540iT trailer hitches and towing cross country?

[joekitch]

Originally made a thread in the touring section but i don't think anything I've found out about it is specific to the touring, so here's a sparknotes version of what i've found so far:

have some open questions still like -the install instructions (linked below) seem to plug into stock plugs without any splicing but part of it goes all the way to the LCM in the A pillar, can i just tap into more readily accessible wires in the rear which do the same thing?
-



The OEM hitch is made by westfalia, and is a 1.25" receiver swan neck type with wiring included in the kit, it bolts into the rear bumper crossbar supports and AS FAR AS I KNOW, doesn't require cutting anything.
https://www.schmiedmann.com/en/produ...product=303229
image_33318_big.jpg

schmeidmann sells it, but for $405 which is....high....not including shipping to the usa.

PFjones sells something sort of similar for $193, and shipping to the usa is $133, much better. However this has a different system to mount the tow hitch to the bar
https://www.pfjones.co.uk/bmw-5-seri...ck-towbar.html

installation instructions are around, but a little scattered
page 37 shows english instructions here
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...4%2F303229.pdf
there's also this one which is e39 specific
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/...iler_hitch.pdf
those instructions mention an e39 specific retrofit wiring harness that skips a lot of splicing BS but i don't know a good place to find that cheap


For hiding the hitch opening, it's easier than i thought. On the M rear bumper, the diffuser section is actually a separate bit that can be removed, and it can be replaced with a diffuser bit that has a hole in it for the actual neck of the hitch
it's part # 51122494800 and ECS lists it at $70
however the actual cover plate that you snap in place when the hitch isn't attached is part # 51122695499 which ecs sells for $44

s-l300.jpg

the part diagram i got this from is here
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=51_4321


there's also some somewhat cryptically named bits which have the term "tow" in them when you do a blanket search on realoem, which looks to be various boxes for the trailer wiring but i'm not too bent out of shape about making it really pretty.
this is where that part named "holder" comes into play (part 51127901487 for $60), it's a bracket to hold that box (part number 61138367240) in place, as shown here



e39 trailer wiring box with holder.jpg



There's a full parts cross reference page on realoem
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...253&series=E39

The official "retrofit kit" is part # 71600139716 (also 71600028227 and 71600028229 are listed as alternatives?) but i have no idea what it actually contains, maybe the picture above with the box and holder and harness is it? 72110009048
The official trailer hitch/tow bar is part # 72110009048 but that sucker's been NLA for a long time
And there's another retrofit kit part number here? 71609410791


also, you can get a receiver adapter to use standard american ball hitches instead of the euro gooseneck design (called a 2" receiver adapter), Bosal makes them but i can't seem to find them...
BSL043964_8_1000.jpg



Just to make things even more complicated, most simple unbraked trailers like uhaul trailers use a 4 ping flat connector for lights, but the westfalia uses a 13 pin euro plug as far as i can tell
nobody makes direct converters between these two, but it's relatively easy to make you own, the audi allroad guys deal with this often and there's a write up here
http://allroadfaq.com/downloads/howt...%20Adapter.pdf
of course the much simpler version is to just get a basic 4 pin universal wiring kit and make my own loom using some taps, mooching off the main looming going to the rear lights since all i need is brake lights signal, left and right turn signals and a ground

[Nyc Dito]

does this help?
Untitled.jpg

[joekitch]

i think that's just a 7 to 13 pin adapter?

schmeidmann has the full retrofit kit, but seemingly only for the sedans from 97 to 2000
https://www.schmiedmann.com/en/bmw-E...1-60-9-410-792

part # 71600028227 seems to be the retrofit kit for 2000 cars and newer...and it's on shmeidmann as well but without a pic or much of a description
https://www.schmiedmann.com/en/produ...1-60-0-028-227
however when i put in my vin (gn92489) shmeidmann says it doesn't fit, hmm

but the shipping's only 41 bucks, not bad at all actually
retrofit kit schmeidmann shipping.jpg

[deyrag]

does this help

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...socket/cpBVtxF

[joekitch]

those diagrams are already in the guides i linked but thank you

[joekitch]

ok so, there's like a million different "retrofit cable, towing" items on schmeidmann and i have no idea what the difference between them is, they're all 161.19 so it's even more confusing
https://www.schmiedmann.com/en/bmw-E...trofit%20cable

[geargrinder]

Our local brother ScottieDucati just put one of these in a month or two ago. If you weren't so averse to driving more than 15 miles away from home you could zip over and check it out I'm sure.

