[rs4eva]

1. What does the factory towing hitch option do to increase the limit from 6000lbs to 7200lbs?
2. How do you tow 6000lbs without the option?
3. Do aftermarket hitches also raise the limit?
4. Will I need a brake controller or is that integrated somehow?
5. Can you use a weight distribution device?

Thanks!

[Mark609]

Originally Posted by rs4eva

1. What does the factory towing hitch option do to increase the limit from 6000lbs to 7200lbs?
2. How do you tow 6000lbs without the option?
3. Do aftermarket hitches also raise the limit?
4. Will I need a brake controller or is that integrated somehow?
5. Can you use a weight distribution device?

Thanks!

Good questions. I'm building a car and want to add my own towing hitch. X5 is already prewired so I assume I can do that later.

[rs4eva]

Originally Posted by Mark609

Good questions. I'm building a car and want to add my own towing hitch. X5 is already prewired so I assume I can do that later.

I asked a genius about that, and he said it would be more expensive than the tow hook option based on experiences with the older model.

I am a little bummed you lose the kick to open feature.

[redline9001]

Originally Posted by rs4eva

1. What does the factory towing hitch option do to increase the limit from 6000lbs to 7200lbs?
2. How do you tow 6000lbs without the option?
3. Do aftermarket hitches also raise the limit?
4. Will I need a brake controller or is that integrated somehow?
5. Can you use a weight distribution device?

Thanks!

1. Some hitches are limited by quality, the real limits are axles and frame
2. Weight of the trailer is one of the last things you should be concerned with... payloads your x5, tougue weight of the trailer are more important. Find out that first ...
3. Depends on the hitch...
4. Yes brake controller would be recommended
5. Anything over 5k lbs you must use one.

Depending on what your plan on towing and the options in your x5 will determine your real limits.

Payload, your x5 will have a sticker in the driver door with your payload of your x5. Don’t go by internet generalizations. Now calculating payload... you, your wife, kids , dog, beer and cloths all must be included in you payload numbers. Quickly you will realize that there is not much left for a trailer on an x5...

Tonque weight, don’t go buy what people at the trailer store tell you most of them are complete morons that are trying to make a sale. Buy a tongue weight scale and KNOW what your actual weight is. You will get surprised how much the weight actually is.

[bono]

1. It is likely that if you opt for the factory hitch, the car will be delivered with bigger fan, better engine and transmission cooling. I do not know, if this is the case with new X5. This is what other manufacturers are doing (often).
2. What do you mean? Obviously you need to install hitch to tow anything.
3. No. You can install class V hitch on X5, but this will not increase the towing capacity. Sometimes manufacturers decrease towing capacity for certain markets. As an example, E70 was rated to tow 7,700 lbs for all markets except for the US, where the hitch was rated to 6,000 lbs. In theory installing a better hitch would increase the towing capacity, but within the car capacity.
This is fairly complex topic. Towing ratings are just manufacturer recommendations and are not supported by any law (for non-commercial use).
4. It is not integrated.
5. Good question. I would like to know the answer as well. With E70 BMW stated in the hitch installation manual (not car manual) not to use weight distribution hitch. It made sense as the hitch had a long drop plates between the main tube and the receiver. The weight distribution flexes the plates (there were reports over internet). If you installed aftermarket hitch, you would never see this statement.

I am using weight distribution hitch (ProPride), but I reinforced the hitch and added a strut between the receiver and rear axle carrier. There is no real limit of the trailer weight when you need to use WDH. It depends on the tongue weight not the gross weight of the trailer.

Some will say that the real limit of the X5 towing capacity is payload. I agree to certain extent. IMO real limits are axle and tire limits. I do not encourage anybody to go above the payload, but 100-200 lbs above should not be a problem. Still it is shocking for me that e.g. 50i has 870 lbs payload.

[rs4eva]

Originally Posted by redline9001

Depending on what you plan on towing and the options in your x5 will determine your real limits.

~1500lb car trailer and a ~3200lb track car. Probably a set of tires and some tools.

[AndroidRobot]

Originally Posted by bono

Some will say that the real limit of the X5 towing capacity is payload. I agree to certain extent. IMO real limits are axle and tire limits. I do not encourage anybody to go above the payload, but 100-200 lbs above should not be a problem. Still it is shocking for me that e.g. 50i has 870 lbs payload.

