shifter & transmission installation

[Julien]

I'm looking to install my 5 speed transmission in my 325ix tomorrow. Can I leave the shifter out of the equation and just have the selector rod and brace in place? I'd like to do this for clearance reasons, but I'm not sure if I can sneak my hand in there and clip the lower part of the shifter in.


thanks!

[Kershaw]

You definitely have enough space to reach up and clip the shifter to the selector rod. I kept the selector rod and brace on the transmission, bolted it up, and then connected it to the shifter.

[nando]

Are you talking about it with or without the transfercase attached?

[Julien]

Are you talking about it with or without the transfercase attached?

with

[nando]

yeah I don't think I'd want to install it later. maybe if you have tiny hands. I have giant ham fists and there's no way I could get them up there to hook up the shifter after the fact.

I mean you can do it but it's gonna hurt..

[packratbimmer]

I always do it one section at a time trans./shifter/transfer case - easy that way.

[Kershaw]

I should have said I also did it on a lift. I can't imagine I'd be able to get the angles right on jack stands. On a lift, you can put the car at the right angle so all you have to do is reach in. There wasn't tons of space, but I wasn't hurting either.