OE hitch came on car, but no frame reinforcements?

[Bdc101]

My 2003 (11/02 build) 5-speex E53 that I bought last summer came with a factory Westphalia hitch and aftermarket 7 pin wiring. I have not towed with it until last week when I got my 19 foot popup trailer out of storage and towed it for about an hour. I was very impressed by the cars towing ability and actually thought it towed better than the Tahoe we used last year. The 5-speed is actually geared perfectly for towing and I didn't feel like I was hurting the clutch at all. Very happy with it.

I have a receipt from the PO that shows the hitch was installed shortly after the car was purchased but it was done by a third party shop, which explains the Hidden Hitch wiring and connector. Having a wild hair, yesterday I started poking around to confirm that the chassis reinforcement plates were also installed. Sure enough, they are not.


My trailer is big for a popup, but it's still not a massive trailer. I already towed it over 50 miles and wasn't babying it. It drove fine and there don't appear to be any issues. The trailer is rated at about 2400lbs dry and I towed it without brakes.

My understanding is that early factory hitches did not have these brackets. Buy, I've also heard that aftermarket hitches caused the Lion's share of damaged cars. Is it possible that I have an early hitch that simply didn't come with the brackets? And should I worry about taking my trailer on a trip over memorial day next weekend?

Thanks in advance...