Re: e28 (and E30/E21/E12/2002) short-shift **Rob

["Rob Levinson" <always_coca-cola@xxxxxxx>]

Chris ( Xpist@domain.elided ) wrote:

>Subject: e28 - short shift
>
>I have just removed the exhaust and driveshaft to replace my shifter with
an
>AutoSolutions kit.  I have the sheet metal type shifter with the shift
>block/damper.  The kit includes the whole shift rod, joint and lever
assembly.
>What can I do to the other components to eliminate any and all play?
>
>The shift block/damper needs to be replaced because it's cracking and oily.
>Is there an alternate/performance type block that will give better
>performance?  Any other tips out there for a short shift mod. to make the
>shifter as tight as possible?
>Chris
>1986 BMW 535i


        There is a way to eliminate all the play in your early E28 (or any
pre'86 BMW) sheetmetal shifter console:

www.shortshifter.com/sheetmetal.htm

        The kit we will be offering in about a week restructures the
sheetmetal console so that it is even tighter than the newer aluminum
carrier design.  It utilizes a polyurethane bushing mount system and will be
compatible with *any* brand shifter (and is even a great fix for a stock
shifter). Cost for this kit will be incredibly reasonable, less than lunch
for two at a diner.

        The play in the older sheetmetal console is due to a very poor
design element, a snap-in rubber connector that is easily stripped
(especially with agressive shifting).  The console in my '85 535i had close
to 3/4" of vertical movement on shifts.  The prototype system that is
installed in the car (and which is functionally identical to the production
version) was tested by quite a few people at the NJBMWCCA meeting/tech
session at Gary Bossert's shop and also at P'Fest2 this weekend.
Overwhelmingly, the response was "WOW!"  With this bushing design, the
sheetmetal carrier can be made to have even less slop than a newer aluminum
carrier shifter ('86 and later).  Since I now have two E28 535i's, my '85
(sheetmetal console) and '86 (aluminum carrier), I can do a direct
back-to-back comparison on any modification I do the the shifter assembly...
the '85 now has less slop than the '86, even though I replaced all the
mounts for the carrier with factory parts on the '86.

    Sorry for the "commercial" content of this message, but from the
responses I have gotten so far I know that fixing the console is of major
interest to owners of older BMWs.

- - Rob Levinson
UUC Motorwerks
'85 535i Turbo, BL/SS Level 3, CCERK, bushing kit    192K
'86 535i, BL/SS Level 2   80K

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