[Subw00er]

http://www.pacificbmw.com/new/parts/...e=2&prodid=743

Anyone know if this shifter knob will fit on an e90? Its from a BMW e46 parts catalog. It looks like it might shorten the shift action quite a bit just by changing the knob.

[ward]

try that link again big guy

[BMW0]

That links not working dude

[longtran]

wouldnt the e46 shift knob have 5 spd? it will fit but the numbers are different. e46 and e90 shift knob are the same fitment.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by longtran

wouldnt the e46 shift knob have 5 spd? it will fit but the numbers are different. e46 and e90 shift knob are the same fitment.

You get 5 and 6 speed E46

And yes, the E46 knobs should fit the E90

[ben1364]

Changing the knob to a shorter one will not shorten the throw. It will only reduce your leverage thereby requiring more effort to shift. To shorten the throw, you must lengthen the shaft beneath the ball.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by ben1364

Changing the knob to a shorter one will not shorten the throw. It will only reduce your leverage thereby requiring more effort to shift. To shorten the throw, you must lengthen the shaft beneath the ball.

A shorter knob does reduce the length of travel of your hand slightly

[3some]

The short shifter is Great on my M-Sport E90.
Makes a difference.

[ben1364]

"3some]The short shifter is Great on my M-Sport E90.
Makes a difference."
__________________________________________________ _
Is a short shifter a factory option in SA or did you install an aftermarket unit? If so, which one and what do you think of the quality? What was included in the kit?

[3some]

Originally Posted by ben1364

"3some]The short shifter is Great on my M-Sport E90.
Makes a difference."
__________________________________________________ _
Is a short shifter a factory option in SA or did you install an aftermarket unit? If so, which one and what do you think of the quality? What was included in the kit?

In South Africa you get the M-Sport package which includes
* M sport steering wheel
* M 6speed short gear shifter
* M Wheels
* M body kit
* M door sills
* M suspension
* Anthresite roof lining
* Sport seats

I think thats that.

You get all this for R19 000-00 or $2968-75

[ben1364]

3some, thanks for the info.

[Subw00er]

Originally Posted by ben1364

Changing the knob to a shorter one will not shorten the throw. It will only reduce your leverage thereby requiring more effort to shift. To shorten the throw, you must lengthen the shaft beneath the ball.

No offense Ben, but you are wrong. Its makes a big difference if you can chop an inch or two off. I've done this on my other car with a great result. The stock shifter could stand to get a lot harder to shift anyway; feels way to loose to me.

Here is a picture of the knob.


So the fittment of the two is identical? Good point about the #'s, hadnt thought about that..perhaps its worth it still.

btw, how do you get the knob off?

[ben1364]

Originally Posted by Subw00er

No offense Ben, but you are wrong. Its makes a big difference if you can chop an inch or two off. I've done this on my other car with a great result. The stock shifter could stand to get a lot harder to shift anyway; feels way to loose to me.

Here is a picture of the knob.


So the fittment of the two is identical? Good point about the #'s, hadnt thought about that..perhaps its worth it still.

btw, how do you get the knob off?

______________________________
OK? Explain how, please.

Also, explain, please, why the mainstream aftermarket short shifter kit manufacturers build entirely different shifters that include longer shafts below the pivot point. If the Whalen unit is effective, it seems to follow that all the others are wrong. Agree? I will be interested to read your explanation.

[Subw00er]

Ben, I'm not saying it will be as good as a short throw shifter, I was just saying it will make a _difference_. The whalen shifter, I'm guessing, is hollowed out right up to the very top so the shaft of the stock shifter can slide way in. Keeping in mind that the stock shifter is probably a good 1/2-1" _above_ the top of the shifter staulk, this means you can save at least an inch just by changing the shifter knob. reducingthis height will, in effect, reduce the distance you need to shift.

To help clarify whats going on, take the extremes; This is a common engineering trick to figure out complex stuff. Ok, so imagine that the stock shifter is 3' long and you have to move it 2' to shift from 1st to 2nd.. ok now pretend you chopped 2.75' off of it and then shifted.. you'd only be moving the lever a few inches to shift. Make sense? Grab a pencil and you'll see what I mean. Basically you are changing the radius distance.

Sure you loose some leverage, but hell, the stock shifter is the easiest shifter on a car that I've ever owned (designed for the masses I'd expect). I really dont mind a shifter that is hard to maneuver as long as its not notchy. Based on my previouis experience swapping out shifters, I'm guessing that with a short throw shifter, the e90 will be perfect (for me anyway!)

In my last car I bought a duplicate stock shifter and had a welder cut it down two inches and weld it back together. It was perfect (better than the B&M ripper)- and this is without changing the fulcrum!

[ben1364]

Subwooer first said of the Whalen knob, "...Its makes a big difference if you can chop an inch or two off." Secondly, he said, "...it will make a _difference_." I agree with the second statement. I also understand the cocept. I removed a Whalen knob from a MINI when I installed a short shifter on his car.

[xyz123]

I am currently using an E46 short M knob on my E90. My reason has nothing to do with the speed of gear changes; to me, the difference is hardly noticeable and I don't drive aggressively enough for it to matter. My reason is that a weighted knob improves the smoothness of gear changes, even for ordinary driving, and even to my not very sharp senses.