[Multimodal]

I towed a 22' boat with my E70 X5 50i. That boat probably adds up to a 5200 lb total weight with 600 lb tongue weight, and it does OK.

I recently upgraded to a G05 X5 50i. After I bought it I started considering upgrading my boat to something a bit larger. I'm looking at a 26' boat that will probably weigh 7830 lb in total.

My first reaction is that the new boat would be way too heavy for the X5 but I'm not eager to trade my X5 after only a few months or spend another $40K on a third vehicle.

Could I make it work with a Stealth Hitch equipped G05 X5 50i if I kept the tongue weight in the 600-700 lb (8-9%) range?

[Tenac]

I totally understand where you are coming from wanting to push those limits. The bottom line is they place those limits based on engineering factors of the vehicle. I think we have all seen MANY other vehicles towing/hauling with headlights in the sky or front wheels off the ground. It comes down to safety and I say no way should you tow more than its rated for! Keep in mind say you have a fender bender and they get lawyer involved you will be required to provide weight of your tow in court (been here) if it is over you are going to get the worst end of the stick.

Also keep in mind dry weight V loaded weight, the the Gross of everyone added to the total weight is a factor. You would be surprised how fast things add up.

Notice here: Even if you upgrade springs/hitch you will be held accountable to the vehicles door sticker capacities. I learned this when I was taken to court while towing a trailer with my old F150, it was the first thing they attacked stating I was overweight and unable to control the vehicle, I had everything in check so I came out fine but was shocked how aggressive they where on that situation.

[Multimodal]

Thanks, Tenac. I agree with everything you're saying.

The weights I listed assume half-full fuel tanks and a couple hundred pounds of gear on board.

I respect the engineering limits - I actually weighed my X5 50i on a truck scale before purchasing it, as you can see below, to ensure I would have sufficient payload capacity for myself, passengers, and 600 lbs of tongue weight. (My vehicle is pretty loaded and I had 1220 lbs of payload capacity, much more than the door sticker says, since BMW rates payload at the worst-possible figure for a given trim level including a safety factor.)

[bono]

These cars are rated (everywhere outside north America) to tow 7,700 lbs without weight distribution hitch and with surge brakes. From a technical perspective you should be fine. As somebody mentioned above, in the case of accident you may need to lawyer up and question is whether you want to take this risk. I tow 7,300 lbs 33' trailer with E70 which US hitch is rated to 6,000 lbs. I reinforced it, use weight distribution and I accept risk of being sued. Sue can many. Collect can a few.

X5 is much better towing platform than ANY half ton truck on the market (unless you tow 5th wheel or take your home to campground). 3/4 ton truck with provide more payload, stiff suspension, which some people like. I dont. I am European and still cannot understand what people see in trucks...

[LexxM3]

I think your biggest issue is tongue weight. Less than 10% is widely and consistently reported as a serious risk of sway instability and loss of control (to be sure, I never myself tested possible deviations from these recommendations and never will). You certainly know already that 10-15% is recommended, so below 10% is just a particularly bad idea and I don't think you can get to even 10% with that load and X5 tongue weight limits. And operating margins are your life-saving friends — running things at (or above) limits with zero or negative margins can result in tears when some other parameter happens to not be just perfect.

Don't do it.

[bono]

10-15% is recommended for travel trailer. Tongue weight with a boat will be lower.

Tongue weight to avoid sway depends on many factors, including speed. In Europe usual tongue weight is 4-8%.

[Ilyam5]

“ I am European and still cannot understand what people see in Trucks”

Im european too and hate driving trucks. But i also like to have the right tool for the job. Trucks have frames and hitches connected to them and they have leaf rear suspension designed to withstand load and not sag

X5 is not a truck. It is a tall station wagon. Rear hitch is attached to bumper bracket. It eventually will twist off. So for serious towing most people reinforce hitches on Suvs by welding steel rods to the middle of the car from hitch
Rear suspension will sag dramatically with high tongue weight so you will drive with front looking up and eventually will ruin rear suspension

Of course its doable. But is it worth it?
One can reinforce the hitch
Buy best in class weight distribution hitch
Professionally install it and adjust it
Install extra sway bars
Upgrade rear suspension springs

And still i would prefer to tow something with 600 lb toungue weight, 5000 lb tops and maybe 23 ft long
Imagine xls teailer comes to mind

[Tenac]

Don't for get to look at the WD (weight distribution) hitches they help realign weight.

