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also trying to piece together a tow package substitute
I recently traded my old drag-racing '66 Chevelle (+ dovetail trailer w/all-wheel brakes) for a '01 X5 3.0i (+ 4.5x12 single axle utility trailer, no brakes); the previous owner had installed a used Drawtite X5 hitch, plus the rudimentary 4-pin plug in order to tow the trailer with, at my request. There is no brake controller or tow package installed.
 
He just ran the wires to the taillights/brakelights (surprised he did it using red-neck engineering, since he is a degreed EE), and not thru the LCM. I found this statement somewhere, somehow on a BMW forum??:
Quote:
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Where to pick up the 12 volt brake signal?? Once we know that answer to that question (and we do - it's plug X12 Pin 10 on the LCM) installing the controller on the X5 is just as easy as any other vehicle (that is not pre-wired for a brake controller). Once you know where to pick-up the 12 volt brake signal, any stereo installer, auto tech, or do-it-yourselfer can easily do it with or without the instructions on this site.
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That quote made me wonder if I could piece together the components needed (cheaply) in order to make the X5 ready to tow my braked 2225 lb home-built squareback trailer.
Perusing etrailer.com, I found that they say I just need an electric brake controller, a 4-pin to 7-pin adapter, and their universal installation kit; but on ebay I found a kit that uses an additional "circuit-protected" 4-pin wiring harness. Somehow, I suspect that BMW has something hidden that will not like the add-on aftermarket wiring (assuming I get the correct combination of parts). $260, plus $120 for the circuit protector wiring. It was much easier on the plug & play wiring-up my (old model) Hopkins Impulse brake controller on my '04 Chevy 2500HD. 
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01 BMW X5 E53,3.0i-5L40E, 7/13/01
topas-blau,Leder-grau,"resto-project car"
Here:
14 Lexus ES350,3.5L-U660E
09 HHR Panel,2.2L-4T45E
04 Chevy 2500HD,6.0L-4L80E
98 GMC Sierra 1500,5.7L-4L60E
Gone:
66 Chevelle Malibu 2dr ht.,327>441c.i.-TH350>PGlide/transbrake
08 Cobalt Coupe,2.2L-4T45E
69 & 75 C10s,350c.i.-TH350
86 S10,2.8L-700R4
73 Volvo 142,2.0L-MT4
72 & 73 VW SuperBeetles,1.6l-MT4
64 VW,1.2l-MT4
67 Dodge Monaco 500 2dr ht.,383c.i.-A727
56 Chevy 210 4dr,265c.i.-PGlide
Last edited by workingonit; 10-01-2021 at 03:35 PM.
Reason: added photos
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