DIY: OEM BMW Performance SSK, RE Trans Mounts, Whiteline RSFB Inserts, Diff Lockdown

[chadillac2000]

I knew I wouldn't need much clearance under the front of the car, so I used RhinoRamps on the front and extra large jack-stands in the rear.



I had decided to work from front to rear, so the OEM BMW Performance short shift kit was first on the agenda. I already had replaced the stock boot and shift knob earlier on; with the OEM BMW Performance alcantara boot and a weighted ZHP shift knob (an ode to the E46 M3 I owned and loved for many years).



Before I got too deep into the installation procedure, I wanted to get a BEFORE version of exactly what shifting the OEM N54 setup looked and sounded like:

The first order of business was getting off that shift knob. Shift into fourth gear, pull up with force, avoid own face.



After unlocking the clips on the shift boot surround, remove that and pull away the foam padding underneath.



Underneath the foam padding, there is a VERY tough rubber insert that you'll need to remove. This will take some serious coaxing.



Once that is removed, it's time to get underneath the car.



There is one small plastic shield to remove, and then you're granted access to a small sliver of the transmission mounts, driveshaft, and above that, the small clip holding the shift lever in place that we need to remove.



At this point you have a few options. You can remove the midpipes from the rear axle-back and front downpipes, as well as the driveshaft. This will give you very easy access to everything you need to do.

Or you can do what I did, and just remove the bolt and securing nut holding the heat shielding on and bend it downwards to give you more access.



Now you can easily see the circlip. Rotate it so the opening is facing the bottom, slide a screwdriver underneath and push upwards to remove. Mine was filthy with grease and dirt.



Now back up inside the car. Place a screwdriver between the shift lever and the selector rod, move the gear level towards reverse and the two pieces will separate.



Now the shift lever should be completely free and flopping around.



Now it's time to remove the lever. Place two flat-tip screwdrivers in the openings of the bearing slot and rotate 90 degrees. Looking back, it would have probably been easier to have used an open pair of needle nose pliers for this purpose.



After a few tries, I was able to pull the lever up and out.





Now back under the car to remove the carrier. This is where having small hands helps. Mine are average I'd say and my choice to leave the mid pipes and driveshaft in place left me navigating some very tight spaces. To help give me a little more room, and seeing as how transmission mounts were next on the to-do list, I removed the transmission brace from the car.

4 bolts and 2 nuts on bottom of the brace, 2 nuts on the top and it slides right off. I slipped an extra jack under the transmission just in case, but noticed no movement throughout the process.





Now there is a lot more room for hands and arms.



The carrier is held into place by one rear rubber bushing encased in metal and two pin-clips in the front. The rear rubber bushing can be dislodged by inserting a tool into the small opening and pushing upwards, using the leverage of the tool to push the bushing downwards and out of the bracket.



Now that the rear is free, it was time to unhinge the front clips/pins in the center of the picture below. Using a screwdriver, place it under the clip and push it upwards. Once in the full upright position the pins slide outward and now the carrier should be completely free.



Despite being free, this does not mean the carrier is removed. I spent the next few minutes playing Tetris with the available space above the driveshaft, contorting the carrier this way and that until I was finally able to snake it around and out.

Side by side comparison of the two carrier/lever combos.





Now it was time to change over the bushings to the new carrier starting with the rear. This one slid easily off the old, and easily on the new.



And the two front bushings. A small flat tip screwdriver and a soft touch had these out easily.



Some grease and some force had them installed in the new carrier within minutes.



I liberally applied grease to the ball of the shift lever and pulled the bearing and clip into place.



Back inside the car, place the lever into the carrier and align the tabs. At this point you can push the lever down into place and we're nearly done.



I grabbed the new included circlip to connect the shift lever and selector rod and hopped back under the car.



After double checking all the connections and ensuring the shift lever moved freely and without issue, it was time to install the new transmission mounts on the transmission brace we removed earlier.



A nice comparison shot of the two transmission mounts -- the Rogue Engineering mounts on the left, OEM on the right.



Installing these takes seconds, and the tabs make them impossible to mess up the orientation.



Heat shielding bent back into place, bolt and fastening nut bolted down, and transmission brace re-installed.



While I was still feeling energetic about wrenching, I moved on to the next big task -- the Whiteline subframe inserts.



With the rear of the car in the air and the rear wheels removed, locate the front and rear subframe bushings. The rear is in plain sight.



The front is hiding inside here. You'll also have to loosen, but not remove, the diagonal brace attached to this. Go ahead and do this now.



From there I loosened the front bolts until they were almost out.