Yes it requires cutting. Major cutting. You pull the bumper, separate the cover and the metal support core, then have to do some rather extensive chopping of the aluminum support beam core... It's apparently a nice little PITA, he ran it all down for me....

Last I was over to his place, he hadn't done the wiring yet, but maybe he's done it now.

[joekitch]

i'm guessing that's what this page of the install guide is referring to, when it says to cut the "bumper support"
major cutting isn't an issue as long as i have an accurate guide as to how wide and how "tall" the cut needs to be but the guide only says 300mm wide


e39 touring trailer cut bumper support.jpg


this youtube video shows exactly where to cut and it looks like you essentially hollow out the rear bumper support completely, turning it into a shell with a cutout

[philly98540]

I made my own 2" receiver by using a Bosal euro hitch, cutting the plates, and then welding on a 2" hitch tube. Hitch was like $150 or less delivered from amazon.DE

Nothing available in 2" stateside. I wanted bumper support mounting.

Really strong design.

2017-12-20 09.19.39.jpg
2017-12-20 09.20.06.jpg
2017-12-20 09.21.46.png

[geargrinder]

Sorry - my typo - ScottieDucati

[joekitch]

I made my own 2" receiver by using a Bosal euro hitch, cutting the plates, and then welding on a 2" hitch tube. Hitch was like $150 or less delivered from amazon.DE

Nothing available in 2" stateside. I wanted bumper support mounting.

Really strong design.

2017-12-20 09.19.39.jpg
2017-12-20 09.20.06.jpg
2017-12-20 09.21.46.png

i did come across that thread but the only downside is it isn't removable. i'm going to be towing pretty rarely so it being hidden when not in use is ideal

also, there already exists a solution that's more modular, the bosal receiver adapter i mentioned in the OP. it's really REALLY hard to get from bosal directly BUT, as luck would have it, it seems like TESLA oem'd it from bosal and now sells them with tesla model X tow packages, as mentioned here
https://www.teslarati.com/how-to-ins...model-x-hitch/
now, if i were to call tesla and ask to buy one would they take me for a ride and charge like $400? i don't know

Attachment 618303
tesla bosal trailer hitch.jpg

also the tesla part number of it is 1027582-00-A

[philly98540]

Yeah, I saw you posted that adapter, but all in is going to be bucks delux.

I like the hitch showing! I get some double takes.

[joekitch]

maybe not...currently following up with tesla service center(s), first one i called said it's $112 for them, hmmm

edit:
well, this got complicated
confirmed with another service center that the price is indeed $112 in their system -BUT- they cannot sell the part unless it's tied to the vin of an existing model x
does this mean i can just give them any old model x vin and they'll hand it over? does it become "tied" to that model x forever and prevent the owner of that model x from buying another one? do i need to verify i'm the owner of that model x with some registration? No idea.

edit2:
called a uhaul dealer and he confirmed that a 1-7/8ths reciever can lock onto the 50mm ball of a swan neck just fine, all it'll need is some safety chain hook points which can be accomplished by welding a ring onto the neck, so all this fuss over a 2" receiver probably isn't even necessary?

[joekitch]

the more i look at it, the less sense it makes to drop $239 on the full retrofit kit with all the wiring and stuff. Sure it'd be nice to make it all tidy but uhaul trailers use a basic 4 way plug and their trailers will latch just fine onto the 50mm ball hitch as confirmed by several u haul reps i talked to
so all i really need is the bumper trim piece with the hole cut in it, the cover piece which fits into that hole, and MAYBE that "bumper holder" which strengthens the plastic around where the hole is

[scottieducati]

Soooo here's the quick and diiiiiiirty.

Removing the bumper and getting access is really NBD, typical BMW push-pin body fasteners and fairly obvious hardware that hold in the bumper shock absorbers, etc. The cutting was a bitch, I didn't have a guide so we did trial and error removing only what we needed.... turns out it's a lot. A grinding tool with a 4" cutoff wheel is your friend, maybe a reciprocating saw with several metal blades too. We used both and probably test fit half a dozen times.

I have a ModuLite wiring module adapter to a 4-pin plug that is very much not the OEM setup, I've still yet to install it... weather got too cold and shitty but I may bring it down to Garden City Trailer in Newton (they installed a Curt hitch on my last 540i/6 sedan) and have them do the wiring, or wait for warm weather again.... the garage is no place for cars at my house!

I plan to use the goosneck ball that came with the setup, as my 2-bike trailer needs a 2" ball.... it works out. I hadn't thought about a safety chain hook, so that's a good point for consideration.

