DIY Trailer Wiring

[stackz]

Originally Posted by semcoinc

I too was searching high and low to find this wiring harness to match up to an aftermarket hitch off ebay for ~$110!

Presto, I just found it, (I think), It is Westfalia PN 303169351001 or KWES061 01 or 303169300117

Westfalia 303169351001 KWES061 01 303169300117 Trailer Wiring Harness Kit New | eBay

Been looking nearly a year to find this and all the junkyards I've called didn't have one.







Good Luck Folks.

Mike

gahhhh, was gonna snatch that up. lucky guy!

at least I now know what part # to search for...

[semcoinc]

It's official! The Westfalia part above is the real deal factory wiring harness for the E53. It plugs in and is sized perfectly.

Add your trailer control module PN: 61356908767 and you're in business with an aftermarket Class III trailer hitch.

The bracket looks like it will take some drilling modification to hold the plug in place on the right side of the receiver. The threaded bracket for the factory tow hook is on the left of the receiver and probably shouldn't be blocked, although you could strap onto your hitch ball if you really wanted to block the left side of the receiver and this tow hook attach point.

Although the Westfalia wiring and plug contains an electric trailer brake wire, there is no such power wire in the E53 body harness to activate electric trailer brakes.

Mike

[semcoinc]

Here is a picture of my aftermarket trailer hitch install on my 2003 E53 using the Westfalia factory wiring kit. Possibly there is another way to mount the plug holder bracket but I couldn't find it. Behind the bumper the trailer hitch interferes with the back of the plug body. I had to chisel off the two nuts that were on the back of the bracket to allow the bracket to seat flush against the face of the black bumper piece and source 1.5" long bolts to reach behind the black bumper.

Also, BTW, the aftermarket hitch frame blocks access to the factory female threaded tow hook threads. One does have the receiver and hitch ball to work with just so you know.

If I had cutting torches available I would have done a cut out. Some of you folks might consider that.



I have not tackled cutting up the cover yet but it does look like some well placed cuts in the door could get a big part of the door to seat in the bumper frame opening to clean up the install.

Going to work on that this weekend.

Enjoy.

Mike

[Micah247]

Found it here!

Original BMW Parts: BMW-71600009698

[Deansbimmer]

I need to install a hitch on my X5... What do you guys think about those aftermarket modules made by companies like CURT etc, that do similar to the OEM module by taking battery power directly and taking signal only from the signals? There's a big price difference between one of those and an OEM type module/harness...

[spongerich]

I'd avoid that for a couple reasons.

The BMW TCM 'tells' the car that there's a trailer attached so it can activate a different stability control program.

The TCM reports and stores any trailer related fault codes.

The TCM isolates the trailer electrics from the rest of the vehicle. In my view, this is pretty important. You don't want a fault in your trailer to fry $1000 worth of wiring.

It also seems to me that the electronics on these vehicles are already ridiculously complex and a bit fragile. The thought of introducing 'alien' electronics gives me the shivers. I was even reluctant to add a subwoofer amp in mine

If you need to get something hooked up in a hurry, a 3rd party kit would probably do in a pinch, but I'd still be keeping my eye out for a factory setup to replace it with. I found a TCM and the Westphalia harness for about $100... if you're patient, they're out there.

Originally Posted by Deansbimmer

I need to install a hitch on my X5... What do you guys think about those aftermarket modules made by companies like CURT etc, that do similar to the OEM module by taking battery power directly and taking signal only from the signals? There's a big price difference between one of those and an OEM type module/harness...

[Riggodeaux]

I'm with spongerich on the electronics, and, as noted here in the long DIY trailer install thread, have serious qualms with the aftermarket hitches [if you are towing anything close to Class III weight, or close to the vehicle's listed capacities 5or 6k lbs]. See that thread for the concerns with how the aftermarket hitches mount, as opposed to the OEM westfalia .....

[semcoinc]

Here is a factory wiring harness for an E53 for $25!

03 BMW x5 E53 Trailer Hitch Wiring Harness 1383169318002 | eBay

Mike

[LeiZ]

It's gone. Do you happen to find the module on ebay as well? That white small block module connected to a wiring harness right by the battery.

Thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by semcoinc

Here is a factory wiring harness for an E53 for $25!

03 BMW x5 E53 Trailer Hitch Wiring Harness 1383169318002 | eBay

Mike

[semcoinc]

Yes, the white modules are on eBay as well.

Can be found as low as ~$60 and up to ~$100 from what I've seen.

Mike