UUC DSSR for the 1er

[akak1997]

Anyone got this yet? Mine just arrived today. I hope after the M3 DSSR mess, UUC won't mess up again. I think I might give them a call tomorrow just in case they found something...
Also, I don't have time to do the install yet since I don't know if I've to lower the tranny to gain access to the stock selector rod. Anyone know? All the picture I've seen posted on SSK install shows just access to the shifter side, I haven't seen one picture showing the tranny end...

Here's some pic, the size of the DSSR is smaller than I expected.

[larryn]

I went the beta tester route with UUC, and will not do that again. Hope it works out for you, but my 1 series swaybar experience was worse than awful.

[mynew135]

I got the email from them offering it for half off since I had the SSK.
It sounds good in theory, but I don't seem to mind the lateral movement that it currently has. Never had any problems with the shifting.

I will anxiously await your review.

[jibaholic101]

what is a DSSR?

[kirby135i]

http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/dssr/

seems pretty expensive for what it is.

[sysfailur]

Originally Posted by jibaholic101

what is a DSSR?

Double Shear Selector Rod.

Edit: I should probably F5 before I post. Sorry.

[FazerBoy]

I've got the UUC SSK and would definitely be interested in the DSSR.

Please share your thoughts once you've installed it, Akak.

Thanks

Jack

[akak1997]

I just jacked the car up and see if I can do the install myself. It will be quite tough and I don't have the tools to do it.
The heat shield is blocking access to the selector rod and in order to remove the heat shield I'll have to remove the rear subframe brace, which I don't have the torx for. Oh, I've tried to see if I can bent the heatsheild out of the way, but because the way BMW shaped the heatshield, it'll be tough to bend it w/o risking damage to it. And, the heatsheild is TOUGH, not bendable by hand. Also, the other end of the selector rod (the one to the tranny) is directly above the driveshaft. you've very little clearance to it on either side. You maybe able to do it by touch, but since the DSSR is designed to be a tight fit, it might be hard. I think you may even have to lower the tranny a bit just to get to it and that is where stopped me from doing this myself... This seems to be as much PITA as the SSK install. I think when you're doing SSK already you might as well do this mod. DSSR alone seems to be too much of a bitch to do...

[Justin(OKC)]

I am going to order this and see if UUC will send me a shifter that will not twist. I had the issue with their shifter last summer and they sent me a replacement that had the same problem. I'm hoping that they have it resolved and I can just install both pieces together. It definitely will not be an easy install, but when I did the shifter I only had to loosen the heat shield and have the car up on a rack.

[akak1997]

My shifter doesn't twist, I think UUC might have sent you those earlier defective ones I read on E90Post. I think they fixed it by replacing the silicone insert.
Oh, and how do you loosen the heat shield? Do you've to remove the subframe brace to do it? Thanks

[larryn]

"Earlier and defective" seem to be too common for UUC.

My experience of buying initial production items left me with no brakes on the highway, 80 miles from my house, and doing 70 mph at the time. The "early and defective" swaybar inverted and ripped out both front hydraulic brake lines and both (expensive) ABS sensors. Luckily, I was able to bring the car to a stop without hitting anything.

I took over 8 months to get rectified. Rectified = replacement sway sent... no reimbursement for any of the additional costs that I incurred as a result of the defective initial design.

[Justin(OKC)]

Originally Posted by akak1997

My shifter doesn't twist, I think UUC might have sent you those earlier defective ones I read on E90Post. I think they fixed it by replacing the silicone insert.
Oh, and how do you loosen the heat shield? Do you've to remove the subframe brace to do it? Thanks

Well, it's been more than a year since I did it. I think I just took off some of the bolts holding the heat shield and was able to bend it down enough to get the tools I needed up there. Not possible if you are laying down on the floor....I had to have a lift and could stand underneath there. It wasn't easy, but I did it twice. I have always had excellent luck with UUC, but I must admit that my stuggles with this shifter have me slightly soured. I know they will stand behind their product and get it fixed, but their move and my lack of desire to take it apart again has slowed the process.

[mynew135]

I did my UUC SSK with only the front tires up on ramps. It was tight, but manageable. The heat shield is bendable, but it is very thick. Taking off the transmition brace helped provide a little more wiggle room. Just two bolts from what I remember.

[akak1997]

OK, I went and did the install yesterday, it is a PITA as expected. I don't have a lift, so I've to do the install with the car on all 4 jack stands.
First I've to remove the midpipe, the rear subframe brace, and the exhaust tunnel heatsheild to gain enough clearance to stick my hand in to swap out the selector rod with the DSSR.

It is Uber hard getting the DSSR to fit to the Tranny end, first it is pretty out of sight, you can barely see it, I think a mirror will help but I didn't have one at the time (next on my tool shopping list). The DSSR fit VERY Snug to the tranny end, so getting the hole perfectly align is crucial, or else, the pin won't go it.

the shifter end is less pain. the fork on the DSSR fit snug to the shifter's bearings, but there is at least 1mm to maybe 2mm of play between the shifter bearing. I can slide the shifter from side to side where the the tranny side didn't move one bit. I'm going to call UUC Monday to figure out why there's still so much play.

