2008 tow hitch picture...

[JCL]

Originally Posted by MudyOvl

bluevalley, Have you had any issues using the WDH? With the hitch point extended farther from the vehicle hitch, does it seems to cause the hitch to rotate any? I know JCL does not recommend WDH, but I am considering a PP3P just for the added comfort of sway control. I planned to put minimum weight on the WDH portion to minimize any torqueing of the factory hitch.

It isn't that I don't recommend a WDH, it is just that I personally had a cut off point under which I wouldn't have bothered. For me personally, that was around 4000 lbs. I towed that much without a WDH without issue, paying attention to load distribution and tongue weight. I would not tow more than that without a WDH, particularly a trailer with a larger bluff area to catch crosswinds, etc.

No European manufacturer recommends a WDH because they are not legal in Europe. Electric brakes aren't used there, and surge brakes don't work with WDHs. The absence of a recommendation to use one by BMW and other manufacturers is not a recommendation not to use one, just a lack of knowledge about them. All IMO.

If you are using a PPP hitch, then I would personally go with a Propride. Pretty much the ultimate setup for towing, a diesel SUV with a Propride.

Lots of good info on airforums, the Airstream discussion board. You can do a search there and see all the X5s (usually 35d models) towing larger Airstreams. All with WDHs. In some cases, the hitches have been reinforced by CanAm in Ontario, to resist the bending moment that they weren't necessarily designed for and which results from using a WDH.

Jeff

[ZetaTre]

Originally Posted by JCL

If you are using a PPP hitch, then I would personally go with a Propride. Pretty much the ultimate setup for towing, a diesel SUV with a Propride

That is a nice setup but dang it's pricey!!!!! Almost $3K!!!

[JCL]

Originally Posted by ZetaTre

That is a nice setup but dang it's pricey!!!!! Almost $3K!!!

Yes, it is.

We haven't decided to go ahead yet, but if we do go with an F15 (80 k) and an Airstream 30 (100 k more or less) then the 3 k hitch is a bit of a non issue.

The engineering elegance of a pivot point projection hitch makes it a sought after product. And I would pick it over a Hensley, which works exactly the same way, but I am not sure if there is much price difference between the two. Both are sometimes available used.

[Ron07x5]

Putting a hitch on a x5 isn't the big cost. If all you were ever going to use the hitch for was supporting a bike rack it would be no big deal. But if you want trailer lights and a trailer weighing on car then it is a big deal and I am sure a big expense at bmw. As someone pointed out the electrical isn't just tapping into existing light but a separate system. I bet bmw charges $2000 before you are done! A significant selling point on my 2007 is it has the tow package.

[JCL]

Around $500 for the OE kit (including electrics) for my E53, around $550 for the OE kit (including electrics) for my E83. Labour was free in both cases, did it myself. Not particularly difficult, just a lot of detailed steps.