Shifter Linkage Upgrades?

[DaveD]

I realise this topic is mostly dead now, but figured I'd just bung a picture up of what mine looks like from when I was fitting it - you can see how it is orientated to fit without cutting any trim, and can also hopefully see how the lockout version might just foul on the hazard switch?

Anyway, hopefully useful info for someone in the future wanting to go down this route

Ed - did you install the rubber boot around the shifter shaft to seal off the transmission tunnel hole? I did and works fine - no dust coming through and not as noisy… although still more NVH than stock.

 

[Ed Doe]

Ed - did you install the rubber boot around the shifter shaft to seal off the transmission tunnel hole? I did and works fine - no dust coming through and not as noisy… although still more NVH than stock.

Being impatient... no I forgot/didn't think to do it... I regret that as it can get quite warm in the cabin now on trackdays! I've already modified and prepared the Lockout shifter with the rubber boot for when I ever get the chance to fit it...!!

 

[SGRG]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Dave. Would you say this was a game changer for you?

Yes very much so. Just changed the feel of the car when driving - you feel more involved. In part because it’s just so mechanical in nature! Literally no slop in the system.

Thanks Dave and Ed. Really liked the Coolerworx kit but to keep it "reversible" it looks like I will likely have to go with PSD SSK.

I realise this topic is mostly dead now, but figured I'd just bung a picture up of what mine looks like from when I was fitting it - you can see how it is orientated to fit without cutting any trim, and can also hopefully see how the lockout version might just foul on the hazard switch?

Anyway, hopefully useful info for someone in the future wanting to go down this route


Shifter.jpg

Ed, what is the height on that SSK?

 

[Ed Doe]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Dave. Would you say this was a game changer for you?

Yes very much so. Just changed the feel of the car when driving - you feel more involved. In part because it’s just so mechanical in nature! Literally no slop in the system.

Thanks Dave and Ed. Really liked the Coolerworx kit but to keep it "reversible" it looks like I will likely have to go with PSD SSK.

I realise this topic is mostly dead now, but figured I'd just bung a picture up of what mine looks like from when I was fitting it - you can see how it is orientated to fit without cutting any trim, and can also hopefully see how the lockout version might just foul on the hazard switch?

Anyway, hopefully useful info for someone in the future wanting to go down this route


Shifter.jpg

Ed, what is the height on that SSK?

Pleasure - happy to help

The RTD Website says the mini lever (which mine is) sits 300mm above the transmission tunnel. I posted a pic earlier in this thread showing where the top of the knob sits relative to the steering wheel with me driving, so you can kinda gauge how it looks? Let me know if you want any other pics etc.

 

[SGRG]

Yes very much so. Just changed the feel of the car when driving - you feel more involved. In part because it’s just so mechanical in nature! Literally no slop in the system.

Thanks Dave and Ed. Really liked the Coolerworx kit but to keep it "reversible" it looks like I will likely have to go with PSD SSK.

I realise this topic is mostly dead now, but figured I'd just bung a picture up of what mine looks like from when I was fitting it - you can see how it is orientated to fit without cutting any trim, and can also hopefully see how the lockout version might just foul on the hazard switch?

Anyway, hopefully useful info for someone in the future wanting to go down this route


Shifter.jpg

Ed, what is the height on that SSK?

Pleasure - happy to help

The RTD Website says the mini lever (which mine is) sits 300mm above the transmission tunnel. I posted a pic earlier in this thread showing where the top of the knob sits relative to the steering wheel with me driving, so you can kinda gauge how it looks? Let me know if you want any other pics etc.

I have narrowed it down to the following which also sits around 300 mm.
http://www.psdesignsglobal.com/_shop/e36---m3/psdesigns-bmw-shifter-road-300mm-height/

http://www.psdesignsglobal.com/_shop/e36---m3/psdesigns-adjustable-gear-selector-rod-/
Did either of you get the gear selector rod changed as well?

 

[Ed Doe]

Nope, I've still got the oe linkage. There's no need to swap this and it's more faff. I believe the E9x platform needs it but the e46/85/86 doesnt

 

[DaveD]

Nope, I've still got the oe linkage. There's no need to swap this and it's more faff. I believe the E9x platform needs it but the e46/85/86 doesnt

Likewise. Original linkage works fine

 

[Ed Doe]

Ed, what is the height on that SSK?

Just picking back up on this - it might prod me in the right direction to fit the lock-out shifter; do you want to buy my current RTD non-lockout shifter...? I wont be able to pull it off straight away but if you're not in a mad rush I'll get to it in the next 6-8weeks or so?

 

[SGRG]

Ed, what is the height on that SSK?

Just picking back up on this - it might prod me in the right direction to fit the lock-out shifter; do you want to buy my current RTD non-lockout shifter...? I wont be able to pull it off straight away but if you're not in a mad rush I'll get to it in the next 6-8weeks or so?

Interesting proposition Ed. Let me know what you are looking for including details of how old it is, how many miles it has done since installed etc. thanks

 

[Ed Doe]

For the benefit of Dubbedown - some more pics of my RTD install:

My Rev0 Non-lockout shifter (installed this first, then went lockout); note because there's no lockout mech, the overall mech is shorter, meaning you can fit it all under the existing plastics with no cutting/modifications;


Close-up pic showing the Non-Lockout shifter installed backwards, with the lock-nut pointing to the rear of the car


Rev01 Lockout Shifter I have subsequently installed - note the Lockout mech sticks out further than the lock-nut - this ever so slightly fouls the rear of the hazard switch - so I've just left it slightly poking out of the plastic surround in the tranny tunnel. Otherwise this shifter also fits entirely behind/under the existing plastics/foams of the tranny tunnel with zero modification.