As for improvments, I do feel that the shift is a bit more precise. but there is at least the same amount of play compare to stock. However, it is a bit hard to get into 1st... it feels almost like it is only 1/2 way in, although the car is still in gear, and take off as usual... During the install, I notice when the car is in First, the shifter end of the DSSR is hitting the shifter carrier. I think that is the problem. The Install instruction of the DSSR mention that the DSSR is directional, but the one I got is not.. I've measured it it's the same in every way both side.. I've tried every which way to see if it still hits the carrier in first.. but it does it for all orientations.

DISAPPOINTED do not begin to express how I feel abt this product, Epic fail comes close.

[Bullitt]

I was just considering about whether this DSSR upgrade would be worthwhile. Thanks for the heads up...interested to see how UUC responds to your issue.

[FazerBoy]

Thank you for posting your experience. I was going to order a DSSR but obviously will hold off until this is resolved.

I am sorry that you are having these issues and hope it will get sorted out. Please keep us informed.


Jack

[mynew135]

I will pass as well. I don't find the lateral movement to be a problem. Never had a misshift and I fail to see how the new bar is supposed to minimize the lateral movement. Sounds good on paper and looks like a well built piece of metal, but don't see the logic.

[akak1997]

As I mention in the other thread, I talked to Rob and he thinks the issue w/ the DSSR might be inherited by the extra play I've in the shifter and he's sending me some parts to fix it. So I'll see if it resolves the problem.

[larryn]

Good luck! I spoke with Rob at the time of my sway bar snafu, and tested a bunch of sway bar parts for him as well, as a result of the snafu.

IMO, you should be getting paid to do his R&D for him.

[akak1997]

I've been driving the car with DSSR for a week now...
The extra play issue has not been resolved yet, I've got the parts from UUC and just don't have the time to get it installed yet. However I notice the rub in first is there only some times. BUT rub in reverse is almost always there. According to Rob, the rubbing feeling might just be the extra play that cause me to feel something funny.. but I don't buy it, it feels like rubbing...
So I decided to take off the shift boot and take some pictures:

1st:


Reverse:


3rd No Rub:


You can see 1st and reverse is rubbing against the carrier, where as 3rd, no rub whatsoever. If you look REALLY closely, you see some metal shavings from the rubbing!!! I couldn't get a good clear shot at the area where it rubs, but there's a small dent there. It is not the top part of the DSSR that's rubbing, it's rubbing slightly above the middle line of the DSSR.

The extra play is a side to side movement, where the shifter bearing+bearing liners are sliding left and right on the pin. But the rubbing is from the forward/backward movement from shifting. the fork on the tranny side is a bit too long, and it is hitting the carrier for sure. UUC needs to make the DSSR for the 1er with a shorter fork or something (the shaft needs to be a bit longer and the fork a bit shorter). I've look at pictures I took on the DSSR, and both forks are the same dimensions, so I didn't accidentally installed it wrong. It'll do the same thing no matter which side I install it..
I can still get in 1st and reverse, but I don't think rubbing is natural.

I cannot say if after I install the new shifter bearing liners or the Shims from UUC will not fix this rubbing, but from looking at where it is rubbing, I've little hope. What do you guys think?

I cannot tell whether this DSSR is poorly designed and tested (or tested at all) Or the shifter was just poorly manufactured in the beginning. But at this point, I'm VERY VERY Disappointed at UUC. This is NOT the first time they screwed up on the DSSR, you can go over to the M3 forums and see how much crap has went on. Blaming it on the move just doesn't cut it, IMHO. Moving a lot of equipments and stuff Sucks, but there's still no excuse to ship screwed up products.

Also, WTF is with No Email for NA customers? I mean this is 2009 and if you're unwilling to deal with email, YOU SHOULD NOT CONSIDER RUNNING A BUSINESS! Phone is nice, you get the personal touch and everything, some time it is easier to communicate issue over the phone, but it's not convenient as email. and Where am I gonna send these pictures?

I won't have the will to restore it to stock coz of all the crap I've to take out in order to get to the DSSR (tranny side is a bitch) I might have to get someone to do it. Sign.. This freaking Sucks. Why do early adopters always get screwed?



Apart from the rubbing, the DSSR does feels good when shifting, since it is straight, your shift force is transferred more directly, less "notchy". I can see the benefits of a DSSR, but the execution by UUC, SUCKS... Someone else please make a better version of it.

[larryn]

rob@shortshifter.com I used that addy for my issues that I eventually just gave up on, and have a clunking swaybar that I believe is now just re-used from the E90, after I found that what was sent to me was originally (wrongly) manufactured for the 1er. It least yours didn't do damage to your car, like mine did. Feel lucky in that sense.

[Justin(OKC)]

I have not installed mine yet, and frankly I'm considering returning it. My EVOIII shifter has had about 10 degrees of rotation since I got it. I worked with Mike at UUC via email last summer and he sent me a replacement. It did the same thing. We sent emails back and forth as they tried to resolve the issue, but he never sent me another one. Since that time they moved and STOPPED using email When I ordered the DSSR, I called and talked to Argen (sp?). He said that they would charge me for another shifter, he would send it with my DSSR, and credit my card when I shipped back the faulty SSK. The DSSR came three days later with no SSK. I have called UUC back 5 times. Left a message with Argen at least twice with my number. Talked with two other people to get in touch with Argen.....no returned phone call. I am considering never doing business with UUC again. They used to be excellent. Now they don't take emails nor phone calls

Now that I'm done ranting....it looks like you could do some polishing on that DSSR to eliminate the rub, but I'm sure doing that would void the non-existent support you are getting from UUC!!!