[bono]

The biggest misconception in the US is that trucks are designed for towing, in other words "right tool for the job". I read this thousands times already. Trucks are not designed for towing, they are designed for hauling cargo in the back of the vehicle. If there would be an ultimate towing machine designed (yet to designed), this would not look like truck at all. SUV needs less modifications to be a better towing machine. However, marketing departments have been doing tremendous job!

High center of gravity, long rear overhang, primitive suspension (leaf springs are not used in trucks because they are good for towing - they are cheap to manufacture and maintenance), high profile tires are not designed towards towing.

Unibody is stiffer than body on frame. Sure, European hitches need to be (typically) reinforced, because they are not designed for weight distribution as weight distribution hitches are not allowed in Europe. E.g. E70 hitch has long drop plates - this does not help with decreasing the lever with engaging WDH. Therefore, many (including myself) reinforced the hitch. You need to be kidding when you say that hitches on SUV are attached to bumper brackets.

Just read a couple of posts on RV forums about problems with trucks and towing - people change tires, suspension elements (shocks, etc.), reinforce hitches, etc. Many preaching that only 3/4 ton trucks can tow - they just feel more stiff suspension on 3/4 ton, which gives more stability going straight, but good luck with any emergency maneuver.

Again, if you tow 5th wheel or massive trailer >7,500 lbs or take your home to campground, you cannot use X5. For anything below this, X5 will be a better option than a truck.

Originally Posted by Ilyam5

“ I am European and still cannot understand what people see in Trucks”

Im european too and hate driving trucks. But i also like to have the right tool for the job. Trucks have frames and hitches connected to them and they have leaf rear suspension designed to withstand load and not sag

X5 is not a truck. It is a tall station wagon. Rear hitch is attached to bumper bracket. It eventually will twist off. So for serious towing most people reinforce hitches on Suvs by welding steel rods to the middle of the car from hitch
Rear suspension will sag dramatically with high tongue weight so you will drive with front looking up and eventually will ruin rear suspension

Of course its doable. But is it worth it?
One can reinforce the hitch
Buy best in class weight distribution hitch
Professionally install it and adjust it
Install extra sway bars
Upgrade rear suspension springs

And still i would prefer to tow something with 600 lb toungue weight, 5000 lb tops and maybe 23 ft long
Imagine xls teailer comes to mind

[Drothgeb]

I’ve been towing cars, boats, trucks, campers, and equipment for over 40 years and just want to point out that “trucks” come in all sizes and configurations just like cars. Yes, some are tall and don’t handle great. But, you can also get them sitting low with low profile tires and independent suspensions, that are actually pretty quick and handle well.

The body on my new truck is all aluminum. The weight savings from that, were moved to a thicker steel frame. Stronger frame and lower COG. My truck also has almost the same luxury options as the X5, plus a number of towing specific options that the X5 doesn’t. I can back-up a trailer by just turning the knob on the dash. The shorter wheelbase of the X5 is nice around tight boat ramps. But the current traction control isn’t great on steep, wet ramps. The electronic locking rear axle on my truck is the ticket. And, the dinky mirrors on an X5 absolutely suck for towing. An upgrade should be available with the tow hitch option. The electric folding/extending mirrors my truck are 1000% better.

An X5 tows well within it’s range. Better than a properly equipped truck, I don’t think so.

[Russ103]

Originally Posted by bono

I am European and still cannot understand what people see in trucks...

We can't understand what anyone sees in Europe but we protect you people anyway

[gofast182]

I didn't see this asked but how far would you be towing? If it's less than 20 miles yeah I can def. see using the X5 with a weight distribution hitch. For longer distances, tough call, not sure I'd feel comfortable.

[jad03060]

The body of the X5 is welded together. SOmeone mentioned that the bigger issue with extra weight is the potential for twisting the body and fracturing it.

All G05's, at least used to and probably still do, come with rear air suspension springs...the 45e has them on both axles, but in either case, exceeding the tongue weight means a heavier load on the air springs, and you may find that the tire/wheel selection's weight limits, depending on option, may be exceeded if you exceed the specs. Depending on the brake choice you made, if you didn't spec the OEM towing package, or one of the heavier duty brake packages, you may be stressing the OEM brakes when towing, too. Part of the OEM towing package is larger front brakes.

