M5 SMG Steering Wheel Retrofit Idea

[ghani]

I am thinking of doing a new M5 E60 SMG steering wheel retrofit on a 2002 X5

a lot of you will recommend going the M3 SMG route, but i have a "hidden" purpose for trying to see if the M5 one fits.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...52&hg=32&fg=35

My questions are:

Will the steering wheel fit?

I need a new airbag, right?

Will the multifunction buttons still work?

Will the same SMG connectors work with the one in the X5?

Any input or suggestions would be appreciated...

Thanks.

[X5Jay]

Just a guess, but I suspect it can be made to work. I'd think you'll have to do some wiring and get another part that goes in behind the wheel to get the paddles to work - forget what it is. And I'm sure you'll need a new airbag. Well, I guess I'm not able to help you much, but I'm happy to encourage you!

[breytonX5]

That's a great looking wheel although you won't know if it fits for sure until someone tries. But I think it will fit. Yes you will need the new airbag as well and if the wheel does fit then the multifunction buttons should work as well.

[LeMansX5]

I think TripleX5 mentioned in one of his posts here that its a lot of work to fit the E60 M5 wheel on X5.

[JV]

Seems like the buttons on the wheel are different, therefore different wiring, probably not a match for the harness either. The airbag's edges look straight and not rounded, so the current round airbag might not fit.

Also, isn't the E60 M5 a 7-speed SMG? Not so sure the 5 speed of the X wouldn't require modification.

JV

[ghani]

TripleX5 any input???

Originally Posted by LeMansX5

I think TripleX5 mentioned in one of his posts here that its a lot of work to fit the E60 M5 wheel on X5.

[LeMansX5]

Read TripleX5's post in this thread The E60 M5 has 8 buttons as against 10 for X5. if you can manage to make work the individual one shown below, you will be my man. Good Luck!

E60 M5 - INDIVIDUAL SPORTS STEERING-WHEEL, BICOLOR

[jmh]

Just a quick note as I am about to head out again.
I've just visited the folks at the M GmbH and they have been kind enough to take the steering wheel off one of their E60 M5s and it's not only the wheel and number of buttons being different. Also the pickup for power and SMG (and illumination of the SMG shifters) are very different to the E53. This would be a more involved "retrofit" if you even can get all the parts as some of them don't show up on the parts system.
It seems your best bet so far is to either install the E60 M sport wheel and "add" SSG paddles or stick with the E46 M (SMG) wheel.

I should have taken photos to document this but it's kind of tricky to take pictures inside the M GmbH these days ....

- Jan

[vinuneuro]

Originally Posted by jmh

Just a quick note as I am about to head out again.
I've just visited the folks at the M GmbH and they have been kind enough to take the steering wheel off one of their E60 M5s and it's not only the wheel and number of buttons being different. Also the pickup for power and SMG (and illumination of the SMG shifters) are very different to the E53. This would be a more involved "retrofit" if you even can get all the parts as some of them don't show up on the parts system.
It seems your best bet so far is to either install the E60 M sport wheel and "add" SSG paddles or stick with the E46 M (SMG) wheel.

I should have taken photos to document this but it's kind of tricky to take pictures inside the M GmbH these days ....

- Jan

Jan, that is too cool! How'd you go in in the first place?

[jmh]

BMW is a large customer of ours (all crash simulation of BMW passenger cars runs on our gear and most of the former Williams/BMW aerodynamic simulations are using our hw as well) and I've been working with them for many years (system design, operating system and application tuning and implementation). I get to visit them pretty regular and from time to time they take me to see some of their "specials" ....

- Jan