Installing SHORT Shifter

[danb 1989is]

i know this is an pretty simple task but does anyone have directions just so that i can be safe i know that i need to go underneath the car and pull the clip out and then pull my stock lever out from the top. Just need all the steps involved. THank, Dan

[Bryson]

just to fuck with you, it is indeed possible to do it from the top. have fun ;)

[uflnuceng]

Bryson that is just mean...

Ok, Im assuming you are only replacing the shifter itself, as opposed to dealing with the "bitch clip" which attaches the shifter arm to the tranny.

The Bryson way will have you jamming your fingers into places they probably can't fit into, dropping circlips, cursing alot, etc.

If you don't want to screw around too much do this:

Under car:
1- drop exhaust
2- remove shielding
3- disconnect driveshaft from tranny (you *COULD* skip this step and try and reach around it)
4- disconnect shifter from selector rod

Inside car:
5- remove shift knob, boot and pull off rubber gasket. I would suggest you just cut it with a razor or something and get a new one to install. It might be on there pretty good.
6- Use a set of needle nose pliers to turn white plastic cup inside shifter arm. This thing was nice a siezed for me, but I had my arm outside of the car and broke it apart with a screw driver. Look at the cup, it has two little teeth keeping it from spinning. I just broke those pegs.
7- Pull the shifter out

Depending on what kind of SSK you are doing depends on what you do next. If you are using another BMW shifter (I don't recommend, makes shifting notchy) then reinstall a new white cup and install the shifter and new rubber boot and you are done. If you are using something like a B&M or UUC short shifter (highly recommend) then follow their instructions.

Hope this helps (and I hope I didn't forget anything important 8) )

Later
Jared

[aaron_silva]

Wow, you are removing much more than you need to. Dan, if you are simply replacing the shift lever, you go through the same steps that I did when I replaced your white plastic bushing. No removing exhausts, shielding, or driveshaft.

Aaron

[LikeCDoos]

Wow, you are removing much more than you need to. Dan, if you are simply replacing the shift lever, you go through the same steps that I did when I replaced your white plastic bushing. No removing exhausts, shielding, or driveshaft.

Aaron

Same i just replaced the lever and didn't have to remove anything from the bottom of the car...the circlip was easily reached without the removal of that stuff.

[Bryson]

I would strongly suggest replacing the pivot cup while you're down there, it's at the front of the lower linkage and accounts for 90% of the slop in our shifters. it's about $20 from the dealer IIRC. Well worth it. Make sure you get the little foam pad that goes inside and you soak it in oil before installing.

by the way, I always do it from underneath the car :P and I don't remove the exhaust, heat sheilding or driveshaft (unless it's off anyway.. I've done this way too many times)