Considering the average American male weighs 191lbs, if you had 5 adult men then you'd be over the weigh limit already. Conversely, if you had an average family 191lbs + 159lbs for the average woman. then 3 children at let's say 65lbs each that's already 595lbs + any cargo. I think their limit is pretty low compared to what they intend it's use for, especially the 7 seat version.

[rs4eva]

Originally Posted by bono

50i has 870 lbs payload.

Is the payload different for the 40i?

[redline9001]

Originally Posted by rs4eva

Is the payload different for the 40i?

Payload is different for each vehicle... it will all depend on options , engine etc...

There is a payload sticker in your drivers door sill... that will tell you what YOUR payload is ... the more options you will have less payload you will have cause the car will weigh more the more options you put in it....

The reason the towing will be different in different markets is cause there are different standards for calculating it...

If you already own the car, trailer tools etc.. load it up and get a tongue weight scale on find out what it is ... what your actual weight is...

But let’s do some math to see what ball park you are in

The trailer and load

1500 + 3200 + 500 =5200 lbs at the minimum you should 10% for tongue weight so your best case is 520 lbs... then add the weight of the hitch and ball, since you over 5k you should use a Wdh and they are a 100lbs so your over hitch weight allowance ... but if it 12% then your really screwed....

The only thing I would tow with an x5 is a small utility trailer or a small tent trailer ... any more then that, you have the wrong tool...

Stay safe on the roads

[bono]

Take a look at the sheet I attached to this thread.

https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1567155

Payload is generally the difference between gross weight and the curb weight. It appears that BMW is publishing very conservative payload numbers for G05 and the only way to confirm the available payload would be to go with your car to CAT scale and confirm actual weight of the car with the passengers / cargo you usually traveling with.

I did it with my E70 and instead of 1,100 lbs payload stated on my yellow sticker, I got around 1,350 lbs from the calculation.

For E70 BMW used the same generic yellow sticker for ALL models therefore the yellow sticker is useless.

I am towing this trailer with E70 and I am max 0-100 lbs above the payload (depending whether I had a dog, spare tire, etc.) and within axle / tires limits (2 adults, 2 kids). It is difficult to beat X5 in terms of the towing capabilities. Definitely, it tows better than any truck on the market. The only advantage of towing with a truck is that you can take some crap in the bed of the truck. The disadvantage of towing with a truck is terrible handling.

Do not be discouraged to tow your trailer with X5. Just do you research. I heard hundreds times that it won't work for my combo.

Originally Posted by rs4eva

Is the payload different for the 40i?

[bono]

What was the difference in US and EURO standards that resulted in 6,000 lbs towing capacity in the US and 7,700 lbs in Europe for E70?

There was one reason for this difference. BMW arbitrarily decided to order 6,000 lbs hitch from the manufacturer. There was no difference in standards between the US and rest of the world.

Originally Posted by redline9001

(...)

The reason the towing will be different in different markets is cause there are different standards for calculating it...
(...)

[1230vani]

As another post in this thread from @bono , on F15 retrofitting an OEM hitch required different cooling as well witch made it more expensive.

[rs4eva]

Ugh!!! about to finalize my order today, and wondering if I should skip the factory package and go aftermarket with a higher tongue weight limit.

If it does, in fact, get some added equipment (springs, gearing, cooling, etc) that would be good to know. Can anyone verify with documentation from BMW?

[rs4eva]

Originally Posted by redline9001

Payload, your x5 will have a sticker in the driver door with your payload of your x5.

I am building my car and do not have a sticker to look at. Do they put a unique sticker on each car or would I be able to look at a tow package car on the lot?

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by rs4eva

Ugh!!! about to finalize my order today, and wondering if I should skip the factory package and go aftermarket with a higher tongue weight limit.

If it does, in fact, get some added equipment (springs, gearing, cooling, etc) that would be good to know. Can anyone verify with documentation from BMW?

Reviewed RealOEM and training docs, you're not getting added equipment or suspension when you select factory towing package.

Only notes are for when you have 2-axle air and using towing.

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=24092219

[rs4eva]

Originally Posted by Auricom

Reviewed RealOEM and training docs, you're not getting added equipment or suspension when you select factory towing package.

Only notes are for when you have 2-axle air and using towing.

Thanks. I just read that PDF as well. Missed it the first time around.