Trailer Setup on a 4.8 w/Potential Weight Distribution Kit due to Tongue Weight

[ninekrpm]

Hi folks, I know that there are numerous threads on related topics, but very little info on a trailer setup with weight distribution kit.

I am working towards getting my 4.8is setup with a trailer and purchased an OEM trailer hitch from my local dealer. I will also be placing an order for a Tekonsha P3 brake controller today – any suggestions on where to buy one? Do I need a special harness for this?

So here is my scenario. I picked a Featherlite 3110 18’ trailer locally with a custom aluminum box and tyre rack setup at the front of the trailer. Though the base weight of the trailer is around 1300#’s (+/- 50#’s), the added box and tyre rack add about 250#’s to the nose of the trailer.

I took the trailer for service to a local shop where it was originally purchased and asked them to do a dry tongue weight measurement. They measured this at a little over 500#’s. Ouch, as the max recommended tongue weight for an X is 600#’s.

While at the trailer shop, we did discuss ways of reducing the tongue weight by adding a weight distribution kit to the trailer to manage the loaded tongue weight at approximately 500#’s. He also mentioned that, though the dry tongue weight is around 450+, the loaded trailer and the car position on the trailer can reduce the tongue weight and balance it to a reasonable level.

Does any have any experience and/or feedback that they can share? If I do go the route of adding a weight distribution kit, is there a kit that is preferred?

[JCL]

Nice trailer.

While you can use a weight-distributing hitch to reduce the tongue weight, you probably shouldn't need to. That is a light trailer, and you should have some ability to position your load to result in a 500-600 lb tongue weight. Not sure what will be on the trailer (presume a track car) but if it is small enough to shift it rearward, for example, that will help. You can also possibly vary the tongue weight by loading the vehicle backwards instead of frontwards, depending on the vehicle involved. It depends on how much weight you are putting in the front tool box/tire rack. You need to play around with the load, and once you find out where to put the vehicle mark it so that the same weight distribution is easily reproduced.

My reluctance to use a weight distributing hitch for a trailer this light is really only the additional work of hooking it up each time, and the additional cost. They work very well. The one I have heard most about on this forum is a Hensley Arrow. Do a search on this site for posts by withidl, who towed 8000 + lbs of Airstream with that hitch. I believe Hayaku has one as well.

Haven't done a trailer brake controller myself on an E53, but there are posts with DIY instructions on this site. Check out the Online References tab at the top of this page, in the E53 PDF section, which includes this article and this article.

Good luck

Jeff

[avusm3]

Hi Ninekrpm,

I currently have a 2004 4.4i that I tow my track car with. I have an aluminum trailex trailer and I current use a tongue weight between 450 - 475 lbs. This is well with the X5 tongue weight rating and meets or exceeds the 10 - 12% of trailer rate rule. I don't use a weight distribution kit. One of the beauties of using an X5 for towing is the load leveling rear setup. You don't need to use a weight distribution setup if you want to avoid that complication, and your rig will still be nice and level going down the road thanks to the load leveling setup on the car. I have been doing this for a few years with no issues.

By the way - the Tekonsha brake controller worked well with my 2001 X5, but it did not work well with my 2004. Something to do with the new light setup on the back of the 2004. I switched over to a Prodigy which works great.

By the way - if you are like me and you really want to nail down your tongue weight with the trailer loaded - I would highly recommend this scale. It works great.

Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scales

Good luck!

John

Originally Posted by ninekrpm

Hi folks, I know that there are numerous threads on related topics, but very little info on a trailer setup with weight distribution kit.

I am working towards getting my 4.8is setup with a trailer and purchased an OEM trailer hitch from my local dealer. I will also be placing an order for a Tekonsha P3 brake controller today – any suggestions on where to buy one? Do I need a special harness for this?

So here is my scenario. I picked a Featherlite 3110 18’ trailer locally with a custom aluminum box and tyre rack setup at the front of the trailer. Though the base weight of the trailer is around 1300#’s (+/- 50#’s), the added box and tyre rack add about 250#’s to the nose of the trailer.

I took the trailer for service to a local shop where it was originally purchased and asked them to do a dry tongue weight measurement. They measured this at a little over 500#’s. Ouch, as the max recommended tongue weight for an X is 600#’s.

While at the trailer shop, we did discuss ways of reducing the tongue weight by adding a weight distribution kit to the trailer to manage the loaded tongue weight at approximately 500#’s. He also mentioned that, though the dry tongue weight is around 500+, the loaded trailer and the car position on the trailer can reduce the tongue weight and balance it to a reasonable level.

Does any have any experience and/or feedback that they can share? If I do go the route of adding a weight distribution kit, is there a kit that is preferred?

[LightWerkz]

From what I have read the Prodigy is all that is needed for this car. This is the one I have picked up. Also here is the installation for it:

http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/e5...er%20Brake.pdf

[ninekrpm]

A quick update for all. I did up investing in a weight distribution kit to aid with balancing the tongue weight. As I had noted above, the empty tongue weight of the trailer is around 450#'s due to the box and tyre rack built up front and when everything is loaded, the tongue weight was around 800#'s. The weight kit will aid moving some of the weight towards the back of the trailer and to the front of the car.

At the moment, the front of the trailer is a bit high may squat once everything is loaded; if the self-level suspension changes the angle, I have the ability to lower the nose. This will be adjusted in a week or so, once I get my car back and get everything is loaded again for another test.

Thanks to avusm3 for referring me to the Sherline tongue weight scale. Excellent tool and definitely save me some trips...