Home Forums Articles How To's FAQ Register
Go Back   Xoutpost.com > BMW SAV Forums > X5 (E53) Forum
Fluid Motor Union
User Name
Password
Member List Premier Membership Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Xoutpost server transfer and maintenance is occurring....
Xoutpost is currently undergoing a planned server migration.... stay tuned for new developments.... sincerely, the management


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-13-2019, 09:30 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 93
stevekat is on a distinguished road
Hitch Receiver e53 OEM vs aftermarket

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.
__________________
2003 X5 Sport w/Premium Package M54 3.0L 6cyl

Last edited by stevekat; 05-13-2019 at 09:53 PM.
Reply With Quote

Sponsored Links

  #2  
Old 05-13-2019, 10:53 PM
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 93
stevekat is on a distinguished road
In my view, but obviously without calculation, the OEM hitch may or may not seem to be superior torsionally. The OEM hitch is robust, but seems to have four long bolts configured in a horizontal plane and one above and below on each side attaching into the reinforced box frame to hold the receiver bar to the system, and to resist twisting. The aftermarket receiver has a strut that to me would seem to provide significant torsional strength. Unless the strut bends or breaks, or the subframe component bends, the aftermarket receiver design may be near that of the OEM in terms of torsional resistance.

The way the OEM system replaces the rear bumper shock absorbers and anchors the solid inserts into the boxed rails certainly seems to provide much more significant system strength in tension.

The discussion should focus on observed failures of the revised design of the aftermarket hitch, if they exist, and the long term success of using the aftermarket hitch in the modes described, as well as comparing the OEM and aftermarket torsional design.
__________________
2003 X5 Sport w/Premium Package M54 3.0L 6cyl

Last edited by stevekat; 05-14-2019 at 09:16 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-14-2019, 12:01 AM
crystalworks's Avatar
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: SA, TX
Posts: 6,414
crystalworks is on a distinguished road
I don't think you are going to get a definitive answer to your dilemma. Would it be possible to try an aftermarket hitch and monitor it for your use case? Or would it be an immediate catastrophic failure? Are they expensive? OE hitches run anywhere from a few hundred to a grand. I have no experience with anything but the OE, and even that ends at removing/installing it. But I am interested in any info of OE vs AM as a matter of curiosity. Sorry for not having your requested data points hopefully someone else does.
__________________
2005 X5 4.4i Build 04/05 Maintenance/Build Log
Nav, Pano, Sport (Purchased 06/14 w/ 109,000 miles) (Sold 8/15 w/121,000 miles)


2006 X5 4.8is Build 11/05 Maintenance/Build Log
Nav, DSP, Pano, Running Boards, OEM Tow Hitch, Cold Weather Pckg (Purchased 08/15 w/ 90,500 miles)

2010 X5 35d Build 02/10
Nav, HiFi, 6 DVD, Sports Pckg, Cold Weather Pckg, HUD, CAS, Running Boards, Leather Dash, PDC, Pano (Purchased 03/17 w/ 136,120 miles)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-14-2019, 08:21 AM
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: NYC
Posts: 4,755
SlickGT1 is on a distinguished road
OE hitch is way more robust than anything aftermarket. There is just no discussion there. It’s all about tongue weight. And the way the OE goes into factory frame rails and bolts through, means the its tongue is that much more secure.

It’s all about the weakest link. And the weakest link on aftermarket would be the way it attaches to the car. Anyway, I don’t think you will have instant failure with an aftermarket hitch, but if you can get an OE for reasonable money, do it. There is no question that it’s better no matter what you throw at it. It’s just solid with no reported failures as far as i remember.
__________________
2006 4.8is, Black on White. SOLD Sniff Sniff.

2017 F85 x5m, Black on Red. BEAST MODE


"The older we grow the greater becomes our wonder at how much ignorance one can contain without bursting one's clothes." - Mark Twain

Unlock OBC post 5
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-19-2019, 09:13 AM
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 147
racebmwm3 is on a distinguished road
I'd like to know where you can get a OE hitch for "reasonable" money.
__________________
2005 X5 3.0 6-spd.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-19-2019, 09:28 AM
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: NYC
Posts: 4,755
SlickGT1 is on a distinguished road
People manage. Junkyards. I’m sure you will find one, and most places don’t even know what they have. It’s literal gold on here. Just labor. One of those things you will have to put a bit of elbow grease to obtain.
__________________
2006 4.8is, Black on White. SOLD Sniff Sniff.

2017 F85 x5m, Black on Red. BEAST MODE


"The older we grow the greater becomes our wonder at how much ignorance one can contain without bursting one's clothes." - Mark Twain

Unlock OBC post 5
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-19-2019, 09:55 AM
Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Colorado
Posts: 425
Attacking Mid is on a distinguished road
I can find them in U-pull lots around here where e53's are very common. You may not have that in NJ. One idea is to scour the used e53 listings looking for ones that appear to have an OEM hitch. Contact the seller and offer them a reasonable amount for the hitch and you'll come remove it.

You would need to be prepared with: your bumper carrier to exchange and a bag of the plastic clips that attach the bumper to the carrier.

AM.
__________________
E70 2010 3.0 M57 AT Titanium Silver with Black Leather
E53 2004 3.0 M54 AT Toledo Blue with Gray Leather
E83 2008 3.0 N52 AT Silver Gray Metallic with Black Vinyl
E46 1999 2.8 M52TU 5MT Black with Tan Leather 250K+ miles (Sold, but not forgotten)
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:52 AM.
vBulletin, Copyright 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. SEO by vBSEO 3.6.0
© 2017 Xoutpost.com. All rights reserved. Xoutpost.com is a private enthusiast site not associated with BMW AG.
The BMW name, marks, M stripe logo, and Roundel logo as well as X3, X5 and X6 designations used in the pages of this Web Site are the property of BMW AG.
This web site is not sponsored or affiliated in any way with BMW AG or any of its subsidiaries.