How many bought the aftermarket reproduction LCI tails?
Contributors
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 10,496
Likes: 2
From: SoCal
My Ride: 2008 550I LOADED, all options except HUD and NV
These lights allow you to remove each bulb on their own.
So I have another suggestion if you want to do a quick mod without buying those stupid cables that Bruce guy sells.
1. Bypass only one Brake resistor.
2. Move the bulb that you have just bypassed into the fog light position.
3. Connect up in parallel the LED rods to this Brake bulb. But remember to take out the exisiting Green connection as that is paralleled up to the fog from the factory.
4. Just secure the old fog holder and bulb somewhere behind the light so that it can't be seen.
5. Remove the other brake bulb holder from the light and again secure it somewhere behind the light so that the bulb cannot be seen.
Voila you have the Ricky Brake effect, with a nice Bright Brake light where the fog light used to be and you dont have any brakes behind the LED rods, plus when you Brake you get nice bright LED rods which can be seen even when you brake.
Ofcourse if you want brighter LED rods when driving, and you want the Brakes and fog etc to work like the OEM LCI, you may want to consider buying those cables I spoke about earlier. I've spoken to Bruce and he has 3 sets ready
So I have another suggestion if you want to do a quick mod without buying those stupid cables that Bruce guy sells.
1. Bypass only one Brake resistor.
2. Move the bulb that you have just bypassed into the fog light position.
3. Connect up in parallel the LED rods to this Brake bulb. But remember to take out the exisiting Green connection as that is paralleled up to the fog from the factory.
4. Just secure the old fog holder and bulb somewhere behind the light so that it can't be seen.
5. Remove the other brake bulb holder from the light and again secure it somewhere behind the light so that the bulb cannot be seen.
Voila you have the Ricky Brake effect, with a nice Bright Brake light where the fog light used to be and you dont have any brakes behind the LED rods, plus when you Brake you get nice bright LED rods which can be seen even when you brake.
Ofcourse if you want brighter LED rods when driving, and you want the Brakes and fog etc to work like the OEM LCI, you may want to consider buying those cables I spoke about earlier. I've spoken to Bruce and he has 3 sets ready
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Fort Worth, Texas
My Ride: '07 550i
Bruce, your cables are far from stupid. You are a well respected vendor and contributor to this forum. The only issue with your cables for these lights is that they make the cost of the mod approach the cost of OEM LCI tails. This is completely understandable since you have put your time and effort into your products and produce good quality cables. Basically, keep up the good work, it is respected and appreciated.
Its up to eveyone to decide whether its appropriate for them.I had to re-read Bruce's post a couple times - the way I read it, I kept thinking someone had hijacked his account, with all that self-depricating talk!
Senior Members
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 932
Likes: 0
From: West LA
My Ride: 2005 BMW 545i
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Senior Members
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 932
Likes: 0
From: West LA
My Ride: 2005 BMW 545i
Contributors
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,781
Likes: 2
From: CA
My Ride: BMW E60
Model Year: 2016
Actually, we have different plugs for our headlights, so it's not like they can just swap
Members
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Chicago,IL
My Ride: 2004 530i,Titanium silver,cold weather package
As I write about the mods, I will reference the following pictures to be clear(er).
MOD #1:
You will notice a double stacked resistor pack, one used on each of the two brake lights.
These appear to artificially dim both brake bulbs when they are on as running lights or
when braking. I believe this was done to make the bulbs dimmer so the LED bars look
brighter. Compared to the stock tails, they are a good bit dimmer, which I didn't like.
To change this, follow the each brake wire pair to the resistor pack, where connectors
are used to attach them. Wires then leave the resistor packs to connect to the
main cable. Simply bypass the resistor packs for each brake bulb, and get back all
that juicy brightness. The existing connectors on the resistor packs make this a 5 second mod.
MOD #2:
This mod will allow the fog light, LED bars and the triple LED side marker to go the full 12v
brightness when the brakes are hit.
Simply jumper a wire pair from the inner brake light pair (brown/black) to the LED bar wire pair
(green/black). The colors I use are from the driver's side light. They may differ on the passenger.
Just find the same bulbs if so.
Be sure to watch polarity - black should connect to black, brown to green.
These two mods really wake up these lights. Try them out and let everyone know what you think.
On a side note, I think these lights are worth it if for nothing else then the LED turn signals
and secondly, the fairly bright LED rods. These mods will definitely make your E60 unique versus
99.9% of the other E60's out there.
Reply if you need help or have questions.
Thanks,
Gary
MOD #1:
You will notice a double stacked resistor pack, one used on each of the two brake lights.
These appear to artificially dim both brake bulbs when they are on as running lights or
when braking. I believe this was done to make the bulbs dimmer so the LED bars look
brighter. Compared to the stock tails, they are a good bit dimmer, which I didn't like.
To change this, follow the each brake wire pair to the resistor pack, where connectors
are used to attach them. Wires then leave the resistor packs to connect to the
main cable. Simply bypass the resistor packs for each brake bulb, and get back all
that juicy brightness. The existing connectors on the resistor packs make this a 5 second mod.
MOD #2:
This mod will allow the fog light, LED bars and the triple LED side marker to go the full 12v
brightness when the brakes are hit.
Simply jumper a wire pair from the inner brake light pair (brown/black) to the LED bar wire pair
(green/black). The colors I use are from the driver's side light. They may differ on the passenger.
Just find the same bulbs if so.
Be sure to watch polarity - black should connect to black, brown to green.
These two mods really wake up these lights. Try them out and let everyone know what you think.
On a side note, I think these lights are worth it if for nothing else then the LED turn signals
and secondly, the fairly bright LED rods. These mods will definitely make your E60 unique versus
99.9% of the other E60's out there.
Reply if you need help or have questions.
Thanks,
Gary
Senior Members
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,285
Likes: 0
From: Hong Kong
Members
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Chicago,IL
My Ride: 2004 530i,Titanium silver,cold weather package
