Towing Advice - x5 3.5

[Thecastle]

Yes, I would agree. That folks get not only carried away about power requirements but the size of their tow vehicle in relation to their trailer. There seems to be a lot of over kill there.

My 7.3 is completely stock as well. I wouldn’t even dare tune it at this point as it has 329,000 miles on it. It would probably just break. Mine weighs a lot more than a typical pickup because of the 42 foot bucket lift. The lift requires a minimum of 13k weight to counter balance the boom and a gvwr min of 15k hence the 450. Empty and not towing it’s zero to sixty is probably about 45 seconds. With the trailer it’s even slower. It’s fine on a flat interstate with the trailer but going over steep bridges it struggles to maintain 50mph. While more power isn’t needed I can do 70mph towing on the flat, it would be welcome. I’d expect the truck to be really pokey in the mountains.

I keep the x5m stock as well. More power would be nice but it has plenty for my tastes. I can pass on 2 lane roads easily while towing. I did sadly have to tow my trailer home from Colorado with the m in half engine reduced power mode. My wife and I have vivid memories of towing over that Raton pass at 1am with the blinkers on going about 25mph up the pass... haha �� we also were passed by a Prius towing a trailer. The m broke down while we were at rnmp and we took it to a dealer north of Denver and after a week they weren’t able to fix it. So we had to decide drive it home in limp dick mode, leave it there and fly back, extend vacation, fly one back.... anyway we decided to drive it home and get it fixed at a competent dealer. It was a slow, slow drive to Houston.

[FastDriver]

25 is pretty rough. Never had to go that low. Haven't had a hill or mountain where it couldn't maintain max engine speed in 3rd gear, which works out to about 60. I'd be worried about the cooling capacity of the heat exchangers below 40mph. Then, I'd be watching engine & trans temps as best I could.

Sounds like you have a lot of truck to haul with your 450. The most I've ever had was still just under the GCWR at around 19,700 lbs including the truck & trailer.

[Thecastle]

Originally Posted by FastDriver

25 is pretty rough. Never had to go that low. Haven't had a hill or mountain where it couldn't maintain max engine speed in 3rd gear, which works out to about 60. I'd be worried about the cooling capacity of the heat exchangers below 40mph. Then, I'd be watching engine & trans temps as best I could.

Sounds like you have a lot of truck to haul with your 450. The most I've ever had was still just under the GCWR at around 19,700 lbs including the truck & trailer.

Yeah, it was damn slow, going up the Raton pass. It was running in reduced power mode and not making any boost I suspect. Interestingly enough, the oil temp never moved when making the hill climb, even with its slow speeds. We did turn of the a/c for that last little bit of power...

Did the same drive in 2015 in my 335D, which had no issues going up raton with the cruse set to 80mph. The M wouldn't either if it wasn't in limp mode, it was a bad MAP sensor that caused the whole problem $350 under warranty.

I have noticed that my 550i, the oil temps will rise steadily when slow going on a steep grade. I drove quite a few times last summer on the going to the sun road in Glacier, and when I'd encounter traffic my oil temps would cruise up into the 270F range. The X5M does the same thing when not in limp mode in colorado, long uphill grades at say 65, the oil temp rises a lot. But I'd figure the M would do better then the 550i in general as it has substantially more cooling than a regular BMW for track purposes.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Chicane_S54

You do not want to use a glamour hitch like that to tow a 5800 lb boat or racecar. You need a heavy duty hitch. I have a Curt. Even the new OEM hitch looks weak in my book. To the OP you need a rock solid CLASS III hitch and nothing less. You can do some research online there are some horror stories with those glamour hitches.

http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...1025750&page=6

Originally Posted by FastDriver

Am I missing something, or is the updated version much stronger in those welds? Also, it seems stealth has improved the attachment block to Stainless. I am by no means stuck to them, it does look like a very nice product at first glance.

I just read this and I have to disagree with you calling the hidden hitches "glamour hitches" as a general name. Sure Invisihitch had problems and things breaking, But they claimed they fixed the issue, and are out of business, replaced by an even more improved version made by Stealthhitches.

Have you read about "Stealth" having any of their hitches break? (No I don't work for them, or have any connections except I own one I paid for)

Yes, they are more expensive, and they are not visible when not in use, which is so glamorous we should all be in Hollywood..
But don't knock it until you have tried it..

