Curt 13070 receiver install - the right way

[Bulk]

Fight Fight Fight

[Bread]

Originally Posted by Bulk

Fight Fight Fight

At the risk of going off-topic (takes bait), chick fights really aren't worth watching unless somebodys tits fall out. Am I wrong

But seriously, I'm not here to squabble. I have to hear enough of that when SHE has the remote I'm direct, but let's not get overly sensitive about inanimate objects em-kay. I don't know how I managed to upset somebody I've never met over an indirect comment typed on an Internet forum. It's quite hilarious actually.

[swissfrank]

Originally Posted by Bread

I don't know how I managed to upset somebody I've never met over an indirect comment typed on an Internet forum. It's quite hilarious actually.

don't sweat it, typical internet fallout, HAHA

[JCL]

Bread:

I think you had a great first post, and a very reasoned and intelligent follow up. Welcome to the board, and glad to have you here!

[TiAgX5]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

......I have seen pics and discussions of non-OEM hitches inducing flex on the rear of an E53, then twisting the frame....

PLEASE POST THE PICS!!!!!!! These pics must be in a basement vault at Area 51. I've been on the site for 2 years asking for someone, ANYONE to post picks of these failures, a grand total of ZERO have been posted. I've used the Reese hitch with the attachment arm that connects to the crossmember behind the diff for almost 2 years now, towing a 6,000 lb trailer THOUSANDS of MILES, have even used it as a jacking point to lift the rear of the truck (dozens of times). In the time I have been ruining my truck (according to those on Xoutpost), I have removed the bumper twice to inspect the carnage, to my suprise, there has been ZERO damage, have even checked the torque of the fasteners, none have been loose. Now that the E53s are over 10 years old and on third or more owners, the shine is off the apple and the owners are using them harder then ever (first owners dropping 50k plus on a BMW are less likely to pound the piss out of the vehicle then a third owner who has purchased it for 1/5 the MSRP.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

PLEASE POST THE PICS!!!!!!! These pics must be in a basement vault at Area 51. I've been on the site for 2 years asking for someone, ANYONE to post picks of these failures, a grand total of ZERO have been posted. I've used the Reese hitch with the attachment arm that connects to the crossmember behind the diff for almost 2 years now, towing a 6,000 lb trailer THOUSANDS of MILES, have even used it as a jacking point to lift the rear of the truck (dozens of times). In the time I have been ruining my truck (according to those on Xoutpost), I have removed the bumper twice to inspect the carnage, to my suprise, there has been ZERO damage, have even checked the torque of the fasteners, none have been loose. Now that the E53s are over 10 years old and on third or more owners, the shine is off the apple and the owners are using them harder then ever (first owners dropping 50k plus on a BMW are less likely to pound the piss out of the vehicle then a third owner who has purchased it for 1/5 the MSRP.

Well, I don't know what to say. You seem to be suggesting that it never happened. If you don't want to believe me, there are three or four others here (PersonnaNonGrata, MotorDavid, LemansX5) who were on the board at the time along with me. Those are the ones here who are still active. You could also listen to Weasel, a BMW dealer technician and frequent contributor, who has documented the damage he has seen in his dealership from aftermarket hitches. I am not sure what photos of a receiver oriented at 30-45 degrees below horizontal will add to that.

It was all documented most recently in this thread, and you posted there, so I assume you read all the historical documentation. Yes, it is text, because it appears that discussion forums don't like to archive 10 year old pictures, possibly due to storage costs, I don't know. It is evidence, however. The $12k + repair quote I linked here is one piece of that evidence.

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

Nobody said that you are ruining your truck. Well, I didn't, not sure about everyone else. I simply point out that you have introduced a risk that wouldn't exist with the use of the OE hitch. You have saved a few hundred dollars. You have pulled the bumper off twice to inspect for damage, so it appears that the bolts are staying tight (as I would expect them to, there is no reason they should loosen). I hope that the effort to pull the bumper is worth less than the original savings.

Your hitch has the strut running forward to another attachpoint point on the unibody. The ones that bent didn't have that strut, it was a design change in reaction to claims made against the hitch manufacturer for consequential damage. The existence of that strut is evidence. It may very well prevent bending of the pan. But then again, if you didn't have a hitch bolted to the pan you wouldn't have to worry about it.

When the rear pan gets bent, the receiver points downwards, and the seams in the unibody pull apart. You can inspect for the first with a spirit level, and for the second with a high pressure hose. Spray the rear, because when the seams pull then water leaks into the spare tire well. Easy to spot. Much harder to fix. I wouldn't bother to pull the bumper, it seems a lot of trouble.

