help on trailer hitch

[Ed Jenkins]

I again come to the collective knowledge of the forum. Part of the restoration of my 1974 BMW 2002 will be adding a factory” I believe trailer hitch I bought on the forum. It has part of the right factory sticker left and looks like the few pictures I have seen. Yes I actually do need the hitch. When the 02 I finished it will be my daily driver selling my van. I live on an island and it is semi rural and I have a small utility trailer I use to take trash to the dump every month or so. I know the stock electrical turn signal system is marginal at best. I am concerned about adding trailer lights into this system. I saw something in an article about a BMW trailer flasher relay unit? I can find nothing out there? Has anyone seen or have any information about this relay? Thanks for any help, again.

Ed
 

[Son of Marty]

Might be easier to get or convert the trailer to led lights.

[stone02]

go to the web site "etrailer.com" and search for short protected

trailer wiring. this unit is designed to not draw power from the car harness

but rather from a dedicated battery connection. this unit can be used

for trailers that go into water or that get regular damage and repair

of lites. I use this on several tow rigs. it resets itself when you turn off 

the vehicle and then reset. 

[TobyB]

Agreed- a separate power supply, fused appropriately, is a really good idea.

 

Also, with the factory trailer kit, spreading the load is key.  The one or 2 I've seen 

could have used bigger backing washers- or plates, even.

 

Now, if you had a 2002 trailer, THAT would be cuter than...

 

well, than this, for sure:

 

t

[HBChris]

I towed a Hobie Cat in the 70s with my 74 2002, no special wiring is needed but LED bulbs will help to be seen.  On second thought, I probably used a small converter to handle the separate running, turn signal and stop lights in the car to a two filament trailer bulb.

[Mike Self]

IIRC the factory shop manual (The Blue Book) has a section that details how to install the factory trailer hitch--that quintessential European unit where the ball is part of the hitch itself, not bolt-on like US hitches are.

 

mike

[Son of Marty]

2 minutes ago, Mike Self said:

that quintessential European unit where the ball is part of the hitch itself, 

Known in German as a shininzwacker.

Edited February 28 by Son of Marty

[Henning]

Actually we call it "gypsy hook". What the devil is a shininzwacker?? Never heard before and even google also.

 

henn

[HobieDog]

8 hours ago, Son of Marty said:

Known in German as a shininzwacker.

Haha. Been there, done that. Had the mark to prove it for months. 

[TobyB]

I STILL have a divot out of one leg from a particularly vicious encounter with one of those...

 

(Henn- think shin whacker...)

 

t

 

[Ed Jenkins]

“shinenzwacker”??? My heart felt request has devolved into the comedy club? Actually some pretty funny comments. I had a custom tow hitch on my 1970 2002. I used it to tow my motorcycle trailer. Yes it was a “shinenzwacker“ but it did the job. I do not remember how the lights worked or if I even cared, it was the 70’s after all. Yes I did have some harsh names for it much worse than shinenzwacker.

The good news about my hitch is the tongue with the ball is removable! Not the simple square tube in square tube but a removable, very German forged part that fits into a socket and a substantial lever that pulls and locks it in place. No shinenzwacker for those German engineers. Sometimes when you look at it just right it looks to be giving a one arm salute, nah that’s not possible they wouldn’t do that? 

My 70 tow hitch was a factory part and was the one piece unit others have been talking about. My unit is far more substantial, very heavy gauge steel and the mating parts are nicely forged and machined, and yes I will come up with a way to reinforce all mounting points. My motto is if too much is just ok then absurd excess is just about right. 

I love that trailer! I want it so bad but there is no way I could bring myself to use it to haul trash to the dump. Indeed LED lights would do the job, indeed I am retrofitting LED bulbs throughout the car. Also the trailer kit came with LED lights. I guess I am just fixated with the possibility that there is a factory BMW dedicated trailer relay out there and I just want one?

Ok, ok lets get back on track her guys. So I appreciate the great information to solve the problem, love the comedy but still need information about the existence of the factory trailer relay? Does anyone have information on THAT part? It must exist and someone must know about it so fess up. The more elusive it is the more I want it!
 

[HBChris]

You don’t need a relay to power 21W bulbs.  This is the converter you could use however:

 

Just a moment...

WWW.ETRAILER.COM

 

Edited February 28 by HBChris

[Ed Jenkins]

Another great solution and thanks – BUT I am obsessed with the factory BMW trailer relay! I know that I probably do not need. I know there are great after market parts that will do the job. But I just want to have that original factory BMW trailer relay!!! Please does anyone have any information about it?

[ingramlee]

2 hours ago, TobyB said:

I STILL have a divot out of one leg from a particularly vicious encounter with one of those...

 

(Henn- think shin whacker...)

 

t

 

When I first got my car back in 2012 it had a factory trailer hitch. I banged my shin soon after the truck dropped the car off. I think I removed that thing 2 hours later. I kind of think I would have kept it.

['76mintgrün'02]

My car had a trailer hitch installed when I bought it, but I took it off after barking my shins a few times.  I think that was day two of ownership.

 

I don't have BMW relay information, sorry.  They just tapped wires into the bulb socket attachments on mine.  I've never plugged a trailer into it.

 

One tricky thing about designing and installing trailer hitches is keeping them out of the way of exhaust hangers.  They cut off the center-exit hanger when installing mine, so I had to make a new hanger when I removed it.  Then, I had to make another new hanger when I switched to an early-style side-exit muffler.

 

This thread would be more phun if it included some fotos of the hitch that is being installed.

 

Tom