Hi, I am new to the forum. I recently bought a 550i M-Sport with 01/06 build date (Sport package, M-Aerodynamics package w/ 19" M-wheels) and working on bringing the car back to good shape. The car did not come with a sport steering wheel and the steering wheel is pretty worn so I decided to replace it. After some research I found out about motivemods' paddle shift retrofit kit and decided to upgrade rather then just replace the steering wheel. I have collected the following parts:

Sport steering wheel with Paddle Shifters from 07 650i SMG (complete with all the trim)
Round Airbag post-09/05
MotiveMods' e60 Paddle Retrofit Kit

After getting my hands on the modified slip ring assembly with the new wiring harness, I started having doubts about being able to pull off this retrofit. I would really appreciate if some of you who have done this retrofit could give me some advice or info on how to get this done. Thanks.

The current issue I am having is after test fitting the round airbag to the new steering wheel (not yet actually installed on the car), I have not been able to completely separate them (only one side of the airbag is loose). I have been trying to use a dull hex shaped tool in the hole at the bottom of the wheel to remove the airbag.

 

That's easy. Make sure the airbag is fully seated and then push it it like you're honking the horn. Then try to release and it should come out. I did it 10 times in the past few months. One question why did you get the modified slip ring? Isn't the kit from motivemods all you need?

 

Thank you for the advice, I will try that.

Sorry for confusion, you are right, the modified slip ring came in the kit from motivmods. The new slip ring has an long cord attached to it with a connector at the end, I am not sure where it supposed to go, I guess the transmission console, I didn't find instructions in the box.

 

Wow, worked like a charm!!! Thank you for your help!

 

No problem, I'm planning on doing this in a few months, already have the wheel except I got LCI paddles instead of SMG. Would have got the kit but I saw some aluminum trim on Ebay and had to get that since its so rare. Anyway, have you tried emailing them about your questions? They usually respond back pretty fast unless its like 2am, I had a little late night mod gazing going on one time and got a response a few hours later, other than that it takes no longer than 45 mins, at least for me.

 

I haven't emailed them yet, I was going to call them tomorrow and ask them to email me installation instructions. I probably won't get to it swap until later in the week.

BTW, the paddles I have on the steering wheel are the push/pull kind, just as the LCI but without the leather inserts. As I gathered, all e60 SMG cars have push/pull paddles, other then M5 with right-/left+ paddle set up.

Think its worth doing a write up with PICs on the install?

 

It always helpful to have more DIYs on the forum. Here's one right here https://5series.net/forums/topic/820..._1#entry954193 I would say if you have a different experience write it up and reference that one.

 

I want the paddle kit so bad

Costs quite a bit tho. New wheel and paddles... fack lol.

 

After your done with the steering wheel retrofit you won't regret it! Totally worth it. Wish I did a write up for it though.

 

Omg that looks so nice *droooool*

However, for me it sucks because I already have a sport wheel, but no paddles. I guess I could recoup at least a 1/4 of the cost by selling my original wheel.