I have used my Stealthhitch to tow an E34 550i (around 5,000lbs incl trailer) on a Uhaul trailer a couple hundred miles, went over some bad roads, and never had an issue.
I towed a tritoon about 30miles, and that sucker was heavier than the 550i.
Been towing using my X5 quite a few times, including towing my 14ft enclosed Haulmark with lots of crap in it, no issue.

I actually find the "no slop" from hitch connection to the vehicle much nicer, compared to a solution like Curt where the ball mount will slide slightly forward and back.
There is no "bang" every time you accelerate if you don't feather the gas pedal, or when you brake and the ball mount slightly moves. There is no "loose connection" feeling when going over bumps and the slop in the receiver allows the ball mount to just so slightly move up and down.

In my life I have towed with everything from a 330xi (a Jetski), to a Dually 1 ton truck with rear airbags Class V hitch, sometimes using WDH and maxed out on weight capacity. I have always hated the sound that comes from the sloppy connection inherent with receiver hitches like Curt or Reese.

Stealth would risk very expensive lawsuits if they were not as strong as they claim (and somewhat I wonder if this is why Invisi went out of business, due to the issues they had with a batch, and possibly being taken to court??). So I doubt Stealth would give the WLL they do, unless they had faith in their system.
I have used my Stealth quite a bit, and have had no issues. Glamorous or not, my point is that I have faith in my Stealthhitch, and actually recommend it over a sloppy receiver style hitch. First time I hauled a trailer, about 2,500lbs, and I felt that solid connection, instead of the sloppy receiver style, I was sold on it.

If I had to haul anything at the limit of the X5, a heavier vehicle would be nicer to use, including going to 5th wheel, or I would just pay someone to haul it for me.
But saying that the Stealthhitch is merely "glamour", is not fair to a nice looking heavy duty solution that so far has held up well to my abuse, and worked great for me and many others.

[Chicane_S54]

Originally Posted by 1norseman

Sure Invisihitch had problems and things breaking, But they claimed they fixed the issue, and are out of business,

Stealth would risk very expensive lawsuits if they were not as strong as they claim (and somewhat I wonder if this is why Invisi went out of business, due to the issues they had with a batch, and possibly being taken to court??).

I think you just made my point. When a hitch company has catastrophic failures and goes out of business, that is all that needs to be said. It was more about form than function.

I am not interested in hitches that magically disappear at the touch of a button, I want a rock solid steel hitch strong welds that can withstand the rigors of towing a boat or a car.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Chicane_S54

I think you just made my point. When a hitch company has catastrophic failures and goes out of business, that is all that needs to be said. It was more about form than function.

I am not interested in hitches that magically disappear at the touch of a button, I want a rock solid steel hitch strong welds that can withstand the rigors of towing a boat or a car.

That's the only thing you deduced out of what I wrote?!?!

You will see what you want to see, and that's fine with me. But I did not "just make" your point.
Claiming the hitch "magically disappear at the touch of a button" tells me how little you know about the hidden hitches, especially compared to what I know about the classic receiver style hitches.

When you come back and tell me you have heard of a StealthHitch with catastrophic failure, I will be open to your opinion, until then lets just agree to disagree!

[FastDriver]

I'd read that they went out of business when the owner died. You spent a lot of time responding to someone using the term "glamour hitch" tells me that he's pretty closed minded against it, and you're an ardent fan. You two should just agree to disagree.

That glamour comment made me laugh, because I think there are a lot of folks in my neck of the woods that would think of the entire X5 that way, regardless of what hitch it was wearing. I digress.

Originally Posted by Thecastle

I have noticed that my 550i, the oil temps will rise steadily when slow going on a steep grade. I drove quite a few times last summer on the going to the sun road in Glacier, and when I'd encounter traffic my oil temps would cruise up into the 270F range. The X5M does the same thing when not in limp mode in colorado, long uphill grades at say 65, the oil temp rises a lot. But I'd figure the M would do better then the 550i in general as it has substantially more cooling than a regular BMW for track purposes.

I've only ever gotten oil that hot racing. But, we swapped oil after every race.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by FastDriver

I'd read that they went out of business when the owner died. You spent a lot of time responding to someone using the term "glamour hitch" tells me that he's pretty closed minded against it, and you're an ardent fan. You too should just agree to disagree.

