ANOTHER Hitch thread!

[Weasel]

James, I'd ask the top link for an actual picture or the application.

The second link is the one I have on mine (since the OEM was not available when I needed it) and it has been sufficient for my needs so far with no issues, but I've kept the trailer up to but under 3000 lbs with proper matching tongue weight. (12' enclosed trailer with whole bands rigs + stage PA) If you're gonna be using a normal trailer setup for your bike it will be sufficient.

[JCL]

I agree that the U-Haul hitch will be fine for 600 lbs, or 1000 lbs of total trailer weight.

You can try the splice kit, as some posters have used them without problems. Others have reportedly had to take them back off, and put on the OEM module due to fault codes. I know one poster damaged his LCM, but that may have been an installation error. A splice kit is worth a try if you want to do it on the cheap.

You can always just turn off the PDC manually if you ever want to back up with the trailer.

The OEM electrical connections that come in the BMW kit are worth $200 or less (I think ECS sells them separately).

I don't know what the hitch kit costs with discounts in the US, but I assume it is something just under $500.

So yes, you can save some $$, and after all, just barely good enough to get by is probably fine. Did you use discount parts for building up your bike?

Or you could just bite the bullet and buy a real hitch. But to reiterate the first point, yes, the U-Haul hitch will tow the very light trailer you are planning to pull. Don't sweat it. Just don't ever put a heavier trailer load on it.

[m5james]

The top one has a link to an installation PDF, and it has slightly different mounting points. It has a bar that points to the front of the vehicle. If yours is sufficient, I'd rather stick w/ something I know has been used and works well. Oh, and what'd you use to wire it...do you think I can get away w/ a splicing kit instead of buying a bunch of BMW specialized parts just to get functioning lights w/o OBC errors? Honestly, I don't min an OBC errors when using the trailer if its gonna save me another $100, but then again I have no clue how much the accessories cost.Would you mind sending me a few pics, from the side so I can see how far it sticks out, and maybe directly from the back as well so I can see if I need to spray paint anything black under there before I complete the installation. Thanks bro.

[JCL]

Weasel, you mentioned previously that you were planning on fabricating a longitudinal strut to stop your hitch flexing. Did you ever build that brace?

James, I would go with the U-Haul hitch of the two you showed, since it attaches the the rear of the box section rails in the unibody, instead of just the rear pan like the first hitch. Then you just need to fabricate a brace up to somewhere around the diff, and drill a mount into the rear floor pan.

[m5james]

Originally Posted by Weasel

James, I'd ask the top link for an actual picture or the application.

The second link is the one I have on mine (since the OEM was not available when I needed it) and it has been sufficient for my needs so far with no issues, but I've kept the trailer up to but under 3000 lbs with proper matching tongue weight. (12' enclosed trailer with whole bands rigs + stage PA) If you're gonna be using a normal trailer setup for your bike it will be sufficient.

The 1st pic is of the no named version, which has an additional support like JCL recommended.

The 2nd pic is of the one you have. I'm going to be towing 1/3 of the weight, and never anything more because I have a work truck for towing my trailer. I'd just like to be able to take the bike to Seattle, Reno, track events in SLC, etc and the X5 is far more fun to drive on roadtrips that my work truck. I think I read somewhere in here you might have had a flex problem, but with either kit, I highly doubt I'll ever have that problem. I replied on this thread lastnight, but I don't see it on this thread. Anyways, can you shoot me a pic of your hitch from the side and maybe like a L or R rear corner so I can see how far it sticks out? I still like the swan neck idea so I don't have to see the receiver, but for under $150 shipped, I'll trim the access panel to fit tightly against the receiver instead so it's not as visible.

[m5james]

Originally Posted by JCL

I agree that the U-Haul hitch will be fine for 600 lbs, or 1000 lbs of total trailer weight.

I agree, that's why I think either one will work just fine for me. I like the additional bracing of the 1st one, but if it looks visible form below, that might kind of ruin the look. Also, since I'm not towing anything near what Weasel is, both should suffice.

Originally Posted by JCL

You can try the splice kit, as some posters have used them without problems. Others have reportedly had to take them back off, and put on the OEM module due to fault codes. I know one poster damaged his LCM, but that may have been an installation error. A splice kit is worth a try if you want to do it on the cheap.

I would think it was possible an installation error as well. If using LED's like I suggested will solve my OBC bulb errors messages, that's a plus...otherwise I can deal w/ the little messages for the few hours I'll be towing.

