Shift-rod joint pin problems

[Steve76063]

I'm running into an issue trying to press the pin into the shift-rod joint...

The pin goes into the hole you can see in the top-right.  With the joint out of the car, I can press the pin in almost all the way by hand.  I also checked that the pin fits into the selector shaft from the transmission.  However, when I mate the 2 up and try to press the pin it, it only goes about 10mm in and then gets VERY hard to press further!  I've managed to press it in (using a small C-clamp) where the pin is flush with the outer surface of the joint, but it's not below the slot where the spring holds it in place.

Is there a correct 'orientation' of the joint or do I need to employ a hammer, or???

Looking for suggestions.

Edited December 22, 2021 by Steve76063
add detail

[bergie33]

If this isn't an OEM BMW part, you might have issues. I bought an MTC joint and the holes weren't drilled straight.  I sent it back and bought a BMW branded part.

['76mintgrün'02]

I've read similar posts about non-bmw parts, so that may well be the problem.  If you do hammer on it using a punch, be sure to put something between the joint and the underside of the tunnel to support it, so you are not putting that stress into the shift rod.  Putting a slight chamfer on the front of the pin might help it find the hole at the top of the joint, but not if it is drilled too far off center.

[jp5Touring]

15 minutes ago, bergie33 said:

If this isn't an OEM BMW part, you might have issues. I bought an MTC joint and the holes weren't drilled straight.  I sent it back and bought a BMW branded part.

 

I had the same problem the hole is off center and wont line up when installed.

[M3M3]

if you got the pin that far in, you are golden.  use a punch as described to tap it the last 1/16in of the way.

 

you want ZERO play in this joint.  a really tight fit is perfect.

[Steve76063]

AARGH!!!

I can't get the pin the remaining 1-2mm into the joint!  I've hammered and hammered, but it won't budge past this point!  It's still standing proud of the joint's body, not down flush with the bottom of the spring-clip's groove.

I can't figure out what's stopping it...I can press the pin all the way through the joint out of the car, and all the way through the selector shaft without the joint installed...however, when they're together it's no-go. I'm afraid to hammer too hard because I think I'll mushroom the end of the pin.  I'm not even sure if I can get the pin out any more, now that it's hammered in this far!

ps, I flipped the joint over 180 degrees since last time to see if that'd help-it didn't.

 

pps, I got this joint from a reputable supplier, so I'm pretty sure it's a good quality joint but I couldn't see a manufacturer stamped/printed on it, only a manufacturing date.

 

ppps, This isn't easy laying on my back with the car on jackstands!  I really need a lift!

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by Steve76063
Add comment about source of joint and lift comment

['76mintgrün'02]

Time to stop hammering.  It doesn't fit. 

 

There are other shift-linkage threads in which people comment on a bad batch of parts, which have the pin-hole drilled off-center and the pin does not line up when it is being installed.  It sounds like you received one of those parts.

 

Your pin is probably jamming against the other side as it tries to find that hole. 

 

Remove it and look at the end of the pin (and the back side of that hole) and you'll probably see evidence of the offset.

 

You need a new link. 

 

Do you have the old one to get you by for now?  

[Oldtimerfahrer]

I feel your pain. Just did the same exercise on an E30. My joint was from IE, the pin had some marks so I took 600 sand paper to it (after failed trial fit) to remove them and uses a mandrel (?), like a punch, but with a pointed end and after a few to's and fro's (I removed it like three times as I did not want it to bind) and it finally went in. I had a lift though, dropped the driveshaft and exhaust as I wanted to replace everything related to the slop and put in the foam noise suppression. Can you get it out from the top and try again?

Andrew

[jp5Touring]

I'm pretty sure it was drilled off center I think mine was a MTC part, half of what a oem one is.

Mine was purchased through Blunt also. I used the old link and swapped out the bushing and foam piece.

My concern now would be if you get it together will you ever be able to get it back apart.

Feel your pain I wasted several hours on this also.

[bergie33]

Mine was so obvious when I received it that I didn't even attempt to use it.  I think they have an old blind man in a back room drilling their holes, cause they aren't even close to straight.

[R.I.P.B.M.W.]

   IIRC, a factory pin will slide very easily into the factory knuckle and through the shift shaft without the foam cushion installed. It becomes a tighter fit once cushion is installed but still can be easily leveraged into position for pin to fit all the way. Before it gets too far out of hand, use an inspection mirror to see where pin sits in relation to upper hole. If real close, it might take a channellock pliers to line up. Otherwise, what everyone else says about badly manufactured parts could be true. 

[Son of Marty]

If you need to use the car you could redrill joint and shaft with the next larger drill size and then cut the drill shank to the length of the pin and use that with the retaining clip.

[tech71]

14 hours ago, bergie33 said:

If this isn't an OEM BMW part, you might have issues. I bought an MTC joint and the holes weren't drilled straight.  I sent it back and bought a BMW branded part.

 Yeah..Looks like an MTC version to me. I too tried and failed to get the one I purchased to work, pin alignment problems.

I suppose I could have drilled and pinned like Son of Marty suggests but after suffering under the car, it felt good to hurl the POS into the bushes ( my neighbors don’t have a pool)

Purchased OE from Maximillian.

Definitely stop trying to hammer that pin in , you could bend your shift rod.

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by tech71

[Steve76063]

I think I've found the culprit of my issues!  In the photo, my new joint is on the right and it appears (to me) that the pin is off-center from the old joint.  As far as I can see, the pin is higher

I guess it's time to go OEM.

['76mintgrün'02]

28 minutes ago, Steve76063 said:

I think I've found the culprit of my issues!

 

Yup.  I think bergie33 deserves a "SOLVED" click for providing that insight in the first response of this thread.