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Fitting towbar

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E70).
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snrbrtsn
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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Wed Nov 14, 2018 6:28 pm

From the instructions you posted
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Lyons
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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by Lyons » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:41 pm

I'm baffled!! I need to have a look at the guide in a bit more detail, at this moment it makes no sense how you were able to do it without those wires at the front! :o

Nothing is ever simple!

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:02 pm

Is yours an LCI ?
The Westfalia Manual is confusing and shows both models

“I believe & could be wrong”
The preLCI (prior to 2009/10 has different wiring and “perhaps” does require the CAN wiring be run to the front
However
I certainly tapped into the wiring at the rear, with few panels removed, only th fuse box cover, battery cover & nearside cubby hole, I lifted the boot

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by Lyons » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:50 pm

Mine is an LCi, 2012.

I havent looked too much at the wire colourings, but if yours works without fault I might just install mine exactly as per yours and do without those 2 wires you mentioned!

The guide seems a bit overwhelming and they're covering a few variants in the 1 document, but like I say I haven't studied it in too much detail. I'll maybe print it out tomorrow and try and study it in depth.

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:58 pm

Weather dependent I’ll pull the covers tomorrow to ensure I’m factual
I’d take pictures however don’t think there’s much to see as I ran all wires into loom

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by Lyons » Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:01 pm

That would be useful at some point if you don't mind. However theres no panic, I'm still waiting for the next 10% off code on ebay before I purchase the kit!

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snrbrtsn
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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Thu Nov 15, 2018 10:08 am

From your manual and reference from mine
I wired in the 7pin kit, primarily as I only have a cycle carrier and small trailer (with no lights, Sssh!)

I ran and secured the wiring harness from inside out, ensure plenty of sealant is placed on the grommet, ensuring that it’s properly seated, I noted, I only had a single harness exiting the rear with a blanking grommet adjacent, so simply ran the wires through and sealed the grommet on both sides
Wire and install the plug as per schematic on page 4

Follow instructions

Schematic 1
Only items 2,3,4,5,7 have to be removed
Schematic 3, suggests disconnect battery, ensure this is done!
Schematic 2
Ignore
Schematic 4,5,6
Follow
Schematic 7
Route the Westfalia module into the tray below the fuse box
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Schematic 8
Remove the 10mm bolt for the body earth stud and run in the brown wires with the eyelets, affix nut & secure
Schematic 9
Undo the felt tape from the loom, fish out the black / yellow wire & affix the Black/red wire from the westfalia loom,
Either splice or use the supplied connectors
Schemaric 10
This is your Can L & Can H leads, probably the most important connection
I located these wires from the fuse box and followed them into the wiring loom, terminating at the Tee branch, though this was purely for a neater install
Either splice or use the supplied connectors
Schematic 11
This connects the orange wire from the Westfalia harness to the green/white from the cars loom
I removed fuse box and swung up, then ran the orange wire behind the fuse box and spliced in, again for neater install
Locate the green /white wire and splice or use the supplied connector
Schematic. 12,13,14,15
Ignore these are for PreLCI models
Schemaric 16
Shows removal of fusebox, x2 (3) 10mm plastic nuts
At the same time remove the lower white module tray
Schematic 17
Shows the fused termination of Red / Blue wires, ensure the connector is properly located in fuse board, then install fuse from the Westfalia package
Schemaric 18
Shows refitting the fusebox, if you removed the white module tray fit this also,
However, prior to refitting, hows the time to pigtail, service loop, strap & secure the wiring
Schematic 19
Refit the battery terminal
May be prudent to have Phone nearby with fire brigade on speed dial (joke)
Schemaric 20
Has you refitting interior panels

There after it’s function testing & hands on hip time with the proud and cocky smile

Displaying picture again,
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Unfortunatly, my wiring connections don’t reveal much by way of help as I took the time to run the wiring into the loom splice and solder with heat shrink, so it’s not giving much away sorry.there is a service loom tucked under the black plastic tray, with this in mind, it reiterates the need to ensure the grommet through the rear panel is thoroughly sealed, this prevents a paddle pool below fuse box
In addition to the westfalia kit, several additional cable ties and a roll of felt tape is useful as was a tube of Silicon

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Thu Nov 15, 2018 10:11 am

Note - the random twin black wire is for the Trackstar, bmw tracker, not in use due to battery drain when car sits idle - kind of pointless train of thought & defeats having a tracker.......... :!:

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Thu Nov 15, 2018 10:29 am

I carried out no coding after fitment
The car pulls away in first (always) when the cycle carrier is mounted (that’s all I use it for)
The radiator fan is enabled when driving and switches off when in slow moving traffic.
When reverse is selected, the rear sensors are disabled, whilst the reverse camera screen is enabled, there is a towbar icon displayed in the corner
I’ve had no faults

