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Paddles to facelift steering wheel

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
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Steamyrotter
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Re: Paddles to facelift steering wheel

Post by Steamyrotter » Wed Aug 31, 2016 11:54 am

I did it on mine but with Perspex paddles illuminated by orange LED.
used to use it all the time especially when towing.

Was never happy with auto gear change when towing!!!
If things were meant to be easy, then I will soon complicate them....
Please note...
Anything I say is only from my personal experience and knowledge..
I don't assume to know everything, and know there is a lot I don't know..
But then I could be talking bollox.. O:-)

X5-D-Sport
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Re: Paddles to facelift steering wheel

Post by X5-D-Sport » Wed Aug 31, 2016 1:55 pm

Hi Raj,
Good to hear from you again.

Re the electrical connections under the stick gaitor..... are there 2 wires or 3 wires for each switch ?

I found a pair Range Rover Switch paddles with the switches in, that will fit under the standard steering wheel & a stand alone slip ring that I can fit in addition to the existing one for the electrical connections - courtesy of Fiat lol.

The donor paddle fitments have a little skirt around each switch unit that will make an easy retro fit to the existing steering wheel & be reliable & look good too...

Raj
Lifer
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Re: Paddles to facelift steering wheel

Post by Raj » Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:02 pm

I'll try and get a pic from my install to show but there's only just one wire for each shift and a ground if that makes sense. The slip ring has two connections only too so again one for upshift and one for down.
Image

Raj
Lifer
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Re: Paddles to facelift steering wheel

Post by Raj » Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:20 pm

Actually remembered I had a small harness to save cutting into wires but basically this:

Image

Is the connection with the wires. From memory it was the blue and purple centre 2 wires you need to tap into. Can't remember which way round though.

Hope that helps.
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x5e53
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Re: Paddles to facelift steering wheel

Post by x5e53 » Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:18 pm


Raj
Lifer
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Re: Paddles to facelift steering wheel

Post by Raj » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:13 pm

Yeah I guess tbh as just needs to supply the signal to the relevant wire under the gaitor to manually shift as if the steptronic gear has been used.
Image

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