[QUOTE=JCL;722266]You can always just turn off the PDC manually if you ever want to back up with the trailer.[/qoute]
No PDC, so I'm good there

Originally Posted by JCL

The OEM electrical connections that come in the BMW kit are worth $200 or less (I think ECS sells them separately).

I don't know what the hitch kit costs with discounts in the US, but I assume it is something just under $500.

So yes, you can save some $$, and after all, just barely good enough to get by is probably fine. Did you use discount parts for building up your bike?

Or you could just bite the bullet and buy a real hitch. But to reiterate the first point, yes, the U-Haul hitch will tow the very light trailer you are planning to pull. Don't sweat it. Just don't ever put a heavier trailer load on it.

And that's why I'm trying to avoid...having a $700+ tow bar that I'm going to use very little. Of course I didn't use discount parts on the bike, but that's a daily driver (in the summer), so cheaping out there isn't an option. If my brakes fail on the bike, then I'm dead...if the hitch fails on the trailer, I'd probably hear it breaking first, it has chains to back it up, and at worse it'll disconnect completely from the car and take it's own path I agree, if I planned on towing up to the limit of the tow bar, that getting the real deal from the stealership would be the way to go, but I will never be doing that. With all the talking we do of transmissions on this board, I wouldn't even wanna tow a full load w/ the X5 as is anyways.

[m5james]

Originally Posted by JCL

Weasel, you mentioned previously that you were planning on fabricating a longitudinal strut to stop your hitch flexing. Did you ever build that brace?

James, I would go with the U-Haul hitch of the two you showed, since it attaches the the rear of the box section rails in the unibody, instead of just the rear pan like the first hitch. Then you just need to fabricate a brace up to somewhere around the diff, and drill a mount into the rear floor pan.

The UHaul hitch is the one Weasal has, and it isn't he one w/ the added brace. If his flexes, that's probably an issue that should be addressed considering the weight he's towing, but that won't be an issue w/ the total weight of my load.

[JCL]

Here is a link with the old U-Haul hitch on an X5. They damaged a few X5s, and added the brace to stop further damage. The hitch they are showing now doesn't have this brace, it would appear they have deleted it. My local U-Haul had a notice in their system that they were forbidden to install hitches and wiring on X5s, as I found out when I rented a trailer from them. I didn't need a hitch, but they asked about my hitch, and advised that they had had lots of damage claims and so just bailed out of the X5 hitch market.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-thinking.html

I have seen what I believe was a Drawtite hitch with a very similar looking brace.

LEDs on the trailer don't necessarily solve your fault codes if you do get them. Actually, LED trailer lights have been reported to cause problems with the OEM trailer module due to the current being different than expected by the system monitoring bulb outages.

Not sure why you are quoting $700, as the BMW hitch can be found under $500. It includes the wiring connection that ESC sells separately for those who need it. If you do turn out to require the BMW wiring (and you may not, if you don't have any problems with your splice kit), you will have spent $150 on the U Haul hitch, and something under $200 for the wiring, making it not that much different in cost than the BMW kit price, for a lot less in terms of final product.

Weasel mentioned previously that his hitch did flex, and that he was going to build a brace. What you need to watch for is breaking the welds in the unibody as it flexes. The hitch can't really be damaged, as it isn't what flexes, rather it is the vehicle itself. I also wouldn't be relying on safety chains, as they attach to the hitch receiver, lol. Anyway, with the low weight you are towing you will likely be fine.

You also shouldn't worry about the transmission when towing. Lots of posters have pulled real loads without damaging it. Poster withidl famously pulled 8300 lbs of Airstream, over the continental divide several times, for tens of thousand towing miles. No transmission damage. The transmissions are very durable; failures seem to be due to random component failures, and not overloading. I would suggest it is the difference between reliability and durability.

Good luck. Now just go and put a hitch on it already.

[m5james]

I saw that Airstream thread...good stuff. Since I'm towing such a small amount of weight, maybe I'll lowball the ebay/Uhaul guy since its not as durable Either way, once I finished the cooling system overhaul, i'll probably be ordering the one w/ the extra bracing since its the same price.

[rlabair]

I installed the oem hitch but it did not come with a bmw plug, just a plain black plug. I may try to fabricate the original cover but it's not unsightly imho. Sorry guys, I guess I'm just not wound that tight to worry about how my hitch looks. It's a nice clean install and functions well to me. To each their own I guess.