension load, though feel free to add your experience.)

I'd like to avoid anything that cannot have the failure mode particularly described. A bonus would be a photo. ie: that the hitch twisted down is not sufficient. How it did do so, in light of the present design with a strut bar, is what is necessary to support an example of an observed deficiency.

Again, it is acknowledged that the early design of these hitches without a strut bar were insufficient and need not be rehashed.

Perhaps we can clarify this prolific topic.

(Not interested in arguments that we should only use OEM parts or designs, about aesthetics, or about the competence of BMW engineers.)

Thanks. Perhaps we can reduce the lack of clarity to this ongoing discussion.