To mount the shifter facing backwards you do need to drill new holes in the tranny tunnel. I created a cardboard jig - see pics following;






Last pic showing the 'neutral' position of the shifter:



The coolerworxshifter will not fit without modification to the transmission tunnel plastic trims, either front or rear. This is because the lock-out and/or self-centre spring return mechanism protrudes more than in the RTD version. I've quoted the post with the pic further up this thread showing how you'd need to cut the tunnel trim to install the coolerworx shifter, if that's the route you'd be looking to go

Thanks for the link Ed. That is a shame about having to hack things up even if it is just the plastic surround. I don't mind the centre console so much but it looks like the whole ashtray area needs to be cleared out as well.
Screenshot 2023-03-09 at 17.25.24.png

Looks like I will go with RTD eventually in that case. Does the RTD with lockout need cutting up to install? thanks

Hope this helps - I've got a few more pics if you need, just let me know

 

[3002 tii]

For the benefit of Dubbedown - some more pics of my RTD install:

My Rev0 Non-lockout shifter (installed this first, then went lockout); note because there's no lockout mech, the overall mech is shorter, meaning you can fit it all under the existing plastics with no cutting/modifications;
IMG_20190727_104217.jpg

Close-up pic showing the Non-Lockout shifter installed backwards, with the lock-nut pointing to the rear of the car
IMG_20190802_110720.jpg


Hope this helps - I've got a few more pics if you need, just let me know

Ed thanks for uploading these. Is the Rev0 the same as the v3 or v4 (both of which are non lockout)? And is that gearknob considered to be the regular or tear drop version? Lastly while my car is mostly used for track, I still have to drive to/from. How is using the shifter on street?

 

[Ed Doe]

Ed thanks for uploading these. Is the Rev0 the same as the v3 or v4 (both of which are non lockout)? And is that gearknob considered to be the regular or tear drop version? Lastly while my car is mostly used for track, I still have to drive to/from. How is using the shifter on street?

Hi mate,
No worries

Rev0 is not the same as the rev 3 and 4. I'd suggest the base plate dimensions are the same between them, but it looks to me the rev 3 & 4 are a different diameter (and possibly length) shift shaft and a different knob.

The rev0 shifter only has the 'teardrop' style like mine, or you can I believe spec it to be possible to retrofit an oe bmw knob if you want (I think the latter looks shite personally but each to their own!)

Mine is mostly track but I do drive it on the road too - did a ring trip in May, covered about 1200miles - the shifter is perfectly fine for road use. There's probably a bit more gearbox noise as it's a hard mounted bit of kit rather than rubber bushed like the oe arrangement but that's about it, it's not by any means intrusive.

 

[3002 tii]

Ed thanks for uploading these. Is the Rev0 the same as the v3 or v4 (both of which are non lockout)? And is that gearknob considered to be the regular or tear drop version? Lastly while my car is mostly used for track, I still have to drive to/from. How is using the shifter on street?

Hi mate,
No worries

Rev0 is not the same as the rev 3 and 4. I'd suggest the base plate dimensions are the same between them, but it looks to me the rev 3 & 4 are a different diameter (and possibly length) shift shaft and a different knob.

The rev0 shifter only has the 'teardrop' style like mine, or you can I believe spec it to be possible to retrofit an oe bmw knob if you want (I think the latter looks shite personally but each to their own!)

Mine is mostly track but I do drive it on the road too - did a ring trip in May, covered about 1200miles - the shifter is perfectly fine for road use. There's probably a bit more gearbox noise as it's a hard mounted bit of kit rather than rubber bushed like the oe arrangement but that's about it, it's not by any means intrusive.

Ed - after having tried both lockout and no lockout, was the former worth it? In theory I can see why it’s useful (especially if you use 2nd gear at local tracks), but did you ever actually almost engage R during downshift to 2 with the non-lockout? My concern is that with lockout, it will actually slow my shifts down due to the additional effort required for lateral / diagonal shifts. And the only way to mitigate that is to go with a longer lever (street 300mm to race 360mm), which I am not keen on doing.

 

[Ed Doe]

Hi mate,

Short answer - yes it made a difference.

There's a 2nd gear chicane at Goodwood, and I was finding that when managing the car in on the brakes I was pushing the shifter across into the reverse slot and trying to pull backward. Not terminal as obviously there's no gear to pull backward into, but it did result in effectively a moment of fucking about trying to get it into second. I was able to finesse this by consciously thinking how hard I was pushing it across the gate into second, but ultimately yes it was something I was managing.

This issue was resolved with the lockout shifter, BUT I doubt I'd have had it again as I also subsequently fitted the 4.1 Final drive, and the chicane at Goodwood is now a 3rd gear situation anyway :lol:
To be honest I think very few tracks in the UK would now necessitate a change into second (maybe Llandau, or some of the smaller similar circuits, but nothing I've been on).


So basically if you think you're going to be hitting 2nd lots on your trackdays, then the lockout shifter might be a good shout. Alternatively given the price differential you might be happy to manage around it with the non-lockout!

As a point of note, the return spring for the non-lockout shifter and the lockout shifter are both identical. So the lateral effort required will be identical. The Lockout mechanism works by having grub screws which you set to block the lateral travel of the shifter unless the collar is pulled up. This means you can chuck the lever as hard as you want laterally and it physically will not be able to get across into the reverse gate unless the collar is pulled up.

The lockout mech is effectively identical in concept/operation with the coolerworx and CAE shifters, give it a google and you can see how it works


EDIT: Here's the actual RTD video showing the operation:

[youtube]ZE4SjQ89DB8[/youtube]