Uhaul Hitch? - Page 3

gianvito16 · #1 03-29-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krunk Man

draw tite.
rated at 6000/600

No problems.

has anyone else used a Draw-Tite hitch? i just bought one and did not put it on yet, it is has the bar that connects to the rear cross member. it has the same ratings as shown above. i dont understand how they said it looks ugly, you wouldnt be able to see it once you put your bumper cover back on. what do you guys think of the Draw-Tite hitch?

JCL · #2 03-29-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gianvito16

has anyone else used a Draw-Tite hitch? i just bought one and did not put it on yet, it is has the bar that connects to the rear cross member. it has the same ratings as shown above. i dont understand how they said it looks ugly, you wouldnt be able to see it once you put your bumper cover back on. what do you guys think of the Draw-Tite hitch?

We have seen pictures posted here previously of the hitches that have a reinforcing bar running fore-aft. We all laughed at them at the time, because the bar was visible from the rear, it was lower than any other part of the vehicle. It looked like a Rube Goldberg contraption, or a farm implement. I don't agree that the bumper cover hides it.

onlinealias · #3 07-01-2008, 04:35 PM

I just put a draw tite on. I wouldnt' do it again. It requires a lower bar that is connected to the cross member subframe that not only looks ugly, but also requires trimming of the bumper cover. The curtis hitch connects in the same places the OEM one does and doesn't require that bar. Besides all of the religious arguments about OEM or aftermarket, if going aftermarket, go with Curtis.

Big "J" · #4 07-01-2008, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onlinealias

I just put a draw tite on. I wouldnt' do it again. It requires a lower bar that is connected to the cross member subframe that not only looks ugly, but also requires trimming of the bumper cover. The curtis hitch connects in the same places the OEM one does and doesn't require that bar. Besides all of the religious arguments about OEM or aftermarket, if going aftermarket, go with Curtis.

Is there a website I can look at a Curtis Hitch?

Krunk Man · #5 07-01-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onlinealias

I just put a draw tite on. I wouldnt' do it again. It requires a lower bar that is connected to the cross member subframe that not only looks ugly, but also requires trimming of the bumper cover. The curtis hitch connects in the same places the OEM one does and doesn't require that bar. Besides all of the religious arguments about OEM or aftermarket, if going aftermarket, go with Curtis.

hmmm i dont have this bar. was it optional?

JCL · #6 07-01-2008, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krunk Man

hmmm i dont have this bar. was it optional?

There have been various iterations of the non-OEM hitches over the years. Early ones attached to the rear sheet metal (unibody) only, without replacing the bumper struts like the OEM hitch does. There were a few problems because the hitch flexed (rotating about the attachment point). In extreme cases, this twisted the rear unibody and caused significant damage. Pictures have been posted previously on this site and others.

The response of the non-OEM hitch manufacturers was to include a strut running fore and aft from the receiver, along the vehicle centreline. This strut attaches to the rear subframe up close to the rear axle. It effectively stabilizes the hitch, but many consider it ugly, and it reduces ground clearance at the rear.

If you don't have the strut, you are probably OK towing lightweight trailers. The hitch rating isn't a guarantee, as the early hitches that twisted/rotated were all rated 6000 lbs as well.

Krunk Man · #7 07-01-2008, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCL

There have been various iterations of the non-OEM hitches over the years. Early ones attached to the rear sheet metal (unibody) only, without replacing the bumper struts like the OEM hitch does. There were a few problems because the hitch flexed (rotating about the attachment point). In extreme cases, this twisted the rear unibody and caused significant damage. Pictures have been posted previously on this site and others.

The response of the non-OEM hitch manufacturers was to include a strut running fore and aft from the receiver, along the vehicle centreline. This strut attaches to the rear subframe up close to the rear axle. It effectively stabilizes the hitch, but many consider it ugly, and it reduces ground clearance at the rear.

If you don't have the strut, you are probably OK towing lightweight trailers. The hitch rating isn't a guarantee, as the early hitches that twisted/rotated were all rated 6000 lbs as well.

Thanks JCL, great info
I currently have a 350pound bike on a hitch mounted carrier.

I loaded her up today and noticed a large amount of twist(of the hitch) from
the weight of the bike which sits about 1.5 feet out.
I'm guessing the added length makes 350 more like 600pounds.

looks likes this.

So would it be a bad idea to use it if im getting all this twist from the weight? You said serious damage has occured in the past...

JCL · #8 07-01-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krunk Man

great info, I currently have a 350pound bike on a hitch mounted carrier.

I loaded her up today and noticed a large amount of twist(of the hitch) from
the weight of the bike which sits about 1.5 feet out.
I'm guessing the added length makes 350 more like 600pounds.

looks likes this.

So would it be a bad idea to use it if im getting all this twist from the weight? You said serious damage has occured in the past...

I wouldn't risk it, but that is me.

The OEM hitch has additional bracing, but let's leave that aside for a moment and consider the load that is being applied.

The rating of 6000 lbs is for a tow rating, not a hitch load rating. The OEM hitch (for which I have the data, so I will use those figures) allows a maximum tongue weight of 600 lbs, for on-road towing. Interestingly, there is a limit of 350 lbs tongue weight for off-road towing, simply because there is more vertical force, presumably caused by bounce of the vehicle and/or trailer.

That tongue weight is normally applied as a point load, on the ball. The BMW spec for the ball location is no more than 8" horizontally from the pin that the hitch drawbar is secured to the receiver with. There is a limit of 12" vertically from the top of the receiver to the base of the hitch ball.

Ignoring the vertical bending arm for a moment (because it comes into play on acceleration and braking only), the 600 lbs applied at 8" creates a certain bending moment, or twisting. I calculate it at 400 lbs ft for smooth roads, and 240 lbs ft for rough roads.

Your carrier would appear to apply a bending force of 350 lbs at a distance of 1.5 ft (assuming that the 350 is the weight of the carrier plus the bike). This is beyond the BMW safe design limit, which is based on a hitch that is arguably reinforced more than yours. You may decide to use up the BMW engineer's safety factor, or not.

Yes, I would expect to see your hitch receiver, and/or the rear unibody being twisted.

The pictures of the damaged X5 that I saw years ago where the damage involved a non-OEM hitch, also involved a luggage carrier inserted in the receiver. I don't know what the luggage weight was. I do know that I would be very cautious if I was you.

Does Draw-Tite publish a load limit for their receiver for carriers such as yours, apart from the tongue weight limit you mentioned? If they can point to test data and published figures, great. If they can't, or don't understand that a load applied farther out is not the same as a load applied close in, then you have some decisions to make.