Towing with the X5

[Blade69]

Geez...$430 bucks? I guess that's not a lot considering you'll be towing cars. I'll only be towing 2-3 motorcycles so I think I'll be good with the aftermarket. but after seeing how ugly it sticks out like that, I may opt for OEM as I like a clean look. Had a Hidden Hitch on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L Hemi and I forgot I had bikes back there most of the time.

However my question is this. With my Jeep, there was a "TOW/HAUL" button which pretty much locked the trans into 4th gear to keep it from fishing around between 4th and 5th. I noticed my X5 4.8is doesn't have such a button. Should I manually shift over and put in a lower gear? I'll be towing the bikes for approximately 900 miles. Should I get my trans fluid changed beforehand also?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Blade69

Geez...$430 bucks? I guess that's not a lot considering you'll be towing cars. I'll only be towing 2-3 motorcycles so I think I'll be good with the aftermarket. but after seeing how ugly it sticks out like that, I may opt for OEM as I like a clean look. Had a Hidden Hitch on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L Hemi and I forgot I had bikes back there most of the time.

However my question is this. With my Jeep, there was a "TOW/HAUL" button which pretty much locked the trans into 4th gear to keep it from fishing around between 4th and 5th. I noticed my X5 4.8is doesn't have such a button. Should I manually shift over and put in a lower gear? I'll be towing the bikes for approximately 900 miles. Should I get my trans fluid changed beforehand also?

Get the OE hitch. It includes the electrics. You won't regret it.

While you don't have a 5th gear lockout, you do have Steptronic. Leave it in automatic, not sport mode. Determine if the vehicle is hunting for gears on a hill when towing. Unlikely, but watch the tach. If it does, shift into manual mode to stop it hunting. Don't go into a lower gear than you have to. With a 4.8 and only towing bikes, it is unlikely that will have to worry about it at all. The main thing is to prevent unnecessary shifts, and to keep the torque converter in lock-up mode. Those two things keep the heat down. No need to change your trans fluid before towing.