finally finished the pdc and hitch install...

[hayaku]

gotta give props to PNG (kevin). that writeup he did was awesome! you can find his writeup here:

http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/X5_pdc_retrofit.pdf

only thing i would change is in the rear bumper section:

i would remove the metal beam insert to dremel cut the holes you need. i would also recommend the finer "pen" type adapter on the dremel. picture attached.

you need to attach the harness to the rear bumper metal frame, connect the sensors up then mount the rear bumper. when the rear bumper is almost all the way in, you would insert the harness into the car and put in the rubber grommet seal. those instructions were from the hitch install.


I also took a bunch or pictures for the hitch install since some of the instructions weren't obvious where to look, but they were dead on correct also. Thanks much to all the guys that wrote the hitch tips! Kudos to Pepatrick, Bill Barnes, Diogenes, MikeB, JMDXX5, and ChefWong for the tips!

IMO, if you are planning to do these installs, do them at the same time. Both require the removal of the rear bumper and access to the electronics next to the battery.

Just don't try this at night like I did... I started removing the rear bumper around 4 PM, it got dark at 5ish or so... let me tell you its a challenge to install the bumper in the dark by yourself at 9 PM...