The rear beam on the car has to be removed, a deep 16mm or 18mm socket is required.
On refitting, ensure you torque the bolts, the plastic covers are not reused
When torquing, tightening the top bolts, have someone assist and hold the lower boot at 45degree to prevent damage.
When refitting the bumper, ensure time is taken to locate the plastic tangs prior to final push back
Once the bumper is installed, check the lower boot panel opens and clears the top of the bumper, check alignment across its length to ensure no fouling as this will mark easily (if the tangs are located the bumper will sit high
I’d mentioned the screws behind the bumper reflectors, these are brittle and will most likely break, replacements are cheap from Auction sites
The side of the bumper takes balls to remove, it pulls outwards, 90 degree to bumper panel
The plastic rivets that locate the arches are use once, can’t remember if the westfalia kit includes these, however if required, get the bmw ones are others are poor quality
River tool is required to install

Initially a daunting task, though if logic and care excercised, relatively straight forward, you’ll be surprised how well their put together and how simply the task was!

Good luck
Ps - PF jones have good sales on over Xmas

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by Lyons » Thu Nov 15, 2018 11:56 am

Fantastic! Thanks you so much for taking the time to write all that out, honestly I really appreciate it. I went through your narrative there alongside the instructions and everything makes perfect sense. It would be worth this being added to the how-to section.

You mentioned yesterday about a wire that you abandoned and didn’t bother with, do you recall which it was?

I fitted a towbar (Witter I believe) to my E53 and ended up damaging the top edge of the bumper upon refitting. I’m hoping the E70 is a bit easier to align and push home. If the plastic screws behind the reflectors are broken, can these be attached after the bumper is refitted? Or are they an integral part of the attaching process?

It appears Westfalia have got their pre-LCi and LCi sketches the wrong way round. Schematic 12 shows the LCi model (and non parking sensor pre-LCi) to have no module tray below the fuse box, according to them it should only be present in the pre-LCi models. I’m hoping when I look in my boot it is the same as yours!

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Thu Nov 15, 2018 7:17 pm

RE the wire
I think I’ve gotten confused between X5 & 5GT towbars, I fitted both and I’m getting old, confused and forgetful, excuse the confusion

The bumper reflectors are easily installed once bumper is fitted

It’s the central tang that breaks and has to be pried out for removal, however the benefit of knowing their easily broken and seeing exactly what to do may improve remove, I tried levering out the central tang and they broke, I guess you could lever the metal clip and push out intact........
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I do recall writing off to Westfalia and PF Jones about their instruction and misleading fitment, I’m more than sure they filed in B1n....
However, I do hold the upmost respect for PF Jones, I managed to break a part on Thule cycle carrier, sent off an e mail and got quick response advising the part was non stock, however if parts required urgently, to phone the service team and they’d remove from a stock unit - exceptional service in my view that saved me the cost of a complete carrier or the inconvenience of waiting for a part.
Though looking at my PF Jones Account it’s hardly surprising, very much a repeat customer of Thule and Westfalia bits!

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by Lyons » Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:20 am

Well I finally got round to fitting my Westfalia Towbar and working kit last weekend. I found it a lot easier than the E53, not sure if this was because it was quite similar to the E53 so I knew what to expect. Absolutely massive thanks to snrbrtsn, I had your posts printed out too and made it all so much easier.

Still haven’t had a chance to fit anything to it yet to ensure it’s working when connected, but I assume it is! Hoping to take my daughter out on her bike today so will get the bike rack on.
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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by Lyons » Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:21 am

The only query I have is that I broke the rivets getting them out. Do you need a special tool to replace them specifically or will any river gun work? Seems crazy having to buy 1 especially!

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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by snrbrtsn » Sun Feb 03, 2019 4:42 pm

Very well done, nice and neat, you have me blushing :lol:

Re the rivet tool, I’m sure a standard rivet gun would work, if, you have a nose cone big enough to fit the stem,
I bought elcheapo rivets - mistake..... I then used the rivets that came with the gun, second mistake.
For what bmw charge it’s worth using their rivets :cry: they pull in better and tighter

The gun, I’m sure I got from Amazon, I’d send my one down, however I still have a rivet to replace... (Note to self)
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Re: Fitting towbar

Post by X5Sport » Sun Feb 03, 2019 5:09 pm

Standard rivets have a smaller diameter steel ‘nail’ than nylon ones and other than trying to drill a nozzle out to see if that would work (it didn’t) you may find as I did that the kit above will do the job just fine.
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

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