[plumcrazy]

Drove an X7 40 the other day - really nice!

Anyone towing with their X7? We have a boat and 6200 lb travel trailer (camper). Related, have you installed a brake controller? My BMW dealer says they don't offer one, but would help us install one.

Just concerned, was looking at the Q7 which can tow more (7700 pounds), surprisingly, the Audi manual says you can't use a weight distribution hitch with it. Not seeing that in the BMW manual, but raises a concern doing serious towing on a non-truck based SUV.

[dmann33]

Originally Posted by plumcrazy

Drove an X7 40 the other day - really nice!

Anyone towing with their X7? We have a boat and 6200 lb travel trailer (camper). Related, have you installed a brake controller? My BMW dealer says they don't offer one, but would help us install one.

Just concerned, was looking at the Q7 which can tow more (7700 pounds), surprisingly, the Audi manual says you can't use a weight distribution hitch with it. Not seeing that in the BMW manual, but raises a concern doing serious towing on a non-truck based SUV.

I might use it for short tows of our boat (6500). The trailer has the surge type brakes in the hitch, so I would not need a brake controller.

Maybe somebody has been down this road and will chime in, but its early.

[Wild Blue]

I'll be ordering my X7 with the BMW trailer hitch. Yes, you lose the foot motion control to open the trunk, but I'd find the trailer capability useful. I sometimes tow my Polaris Ranger side-by-side UTV on a small specialty flatbed trailer, to go offroad 4-wheeling.

Personally, I think I'd only order the BMW trailer hitch. When you start getting to advanced SAV vehicles like the X5 and X7, with adaptable air suspension, DHP, IAS, etc, I'd be afraid of messing up something with the suspension or chassis, towing with an aftermarket hitch. (not to mention, your point about the X7 not being on a truck chassis) Now, that's just my own fear--there might be nothing at all special about the BMW hitch, or no problem putting on an aftermarket hitch, but I'm not going to chance it. I can't remember what class the BMW towing hitch is, though.

The X7 is prewired for a brake controller, and has the plug built into the trailer hitch. I wouldn't buy a BMW OEM brake controller, though. They have been using a previous model controller from another company (Prodigy if I remember right) and just slapping a BMW label on it. Might as well buy a new, full-featured current controller model from somebody else.

If anyone does start towing with the X7, I'd love to see your brake controller install, and pics of towing with your rig! Make this an X7 towing thread.

[like2short]

Originally Posted by Wild Blue

I'll be ordering my X7 with the BMW trailer hitch. Yes, you lose the foot motion control to open the trunk, but I'd find the trailer capability useful. I sometimes tow my Polaris Ranger side-by-side UTV on a small specialty flatbed trailer, to go offroad 4-wheeling.

Personally, I think I'd only order the BMW trailer hitch. When you start getting to advanced SAV vehicles like the X5 and X7, with adaptable air suspension, DHP, IAS, etc, I'd be afraid of messing up something with the suspension or chassis, towing with an aftermarket hitch. (not to mention, your point about the X7 not being on a truck chassis) Now, that's just my own fear--there might be nothing at all special about the BMW hitch, or no problem putting on an aftermarket hitch, but I'm not going to chance it. I can't remember what class the BMW towing hitch is, though.

The X7 is prewired for a brake controller, and has the plug built into the trailer hitch. I wouldn't buy a BMW OEM brake controller, though. They have been using a previous model controller from another company (Prodigy if I remember right) and just slapping a BMW label on it. Might as well buy a new, full-featured current controller model from somebody else.

If anyone does start towing with the X7, I'd love to see your brake controller install, and pics of towing with your rig! Make this an X7 towing thread.

The towing rating is 5900 lbs with aftermarket hitch. Note the rear brakes are bigger with the tow hitch per the parts catalog.

[plumcrazy]

Very cool on the bigger brakes with hitch package. Yea, only considering the factory hitch as well. Would love to hear from someone that actually towed something 6K+ pounds with a weight distribution hitch plugged into the factory hitch + installed a brake controller installed. Worst case, maybe I'll be posting the first review

[bjcarls]

I towed a 6,000lbs featherlite with my old X5 50i. Trailer had a 200lb tongue weight and I was probably over the X5's stated max tongue weight but never had any control issues. It had air suspension in the back which leveled everything out.

I used the following brake controller and it worked well.

http://www.tekonsha.com/products/bra...RB508pViEKmVBf

[jcarlilesiu]

We are trading our Yukon Denali and just ordered an X7. We plan on pulling a hybrid camper which is about 4,500 pounds dry. We have also used the prodigy controller referenced above before we had the Yukon and it did work good and wireless.

[djxilo]

I towed a 4,500 lb Lance 1995 with my F15 X5 50i. You will definitely want to install a brake controller and WDH if you're towing a TT > 6,000 lbs.

The X5 was a very capable towing vehicle. No trailer sway or white knuckling. The X7 should be even better given the longer wheelbase and beefier brakes/suspension.

I ended up getting a Ram 1500 for added peace of mind and still have the Tekonsha brake controller sitting around somewhere in my garage if you're interested.

[jcarlilesiu]

Originally Posted by djxilo

I towed a 4,500 lb Lance 1995 with my F15 X5 50i. You will definitely want to install a brake controller and WDH if you're towing a TT > 6,000 lbs.

The X5 was a very capable towing vehicle. No trailer sway or white knuckling. The X7 should be even better given the longer wheelbase and beefier brakes/suspension.

I ended up getting a Ram 1500 for added peace of mind and still have the Tekonsha brake controller sitting around somewhere in my garage if you're interested.

