Reverse Camera Install (E53)

SimplyRed · Post by **SimplyRed** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 3:20 pm

Hi All,

I am new to this scene, always been an M3 owner and have now owned an X5 for 18 hours and I love it !! 2005 3.0d Sport. Sterling Grey.

Anyway, I love this modification but I just dont quite have the expertise or faith or DIY skills to do it.
Sanj, your write up makes it look so easy. I just know after 10 minutes of starting i will wish i didnt.

Can anyone recommend me someone in London (Enfield Area) who can do this for me.
I called my local A/V installers and they said that they have no idea how to make it work with existing screen.

If any of you would like to do mine I am happy to pay going rate, you'd probably do a better job too.

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:48 pm

just reading this and will have to do it! whats the smallest camera and could it be monted on the bottom of the spoiler as i dont like the fact is visible lower down, also with the height it might be better to guage distance thanks

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:00 pm

No - not in the spoiler, no camera I could see small enough.

Where the boot latch is, is fine. I can see the bumper in mine. Perfect.

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:10 pm

well ill get a camera, i thought spoiler as i dont want to see the camera, but ill see might just put where you have, nice how to sanj, would maplin sell the cameras? im going near there tmoro?

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:22 pm

Potentially - but don't hold your breath.

You need it to be similar in size to what I got 3rd time round. The recess it takes up means it must be small. eBay have them, not saying BMW specific, some say Toyota or such like, no bother, just make sure they're similar size looking. Plus look for metal and not plastic housing. Last better....

Don't go for the one's that come with the integrated reg plate light - too many stories of them showing up errors - plus you have to then get a bulb to match on the other side. Although for Â£2.50, no biggie - I have posted a link to them on this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2874&p=29228&hilit=plate#p29228

SimplyRed hope this helps you too.

X MAN · Post by **X MAN** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 2:15 am

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-REAR-VIEW ... 3cbb27514c

Sanj - Having installed a camera in the boot release and given the measurements for the camera in the above link would you say this camera will fit in the boot release with respect to the depth at the back of the camera ?

Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:03 am

The camera is different in that it has a threaded collar so they intend for it to fit to a flat surface. In the description they reckon over the reg light lens. Not a good idea (MOT failure too I think).

I put mine in the recess where one of the 4 attaching screws are for the whole rear latch piece. Routing the wires is also easier from there.

Let me take a look later today (time permitting) and I'll drop you a PM...

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:08 pm

Following Shadrack's line of thought, and knowing how much cr@p gets sprayed on the back of the X on a damp road

, should a camera be mounted behind the towbar hatch, would that be less prone to spray whilst being out of sight and giving a reasonable view of the bumper?

Food for thought.

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Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:59 pm

Nope - that was my first attempt - read the thread your arse!

No way of telling how far you're from something as you have none of the car in frame buddy. I was looking at an image looking outward with no idea where anything was in proximity to my rear???

My camera has been on the car a LONG time, before this thread and it's pretty weather proof. Besides a new one isn't too hard to get a hold of, with some careful searching!

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:58 am

[quote=""Sanj""]Nope - that was my first attempt - read the thread your arse!

[/quote]
Now that's just not a nice thing to say now is it

[quote=""Sanj""]
I was looking at an image looking outward with no idea where anything was in proximity to my rear???

[/quote]

Well, what can I say...... Prob because you had your head up it

lmfao

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Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:59 am

Back to the previous post #53, can you not see the bumper at the top of the pic if the camera is mounted low, and is the spray problem reduced?

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Sanj · Post by **Sanj** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 7:50 am

Nope and nope...

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:05 am

Oh

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shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 7:43 pm

any body know what gaude wire i need for wiring my camera up?

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:53 pm

i went to do this and myn has no wires in pins 13 or 14 or one of the others, do i need to buy some pins with wire tails or have you still got some lez

thanks

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