[quote=""Dan1502""]Hi, I've not picked up my X5 yet but I'm pretty certain it does not have xenons. It is a 54 plate 3.0d and has the projector style lights and washers. Is it ok or at least ok ish to fit aftermarket xenons to this as it has washers and the rear suspension is self levelling? Do the OEM ones have additional levelling controls? What would the situation be with regards the BMW main dealer warranty? And looking at HIDS4U, it seems they do 35W and 55W what versions. Is the 55W version worthwhile and if so are there cheaper suppliers as have been recommended for the 35W versions? Also the installation pictures would be handy if someone has them. Thanks.[/quote]
Exactly the same vehicle as mine...washers to boot with projectors. Cut off line when done sharp as a razor
Install.
Ballasts - The ballasts usually come with a bracket you attach to the ballast....this also sometimes comes with a bolt which allows you to bolt the bracket to threaded wings that can be found on each inner wing behind the lights
Lights/wiring - The way they work is that the existing plug on the back of the existing bulb is used to supply input power to each ballast. The power to light the new hids comes back out of the ballasts. You will therefore using the supplied harness have two wires from the existing plug (spades usually supplied to easy fit) coming out and 2 wires going back in. The harness therefore has 4 wires and needs an entry/exit hole to get into the light. You need to drill a hole in the back plate to the dip beam (kit tells you what diameter...21mm or 22mm I think in my case). The wires pass through but the hole must be big enough obviously for the wires and plugs but not TOO big that the grommet that's on the wires does not fall through and alow damp in.
Hole drilling - The cap on the back of the existing lights had a grab ridge a bit like a fuel filler cap. I found that to get the optimum size hole I first dremmeled a gap wider than the grommet in the ridge of the the cap so tha the grommet would lie flat. Then I drilled a hole through it and de-burred it.
Before messing with the new hids install, taking the old bulb out (I didn't want moisture to creep into the lamp) make sure the harness plugs etc can pass through the hole in the cap. Like I said I nipped a bit of excess (the wings) plastic off the wide figure of eight twin plug as making the hole that wide would have made the grommet sloppy.
If the harness fits then onto the install
Plug off existing bulb
twist bulb anti clockwise and withdraw
insert new hid bulb
clamp in place with locking plate that replicates that on the back of existing bulb (sometimes supplied..sometimes not)
push spades from harness into existing old bulb plug
pass 4 wires through hole in back plate
secure in back plate with grommet
replace back plate
hook up wires to ballast
done
tricky bits
spades must be in right sockets + and -
making hole right size in back plate not to big or small
ENSURING you have the locking plate to hold the HID in the lamp
Clips like these are what you need- HIDS Direct threw them in for free. They've got a split in them that makes them a tad weak making clamping the new HID bulb in a bit fiddly. I mangled my second one...probably the hardest bit of all to do for me
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/H7-HID-BULB-CLIP- ... 3cb38832e4
easy bits....
apart from the spades into the existing socket the others cannot it seems be plugged in wrong
making hole in back plate right size for plug...I had a spade dill bit the right size...ish