[TiAgX5]

Originally Posted by JCL

Well, I don't know what to say. You seem to be suggesting that it never happened. If you don't want to believe me, there are three or four others here (PersonnaNonGrata, MotorDavid, LemansX5) who were on the board at the time along with me. Those are the ones here who are still active. You could also listen to Weasel, a BMW dealer technician and frequent contributor, who has documented the damage he has seen in his dealership from aftermarket hitches. I am not sure what photos of a receiver oriented at 30-45 degrees below horizontal will add to that.

It was all documented most recently in this thread, and you posted there, so I assume you read all the historical documentation. Yes, it is text, because it appears that discussion forums don't like to archive 10 year old pictures, possibly due to storage costs, I don't know. It is evidence, however. The $12k + repair quote I linked here is one piece of that evidence.

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

Nobody said that you are ruining your truck. Well, I didn't, not sure about everyone else. I simply point out that you have introduced a risk that wouldn't exist with the use of the OE hitch. You have saved a few hundred dollars. You have pulled the bumper off twice to inspect for damage, so it appears that the bolts are staying tight (as I would expect them to, there is no reason they should loosen). I hope that the effort to pull the bumper is worth less than the original savings.

Your hitch has the strut running forward to another attachpoint point on the unibody. The ones that bent didn't have that strut, it was a design change in reaction to claims made against the hitch manufacturer for consequential damage. The existence of that strut is evidence. It may very well prevent bending of the pan. But then again, if you didn't have a hitch bolted to the pan you wouldn't have to worry about it.

When the rear pan gets bent, the receiver points downwards, and the seams in the unibody pull apart. You can inspect for the first with a spirit level, and for the second with a high pressure hose. Spray the rear, because when the seams pull then water leaks into the spare tire well. Easy to spot. Much harder to fix. I wouldn't bother to pull the bumper, it seems a lot of trouble.

Never suggested it never happened, just want someone to post some pics. What I am stating as FACT is that the Reese hitch CAN take a 6000 lb load trailer, be used to jack up the truck and NOT fail. I have an unmodified X5 with an aftermarket hitch that's been used to it's rated limits and beyond parked in my garage as proof.

The documented failures of aftermarket hitches CAN be attributed to improper installations, collision damage, previous owner abuse, improper load retention that allowed a load to shift under hard braking, the list goes on.

As for the bumper removal, I've done that SOLELY because of the "sky is falling" statements that pop up here at Xoutpost whenever the topic of non-OE hitches is addressed.

In a previous post in this very thread the FALSE statement was made that the strut equipped style non-OE hitch will damage the truck. That hitch, when installed properly and used correctly is fine.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

In a previous post in this very thread the FALSE statement was made that the strut equipped style non-OE hitch will damage the truck. That hitch, when installed properly and used correctly is fine.

Sorry I can't find that reference in this thread. The claim was made that non OE hitches can damage the vehicle, referring to the early ones, not the ones with the strut. The strut was their fix. I just object philosophically to a hitch manufacturer designing a hitch to bolt onto sheetmetal, and when they had problems, adding a second attachment point to the sheetmetal instead of bolting it up to the correct spot. It is sloppy and bad practice. That doesn't mean your vehicle body will fail

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

Never suggested it never happened, just want someone to post some pics. What I am stating as FACT is that the Reese hitch CAN take a 6000 lb load trailer, be used to jack up the truck and NOT fail. I have an unmodified X5 with an aftermarket hitch that's been used to it's rated limits and beyond parked in my garage as proof.

So your 'proof' is better somehow than the 'proof' of anyone else? How? Because you experienced it? Well, good for you. But what you have is as good as anyone else has: Anonymous opinion.

I saw and found value in what *I* believe are legitimate claims I could avoid issues by buying the OEM part. I have read these claims about non OEM receivers, but I have NOT read about the failure happening with the BMW part. THAT is why *I* chose OEM. If you didn't, Great. I'm sure everyone is happy for you. Your car. Your choice. My car, my choice. To suggest that one anonymous opinion holds greater weight- or that it should over some message board- is ludicrous.

I simply couldn't find the threads (or pictures) where the OEM receiver was deemed to have caused the same problems as aftermarket. Whether threads or pics of OEM failures exist, anyone else approaching the same decision could use them to determine if it's worth it to them to spend the couple hundred $. I'm glad you're happy with your choice. I am happy with mine.

Tow in good health.