That glamour comment made me laugh, because I think there are a lot of folks in my neck of the woods that would think of the entire X5 that way, regardless of what hitch it was wearing. I digress.

Haha, agreed... (btw, Invisihitch owner dying, I believe you are right, I forgot about that)
Nonetheless, hidden or not, glamour or not...
I find the no slop connection being so much nicer, than when using a standard old receiver style hitch, and that by itself makes me an "ardent fan"

[Chicane_S54]

Originally Posted by 1norseman

Claiming the hitch "magically disappear at the touch of a button" tells me how little you know about the hidden hitches,

I suggest you educate yourself before making anymore asinine statements:

Magic towhitch

[FastDriver]

Now he seems to be having a conversation with himself. I don't remember anyone talking about an electric hitch for a DIFFERENT CAR that doesn't even appear to be commercially available. So, cool story, bro! I don't have anymore troll food. Please go away.

Anyways, 1norseman , I like the stealthhitch, but decided not enough to justify the price. Reese hitch + BMW electical wiring + the linked connector bracket looked good in a previous post. So I ordered them. All said and done for $360. I'll probably pay for someone to adjust the tune/code for the towing nannies at some point.

I'd have taken the stealth hitch for the same price, as I consider it a nicer hitch. However, I would be concerned about how proprietary it is. If I have to replace a part in 10 years, I'm way more confident Curt or Reese will still be around.

[Chicane_S54]

Originally Posted by FastDriver

Now he seems to be having a conversation with himself.

I realize that you people don't like facts but there it is...

[FastDriver]

Wasn't talking to you. You're too pathetic to waste effort on. It's not that I don't like facts, it's that I don't care about ones that are irrelevant. Did you just post the only video you could find of an electric hitch on a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BMW at a dealership in Germany? Seriously?! Thanks for the laugh, man.

Even if you happen to find one in the US that is commercially available on the X5, somewhere, it's not the one anyone else in the thread was talking about. Hence, you are having your own conversation... lol. loser

[Effie]

Hi Guys, I am towing a travel trailer, about 4500lb with my 2017 50i and have a question about tire pressure. My 50i is currently on 19" wheels with 255/50-R19. Any recommendation on tire pressure that works for you?

[FastDriver]

The back tires take the most weight. You can air them up to max or near to it. That said, it's probably not a big deal with these weights. In normal trucks with a heavy tongue weight, and non run-flat tires, it can keep the tires from squirming.

[rja66]

Originally Posted by Ryan5034

You’ll need a brake controller as well. I use one from Redarc. I have towed a 20’ car hauler with 4 wheelers, but it was open and 5000#. 20’ enclosed will be significantly more difficult due to wind.

Did you run wires from front of car to back under the floor? If so, what's the best path to take? Are there any youtube videos or posts about how to run wiring from front-to-back on F15 X5?

[Ryan5034]

All the wires you need are already in the rear. The control box for the red arc uses a CAT5 cable and I just tucked it under the plastic by the doors. Ran it on the drivers side rear to the front kick panel and up the dash. Pretty easy.

[rja66]

Originally Posted by FastDriver

BUT, BMW specifically states that they are NOT to be used with the unibody X5s.

Where do they state this? I have talked to dealers and the BMW Genius Hotline. The 2 dealers I spoke with didn't know what a weight distribution hitch was and the Genius hotline did say that BMW doesn't recommend any particular brand. But when I asked him for a written BMW policy about WDH's, he said he is not aware of any - just that he has heard that they are not recommended. He had no idea if using one would cause any damage but seemed to think that BMW did not recommend any particular brand of WDH.

[FastDriver]

Originally Posted by rja66

Where do they state this? I have talked to dealers and the BMW Genius Hotline. The 2 dealers I spoke with didn't know what a weight distribution hitch was and the Genius hotline did say that BMW doesn't recommend any particular brand. But when I asked him for a written BMW policy about WDH's, he said he is not aware of any - just that he has heard that they are not recommended. He had no idea if using one would cause any damage but seemed to think that BMW did not recommend any particular brand of WDH.

I don't check this forum frequently, so I apologize for my delay.