[joekitch]

thanks for the info, for safety chains it turns out idparts sells the euro hitch setup in the usa for golf's and jetta's and their solution looks pretty nice
https://www.idparts.com/bosal-swan-n...tta-p-550.html

safety_chain_option.jpg
just a real thick ring welded to the bottom of the goose neck, should work great.

the trailer wiring without using the oem setup does sound annoying (the harness requires no T taps but anything else does), and that's one other point in favor of the OEM harness, once you have a 13 pin euro plug you can get or make adapters for anything else easily.
these allroad guys did just that, making a converter from 13 pin to 4 way flat like most unbraked trailers use
http://allroadfaq.com/downloads/howt...%20Adapter.pdf

[s14brent]

I made my own 2" receiver by using a Bosal euro hitch, cutting the plates, and then welding on a 2" hitch tube. Hitch was like $150 or less delivered from amazon.DE

Nothing available in 2" stateside. I wanted bumper support mounting.

Really strong design.

2017-12-20 09.19.39.jpg
2017-12-20 09.20.06.jpg
2017-12-20 09.21.46.png

sorry to bump an old thread, but where did you get the bosal euro hitch from? This would be the ideal setup for me (so if you ever want to sell it lmk!!), but just curious what your estimated maximum tongue weight would be on this setup. I'm mainly looking into this for a small motorcycle hauler. I think the curt class 1 tongue weight is only 200lbs which won't work.

[philly98540]

I got on amazon.de as I said above.
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's customized so I'm not sure of its rating. I towed my pop up camper around for a bit to test it. It weighs about 1800 lbs. Motorcycle trailers are light, so should be fine, but do your own calcs or testing to verify. The Bosal is rated for 2100 kg (4600 lbs). If you weld it solid and keep hitch ball distance close to bumper, it should be very strong.

- - - Updated - - -

Seller on amazon.de now says they don't ship to US. Boooh.

- - - Updated - - -

And I'm not selling it!

[XAlt]

this youtube video shows exactly where to cut and it looks like you essentially hollow out the rear bumper support completely, turning it into a shell with a cutout

Unrelated, but the uploader of that vid posted here when diagnosing a head gasket problem. Small world

[joekitch]

Alright, made my first purchase for this project.

bought a USED tow bar and other bits off schmiedmann for $495 with shipping and paypal fees

schmiedmann towbar order.jpg



this one doesn't come with the wiring harness but i'm realizing that is totally unnecessary for american trailers, because everything uses a simple 4 way plug which i can get a simple trailer bypass unit for.

the actual towbar looks alright, some surface rust i'll be cleaning off, and all the pieces like bolts and brackets are in that saran wrap bit. Decent for $160 usd


schmiedmann used towbar pictures.jpg





i found german ebay isn't that good of a resource because while there's like 20 different options, almost none of them ship to the united states. In fact when i was searching i only found one listing that did, and it was missing the two very important brackets which bolt the towbar to the frame, so basically useless for me. Schmiedmann gets used towbars in rather infrequently. there was one available like a month ago that got bought quickly and this one only became available in the past three days

whenever these parts arrive i'll give an update, probably next week at the earliest

[geargrinder]

You got the M-sport rear bumper already? Cool. The hideaway feature is neato. I always figured if I did a hitch I'd just do without it... but its tidy and slick.

[joekitch]

yes, my wagon is a real deal, made in late 2002, 2003 model year, part of the registry msport
which actually makes this cheaper than a regular wagon because the part with the hole in it is just a small insert on the bottom of the bumper. the part for a regular touring is an entire different bumper with the slice taken out. to be fair you could probably replicate it with a hacksaw but...


either way this will be a very professional looking install

[philly98540]

A little rusty but not bad Joe. Should work great. I was not keen with the ape dong look, and I needed the 2" square for bike racks and such, so I took the route I took. Going square with adapter thing was spensive. With your set up being removeable and hidden, that is ideal for your infrequent towing needs. GLWI.

[joekitch]

I get to have my cake and eat it too as well, as mentioned earlier that 2" square reciever from tesla will let me use american towing hardware easily and i'm preeeety sure it'll play nice with the opening out the bottom of the bumper, since that's almost exactly like how the model x does it, also the height of the port relative to the bumper seems pretty similar to to X as well, so the square receiver probably won't clip the bumper?





Tesla-Model-X-Tow-Hitch-Receiver.jpg

e39 tow hitch port.jpg

[philly98540]

What's the total cost of everything including the Tesla piece?