Im interested. Is it the wireless prodigy model? His much you want for it?

[djxilo]

Originally Posted by jcarlilesiu

Im interested. Is it the wireless prodigy model? His much you want for it?

Sent you a PM.

[Wild Blue]

That's a great pic.

I think we do need more info about the BMW production hitch, details and what class it is.

[plumcrazy]

Fast forward a few months, traded the F150 8 cylinder for the X7 40. I towed my 5K lb boat 5 hours and wow, it was way better than the F150 - I almost didn't know it was back there at times!

Few highlights
- air suspension automatically adjusted to the load and leveled it out perfectly.
- X7 knew it was towing and seemed to adjust braking and shift patterns correctly
- acceleration was great, really impressed, braking was fine too
- really stable, didn't sway
- engine was quiet even at steep grades - F150 would scream (8 cyl, 6 would have been better)!
- way better than i expected!

Next up - taking the 6,500 pound camper out in a few weeks with weight distribution hitch and brake controller needed for that. I'll post back there.

[Wild Blue]

Awesome to hear, plumcrazy one of the primary reasons I'm still debating going for the 50i, is for towing. I've always found a V8 is much better for towing power than an I6. But your report makes it sound like the 40i is enough!

I found my test drives were enough in the 40i, plenty of power. But of course, that was without towing.

[plumcrazy]

yea i was shocked! the 40i pulled better than my F150 8 cyl, a lot better! even up and down the hills in VA.

[Fatandre]

What if I have the OEM hitch?
How can I put a weight distribution hitch?

[Wild Blue]

Has anyone confirmed the specs of the OEM hitch? And that it's NOT weight distributing?

[jmciver]

I have not seen any additional info on the X7 hitch, but hitches in general are not that complicated and the X7 hitch does not seem to be anything very special (and I have experience towing with my Ford Expedition with a weight distribution system installed on my trailer). A weight distributing hitch system consists of additional components that are external to the tow vehicle, some of which are installed on the trailer. Depending on the weight of the tow vehicle and the weight of the trailer, a weight distributing hitch system may not even be necessary if the trailer/tow vehicle combo can stay level when towing.

The air suspension on the X7 serves as a load leveling system when the X7 is towing (not unique to BMW, other truck/SUV manufacturers have been using air suspensions for this purpose for a long time). The air suspension will adjust the rear shocks to help keep the trailer and SUV level, thus acting similar to a weight distribution system. However, the air suspension can only support so much weight, so a weight distribution system may be required to more safely tow heavier loads.

Based on the OPs experience towing his 5000 lb boat, it seems like the air suspension performed well. However, a weight distributing hitch system (with sway control) would only help the X7 tow more weight (up to the max tow limit) even better and with more stability. It will be interesting to see how towing goes for the OP when he tows his heavier load. But I agree with his decision to use a weight distribution system with his heavier trailer.

The link and video below describe how a weight distribution system works.

https://tophitches.com/weight-distribution-hitch-work/

[Kotkot]

Originally Posted by plumcrazy

Fast forward a few months, traded the F150 8 cylinder for the X7 40. I towed my 5K lb boat 5 hours and wow, it was way better than the F150 - I almost didn't know it was back there at times!

Few highlights
- air suspension automatically adjusted to the load and leveled it out perfectly.
- X7 knew it was towing and seemed to adjust braking and shift patterns correctly
- acceleration was great, really impressed, braking was fine too
- really stable, didn't sway
- engine was quiet even at steep grades - F150 would scream (8 cyl, 6 would have been better)!
- way better than i expected!

Next up - taking the 6,500 pound camper out in a few weeks with weight distribution hitch and brake controller needed for that. I'll post back there.

Yep. I tow 24 footer Yamaha with 2019 X5 with air and it tows great. Probably over 6k lbs combined trailer weight. Surge brakes.

[plumcrazy]

Loaded up the 6200 lb dry camper today with weight distribution hitch (WDH) - lowered pretty far, but then air suspension leveled out. I actually need to lower the WDH a notch, actually sits a little higher than my F150 hitch did.

Early driving impressions (10 min non-highway drive)... Pull was fine, braking was fine (using curt echo smart brake controller). My Furrion rear camera on camper doesn't stay on though, keeps flashing on and off - not sure if X7 or Curt Echo Smart issue - need to research.

On bumpy roads, you do feel its back there, but doesn't seem too bad.

I'll report back after 3 hour drive this weekend...

[jmciver]

Can you describe (or even show pictures) of your brake controller setup? I am curious to see how it hooks up in the X7. Also, how well does the OEM tow hookup rear camera view work?

[Wild Blue]

Originally Posted by jmciver

Can you describe (or even show pictures) of your brake controller setup? I am curious to see how it hooks up in the X7. Also, how well does the OEM tow hookup rear camera view work?

+1 on that

[dmann33]

Originally Posted by Kotkot

Yep. I tow 24 footer Yamaha with 2019 X5 with air and it tows great. Probably over 6k lbs combined trailer weight. Surge brakes.

Yamaha jet boat? I love those things. We recently departed ways with ours to get an offshore fishing boat. The jet boat’s weight isn’t as much as you generally think. AR240 is about 3600 dry so maybe 4000 with fuel and gear. Add 1000 for a trailer and they are around a 5000 tow. That’s one reason we had one.

One reason we got the X7 is to pull our bigger boat. It’s 6500 loaded and dwarfs the X7. I’ll post a pic later. I haven’t yet pulled at speed yet as I need to lower the tongue weight a little.