I did not find anything explicitly on the installation instructions for our variant. However, the E70 installation instructions addresses it explicitly here on page 22: "Do not use weight distribution equipment."

https://rparts-sites.s3.amazonaws.co...structions.pdf

I believe if I spent more time on the project, which I do not intend to do, I would be able to find something similar for ours, too. Hope this helps.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by rja66

Where do they state this? I have talked to dealers and the BMW Genius Hotline. The 2 dealers I spoke with didn't know what a weight distribution hitch was and the Genius hotline did say that BMW doesn't recommend any particular brand. But when I asked him for a written BMW policy about WDH's, he said he is not aware of any - just that he has heard that they are not recommended. He had no idea if using one would cause any damage but seemed to think that BMW did not recommend any particular brand of WDH.

Originally Posted by FastDriver

I don't check this forum frequently, so I apologize for my delay.

I did not find anything explicitly on the installation instructions for our variant. However, the E70 installation instructions addresses it explicitly here on page 22: "Do not use weight distribution equipment."

https://rparts-sites.s3.amazonaws.co...structions.pdf

I believe if I spent more time on the project, which I do not intend to do, I would be able to find something similar for ours, too. Hope this helps.

I don't have the answer to this question, and don't take what I write as the truth, use a WDH on your own risk...
Anyway, from a load bearing point of view, a unibody and a truck frame, can be quite different.

With a truck frame, we know the solid frame rails go way forward and they will handle the load almost equally from being lifted at the hitch or being weighed down. Side loads will also be transferred way forward, by the frame.

A unibody might be made to handle the weight and side loads from a regular hitch, but with the WDH suddenly you have different loads to deal with, that BMW never tested, and thus don't know if the unibody will be able to handle or not. So they say no to it (according to some sources, still not sure what their stance is...)
A unibody is made up of lots of welds and sometimes glue. If the WDH creates a weird torque on a weld it was not designed to hold up to, it could cause stress over time, that leads to failure.

The hidden hitches like my Stealthhitch, does not allow the use of WDH, due to their design with a fixed ball mount insert, and the slide in receiver mount insert is only made for bike racks or small luggage racks. I believe this is because the possibility of side loads from a WDH would put too much sideways stress on the hidden mount and lock.

But the hitches like Curt and Reese, where the old style slide in receiver is used for towing, having the receiver welded to the cross brace, mounted directly to the unibody, might create enough strength to allow for the WDH to be used?!?!
Personally I would rather get another tow vehicle, than use the X5 with a WDH, because of the unknown. It might be just fine, no issues at all, but might also cause stress on welds I can't see.

I have driven a lot (going to trade shows) with WDH's on Chevy/GMC 2500/3500 trucks with class V hitches, and there is a huge benefit from having a WDH with sway brakes installed for heavy loads. But I also know once you get loads requiring it, the brakes really should be updated to bigger brakes on a vehicle, unless it comes with big brakes already.

A long time ago, coming down the I-15 slope, towards San Bernardino towing a heavy load, realizing the brakes starting to fade on a MY2000 C2500 Suburban, taught me a valuable lesson, (and a big brake upgrade)...

If you have a Curt or Reese style hitch, and you have to tow something heavy, it might be safer to use a WDH, if you are at the limit of what you can tow, but I would not risk it.
If nothing else, if towing a camper or similar that is not too heavy, but you run into a lot of sway... Using the sway brake bar only, (but not use the WD bars) could possibly make it a lot safer to tow a trailer like that.

[ultraturtle]

Very informative thread. Learning much. Thanks to all.

Getting my 2021 x5 in several weeks, and I have a question that nobody seems to be able to answer.

It makes some sense that "weight distribution equipment" would not be allowed on the bolt-on 6,000 lb capacity hitch BMW can add after manufacture. Does anyone know if there are any restrictions against using a weight distribution hitch on the 7,200 lb capacity factory hitch system?

Would 2 axle air suspension make any difference in the answer?

[ultraturtle]

Never mind. matthewk was nice enough to post the X5 factory hitch label on AirForums. No WDH for me...:

[kktxod]

I tow an airstream with a 2017 X5d and need new tires. running the 275/40 20 and 315/35 20. I understand that a less flexible tire is better for towing. Any suggestions? I am greedy and would like it to perform in the snow too if possible.