Then I removed the rear bolts entirely.



By lowering and raising the suspension, the rear subframe bushing inserts can be pushed into place and the bolts reinserted and started, but not tightened.



Here are the rears prior to tightening.



Now fully remove the fronts and lower/raise the suspension in order to place the two front inserts on each side. This is what it will look like once you're done.



Reinsert the front bolts and tighten both the front bolts and rear bolts to 84 ft/lbs to complete the job.

From there i moved on to the differential gear oil change. I don't really understand the reasoning for not having a drain bolt, but that meant we'd need a way to suction out the old differential fluid. You'll need one of these for the fill bolt.



The OTC suction gun worked nicely for sucking out all the old liquid, but only after I attached a smaller diameter hose so I could get down in all of the crevices of the differential.



Once there was no more fluid being sucked out, I took the other OTC suction gun I ordered, filled it with Redline 75W90 and forced the contents into the differential until it began spilling out the fill bolt. I tightened the fill bolt and grabbed the Boost Addictions large V2 differential lockdown brace and bolts. These interlocking washers allow for tightening without having a wrench holding the bolt in place when tightening the nut.



A few minutes later and voila! Don't mind the gear oil soaked handprints all over the braces, I wiped everything down.



After buttoning everything up and putting all the tools away, it was time to get back in the car and move around the new short shift kit. First feel impressions are that height is seemingly unaffected. The position of neutral is now about an inch or so more to the right than before. Now the gear layout is more in line with what shows on the pattern on top of the ZHP shift knob. Throws are dramatically reduced and each gear clicks into place with a satisfying click. Moving the lever takes more effort, like everything is more tightly wound, but in a very good way. Here's a video of the new movement.

As I backed out of the small complex our garage is in and pulled out on the main road, my first row through the gears left me in awe. No joke. Mouth fully agape. Every single bit of slop in the drivetrain had seemingly been eliminated. Shifting from first into second was no longer a chore. Just a pull and click, right into place without any fuss. As someone who enjoys nailing an upshift across all driving conditions, or perfectly rev matching a downshift, this kit was priceless. Things are fully predictable.

Once the car was fully warm, I was able to up the ante a bit. Not only had the shifting linkage been tightened, but under heavy throttle all the dancing around in the rear end had been eliminated. Finally the car just squats and goes under heavy accelleration. I haven't had time to test anything in the mountain roads around here, but even just floating over interstate roads the rear end feels more planted.

Power adders are fun, but this round of drivetrain modifications was among the most rewarding I've done. I hit heavy boost only a handful of times a week, but I shift gears hundreds of times of day. Because this is a daily driver, I also have no interest in any type of "race car" modifications that compromise drivability for the sake of small increases in performance. This meant that any type of significant NVH (Noise/Vibration/Harshness) was simply unacceptable. I'm elated to share that this combination of mods resulted in no added noise, zero vibrations, and not an ounce of harshness.

It's a damn shame this short shift kit isn't available any longer.

[deesea]

Glad you're happy with the SSK! That last bit "I hit heavy boost only a handful of times a week, but I shift gears hundreds of times a day" is exactly the same sentiment I shared!

[Ric in RVA]

Great write up and photos.

How did you find the vibration after the gearbox mounts, lockdown and RSFB?

I just have the RSFB and can feel more rear end vibration.

I also installed the UUC SSK and find it to be very nice...just an option.

[1and1]

Nice write-up, thanks!

Doubly so since diff fluid and RSF bushings are in my near future.

[chadillac2000]

Originally Posted by deesea

Glad you're happy with the SSK! That last bit "I hit heavy boost only a handful of times a week, but I shift gears hundreds of times a day" is exactly the same sentiment I shared!

I'm forever indebted to you! I can't believe I was on the fence for so long and almost let it slip away.

Originally Posted by Ric in RVA

Great write up and photos.

How did you find the vibration after the gearbox mounts, lockdown and RSFB?

I just have the RSFB and can feel more rear end vibration.

I also installed the UUC SSK and find it to be very nice...just an option.

I just added this to my original post:

Because this is a daily driver, I also have no interest in any type of "race car" modifications that compromise drivability for the sake of small increases in performance. This meant that any type of significant NVH (Noise/Vibration/Harshness) was simply unacceptable. I'm elated to share that this combination of mods resulted in no added noise, zero vibrations, and not an ounce of harshness.

I do feel more of the contours of the road translating through the rear end, but I don't really consider that harshness. Compared to the uneasy floaty feeling I described earlier, this was a welcomed change.

