Shifter Rebuild Kit

[Shiparino]

Has anyone put together a list of off-the-shelf parts needed to rebuild the shifter on a late model?  I'm sure the $140 kits available are great, but also guessing it can be done for way less if you piece it together.

 

Thanks

[jgerock]

I’ll save you the trouble. Just buy the DSSR shifter kit from @BLUNT.  Love mine in the sixty nine.

[Shiparino]

@jgerock So all the shims and springs from the Ireland kit (https://www.iemotorsport.com/product/shifter-refresh-kit-2002-late/) are necessary with this?

[tech71]

Actually, those"refresh" kits( for late model shifters)  dont address one of the main wear points at all.

Most "slop" occurs at the attach points for the shift rod fore and aft.

The nylon bushings in the lower shift lever wear out and are not available separately, (for the late style)you have to buy a new lower shift lever to get two crappy nylon bushings.

At the foreward end you have to replace the shift rod joint, thats included in the IE kit.

Heres my "kit":

2 ea bronze hat bushings 1/2in OD x 3/8 in ID from ace hardware, at least half in. in length. Maybe $5 for 2

1 new shift rod joint

1 10 mm ream  (around $10 on Amazon)

I cut off the excess length with a hacksaw and used a ball peen hammer to tap the bushings into the shift lever.  Once installed I clamped the shift lever in a vise and ran cheap 10 mm ream through the ID with a cordless drill.

Worked good, removed tons of slop.

Cost? I used an MTC shift joint so not much... 

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by tech71

[jgerock]

Unless I’m mistaken, the DSSR kits from Blunt include Delrin bushings for the shifter.

 

New stock or aftermarket parts are going to be much better than old sloppy worn out stuff.

[jgerock]

50 minutes ago, Shiparino said:

@jgerock So all the shims and springs from the Ireland kit (https://www.iemotorsport.com/product/shifter-refresh-kit-2002-late/) are necessary with this?

You must purchase a “dog bone” shifter lever with that kit (its optional).  

[Mike Self]

Before ordering any parts, make sure you know which shift linkage is in your car, as there were two different ones used--and it's entirely possible that in the intervening 45-53 years, a previous owner has changed trannys and or linkage pieces so your VIN may not tell the correct story.  Unless you're sure, crawl under the car and use your Mark I eyeball to determine which style you have.

 

Tech 71's photo and parts book page show the later style; pre-1974 cars have a fork and blade arrangement at the shifter base.

 

mike

[bergie33]

Be careful with the cheaper aftermarket shift rod joints, like MTC and URO.  I bought a couple of those before opting for the much more expensive Genuine BMW joint.  The cheaper ones had the hole for the pin that attaches to the tranny shifter shaft drilled off center, so it didn't line up and wouldn't work.  I am sure most of them are probably fine, but the ones I got were a no go.

[jp5Touring]

23 minutes ago, bergie33 said:

Be careful with the cheaper aftermarket shift rod joints, like MTC and URO.  I bought a couple of those before opting for the much more expensive Genuine BMW joint.  The cheaper ones had the hole for the pin that attaches to the tranny shifter shaft drilled off center, so it didn't line up and wouldn't work.  I am sure most of them are probably fine, but the ones I got were a no go.

Had this problem also 

[spuriouspseudo]

Here's my adventure in rebuilding the shifter...  I think that my car is a mix of early assembly and some later stuff.  I got all of my parts from Pelican, just gotta pump the part numbers into their search:

 

 

[Shiparino]

Man, I was hoping you all would just fix it for me.  haha  Thanks for all the good info and advice.  I'll definitely tear into it before I start ordering parts.  

[Squid's 02]

When I looked under my late model car I noticed that I had the early style shift linkage (so definitely check first). I ended up using the shifter bushing upgrade from AKG. It was only $20

 

https://www.akgmotorsport.com/product/shifter-linkage-repair-kit-bmw-2002/

 

This linkage really tightened up the shifter feel. 

 

I should also mention that at the time they were having a 20% off sale that I was not aware of (required a code at checkout) so I paid full price. The following day they refunded my paypal account the $2 of the discount. It's only $2, but they didn't have to do that and I wouldn't have known any different. 

 

Good People in my book!

 

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by Squid's 02

[tech71]

21 minutes ago, Squid's 02 said:

I ended up using the shifter bushing upgrade from AKG. It was only $20

Thanks! Totally bookmark worthy.

['76mintgrün'02]

The bronze bushings I installed ten years ago are starting to buzz.  I am not really looking forward to taking it apart again, but when I do, I will address the joint with a pin in it, which I neglected the first time around.  The PO drove it for a long time after the plastic bushings wore out.  I used JBWeld to install the bronze in the sloppy tube.

 

 

 

Here are c.d.'s shifter diagrams marked up with the wear points.

 

 

Tom

 

[dlmrun2002]

I wonder if the Z3  short shifter would fit. It's a nice feel in the e30.

dlm ny country