Trailer Hitch and Towing Accessories Recommended For Towing Small Utility Trailer with 2017 BMW X3

Question:

I have a 2017 BMW X3 and need a complete hidden trailer hitch for the car, including the ball mount for the 2inch ball. I plan to tow a small utility trailer and I am unsure as to the trailer hitch height and need to buy a ball hitch mount and a wiring harness package. What is your recommendation to cover my needs?

asked by: Ken G

Expert Reply:

When the EcoHitch # 306-X7275 is installed on a 2017 BMW X3, the inside top of the receiver tube will sit about 11 inches from the ground. To determine which ball mount you need, you'll need to use the jack to raise your trailer tongue until it's level, then measure the distance from the bottom edge of the coupler to the ground. Subtract 11 inches from that height, and you'll get a good approximation of the rise of the ball mount you'll need.

The average trailer coupler height is between 16-19 inches, so a ball mount with a 6 inch rise like part # C45100 would put you very close to where you need to be. You'll also need a hitch pin like # PC3 and # 63845 for a 2 inch ball.

For a trailer wiring harness, I'd recommend the Tekonsha ZCI, part # 119250KIT. The harness interfaces with the vehicle's taillight wiring using sensors that clamp around the wire, without needing to cut or splice or even pierce the wire insulation. This is a preferable method to the quick splices, because some of the wiring on vehicles uses very small gauge wire that doesn't always work well with the quick splice connectors. I've linked to a video showing the ZCI harness being installed on a 2017 X5. The wire colors shown could be different on your X3, but the video shows how to use a circuit tester like # 40376 to determine which taillight circuit controls which function.