View Single Post
      07-13-2012, 12:18 PM   #23
Dackelone
European Editor
Dackelone's Avatar
Germany
10511
Rep
22,992
Posts

Drives: N54 e82
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bayern, Germany

iTrader: (1)

Dorkdog... I have had my BMW Performance SSK on my car now for over two years and I have not perceived any shifter wear or slack. Its tight as day one. I will say at first when everything is new... it is a bit notchy, but that goes away once everything breaks in.

I do not know why BMW chose not to change out the "saddle" or shifter carrier for the 128i. I am sure its not needed since they know more than us.

Here are some RealOEM.com diagrams...

Perf SSK for the 128i
Name:  128i_Perf_SSK.png
Views: 1850
Size:  5.8 KB
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...82&hg=25&fg=95

Stock shift linkage parts...
Name:  128i_stock_shifter_linkage.png
Views: 3324
Size:  7.3 KB
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...88&hg=25&fg=05

All the parts in the stock shifter seem wear. IF you car has say over 70K miles I would say just replace all of them. #7 is the plastic bearing that takes alot of the wear. And chances are when you remove it... it will come apart. The reason is heat from the exhaust makes that plastic very brittle over time.

The sifter rod/lever (#6) also seems to come aprt over time. The reason is it's inners are made from rubber... and heat and wear and tear take its told. The "ball joint" at its base also wears - since its made from plastic. I don't like some of the aftermarket shifters bc while they are correct iwhen they say theirs won't wear(bc their design is all metal) they also don't tell you that an all metal construction will transmit
A LOT of vibration and heat into that shift lever. I think its quite reasonable to go with the BMW parts and replace them every 100K miles or so. These parts take a beating over time... and I am not so sure I would want an all metal design.

I had my dealer do the install. I've done this job on a e36 and its a real PITA. You need to have some LONG stork needle nose pliers and A LOT of patience! Also have some extra C-clips on hand... bc they always seem to come flying off when you remove them. My dealer quoted me 1/2 labor(@110 euros) to do the install. The tech had some space issues doing the install... so he dropped my mid pipes - they ate the extra 1/2 hour time charge and just had me pay for two mid pipe exhaust gaskets! Love 'em!

Ron Styger - he has a good website about SSK info ( http://www.unofficialbmw.com/ronstygar.html ). I used his advice years ago and bought a Z4M shift lever arm. MAN was it tight. Probably 35mm from gate to gate! But it was also very NOTCHY and I did not like it over time. Plus you had to bend the shift lever to make it work on an e36 ( http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/dri...xtra_bend.html )

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/int...b_install.html

http://mz3.net/short-shift.html



Perf SSK pdf...
shifter.pdf



.
Appreciate 0