While the same model tire may be sold for the X5 in various parts of the world, that doesn't mean they are exactly the same internally.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by jad03060

All G05's, at least used to and probably still do, come with rear air suspension springs...

Where did you get that idea? It's not true. Base and M Sport Adaptive suspensions don't have any air suspension components:

rear: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=33_2288
front: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=31_1508

P.S. Maybe you're thinking G07 (which only has dual axle air suspension available) ... or strictly G05 45e which does appear to only have air suspension on the rear stock and optional air on the front.

[jad03060]

Something other than rear air springs requires an optional package is all I meant. Given the current supply issues, I'm not sure what will be available where. On the 45e, two-axle air springs is standard, at least in the USA.

[Auricom]

Sigh, stop, no.

X5s with 1-axle air suspensions are a thing of the past.

45e have 2VR 2-axle air suspension standard. Any G05/06 model optioned with 2VR has 2-axle air suspension.

If you option 3AC trailer hitch on a G05/06 without 2VR, you're not getting any axle with air suspension.

Also for X5s with 2VR 2-axle air suspension and trailer towing
As soon as a trailer is connected to the vehicle via the trailer socket, the air suspension can no longer be operated, e.g. via the ride height rocker button. During trailer operation, the control of the air suspension is limited exclusively to adjusting the load statuses at normal level.

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by Auricom

X5s with 1-axle air suspensions are a thing of the past.

Reason I mentioned the 45e with just one axle air theory is because for older EUR G05 45e, RealOEM seems to show just air for front axle and both air and springs for rear:

front: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...-X5_45eX&mg=31
rear: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...-X5_45eX&mg=33

Minor mystery?

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

Reason I mentioned the 45e with just one axle air theory is because for older EUR G05 45e, RealOEM seems to show just air for front axle and both air and springs for rear:

front: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...-X5_45eX&mg=31
rear: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...-X5_45eX&mg=33

Minor mystery?

Not a mystery, RealOEM is pitifully out of date. Friends don't let friends use RealOEM - use Bimmercat instead

Front:
https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...X5+45eX/ECE/31

Rear:
https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...X5+45eX/ECE/33

[Multimodal]

So I definitely did not use my X5 to tow my new boat, which is more like 9000 lbs with full tanks on the trailer, but I did take a side by side photo. I rented a Ford F-250 to tow it a couple weeks ago and that felt well matched to the job - I am not even sure I'd want to use a half-ton truck to tow it.

[bono]

Thank you for your service, Russ. We pay for this "protection". Currently I live in the US anyway.

Originally Posted by Russ103

We can't understand what anyone sees in Europe but we protect you people anyway

[bono]

There is no truck on the market which would have a better suspension, lower center of gravity, better brakes, shorter rear overhang than X5. All of this things are relevant for towing. Don't get me wrong, if you have a trailer which is in 7-8k lbs range and haul a lot of things to campground, truck may be a better option. Same with 5th wheel however, for many with mid sized trailers traveling light, X5 will be a better option.

Originally Posted by Drothgeb

I’ve been towing cars, boats, trucks, campers, and equipment for over 40 years and just want to point out that “trucks” come in all sizes and configurations just like cars. Yes, some are tall and don’t handle great. But, you can also get them sitting low with low profile tires and independent suspensions, that are actually pretty quick and handle well.

The body on my new truck is all aluminum. The weight savings from that, were moved to a thicker steel frame. Stronger frame and lower COG. My truck also has almost the same luxury options as the X5, plus a number of towing specific options that the X5 doesn’t. I can back-up a trailer by just turning the knob on the dash. The shorter wheelbase of the X5 is nice around tight boat ramps. But the current traction control isn’t great on steep, wet ramps. The electronic locking rear axle on my truck is the ticket. And, the dinky mirrors on an X5 absolutely suck for towing. An upgrade should be available with the tow hitch option. The electric folding/extending mirrors my truck are 1000% better.

An X5 tows well within it’s range. Better than a properly equipped truck, I don’t think so.

[Multimodal]

Originally Posted by Russ103

We can't understand what anyone sees in Europe but we protect you people anyway

Disagree

P.s. aren’t you a EUROPEAN auto owner/enthusiast?