Originally Posted by 1and1

Nice write-up, thanks!

Doubly so since diff fluid and RSF bushings are in my near future.

Definitely a good idea to knock those two out at the same time. A great time to install a differential lock-down kit as well. You'll have to let me know how you like the RSF inserts.

[ianc]

Glad you're digging the SSK; looks like a little more work than I was anticipating to get installed. Not sure whether I should just go for a UUC or something similar, or continue to watch the marketplace hoping for another to come up...

Curse BMW for discontinuing it. Or, no, curse them for not including it as standard! But hey, why do that when you can make extra $$$ selling SSK's to people?

I looked carefully at the parts of the two in your side by side shots, but couldn't spot any big differences. In your opinion, would it be possible to modify the stock parts to achieve the same effect, or are the differences too great?

You did it all at once, so won't see the changes for each bit, but quite apart from the more planted rear end under heavy throttle application, the biggest improvement I saw with the RSFB inserts was improved shifting, as the subframe is now not able to wiggle around and wind up, and the linkage parts stay in the correct geometry to do their job. I'm sure the diff brace helps with this as well. After running the inserts for six months or so, I finally caved and bought the Whiteline KDT 917's, which are the full two-piece poly bushings. They're sitting in my garage now waiting for a little 'quality time'.

Nice work and well done!

ianc

[Fakemike]

Great write-up, thank you!

Now I really want that BMW SSK

[Bimmer TV]

Thanks for the great post. All of these items are in my near future so this is a perfect reference piece! Sh*tty city though about the SSK being discontinued. Where did you manage to find one?

[chadillac2000]

Originally Posted by ianc

Glad you're digging the SSK; looks like a little more work than I was anticipating to get installed. Not sure whether I should just go for a UUC or something similar, or continue to watch the marketplace hoping for another to come up...

Curse BMW for discontinuing it. Or, no, curse them for not including it as standard! But hey, why do that when you can make extra $$$ selling SSK's to people?

I looked carefully at the parts of the two in your side by side shots, but couldn't spot any big differences. In your opinion, would it be possible to modify the stock parts to achieve the same effect, or are the differences too great?

You did it all at once, so won't see the changes for each bit, but quite apart from the more planted rear end under heavy throttle application, the biggest improvement I saw with the RSFB inserts was improved shifting, as the subframe is now not able to wiggle around and wind up, and the linkage parts stay in the correct geometry to do their job. I'm sure the diff brace helps with this as well. After running the inserts for six months or so, I finally caved and bought the Whiteline KDT 917's, which are the full two-piece poly bushings. They're sitting in my garage now waiting for a little 'quality time'.

Nice work and well done!

ianc

I agree that the OEM N54 carrier and lever looked very similar to the Performance pieces, sepecially in those side by side shots. The OEM carrier did have a large metal piece on the front portion that the Performance kit did not and the levers had small differences, but I was still surprised at the change in feel for such little design variation.

Installing everything at once did come with one negative aspect, and you touched on that -- not knowing exactly what part was fully responsible for improving feel. I hadn't considered that the RSFB could have improved shift feel, but it makes sense the way you put it.

You'll have to let me know how those full poly bushings work out for you. I'm not sure I want to go poly anytime soon.

Originally Posted by Chunky Osiris

Thanks for the great post. All of these items are in my near future so this is a perfect reference piece! Sh*tty city though about the SSK being discontinued. Where did you manage to find one?

A member here had managed to source a brand new kit that had been leftover from a dealer. It had everything except the Performance shift knob and boot. I already had the Peformance alcantara boot and prefer the weighted ZHP knob, so I didn't need either of those pieces anyways. Worked out perfectly!

But I still have no idea why this was discontinued. Everyone that installs the combo on the N54 seems to have high praise.

[ianc]

Saw some interesting references in the 'what did you do to your E82 today' thread about some folks using the 128\330 SSK (which is apparently still available) on the 135. Will need to look into that...

ianc

[chadillac2000]

Originally Posted by ianc

Saw some interesting references in the 'what did you do to your E82 today' thread about some folks using the 128\330 SSK (which is apparently still available) on the 135. Will need to look into that...

ianc

Agreed. I'm still slightly skeptical, but the fact that 335i owners have had success with the kit sounds promising. I posted a few things in that thread, so hopefully we can get someone to purchase and verify fitment at some point soon.

135i owners deserve this kit!

[Bimmer TV]

Definitely would like to know about this!

[ianc]

In looking further at your side by side pics, it seems to me that the SSK shift lever increases the distance from the pivot ball to the cylindrical section at the bottom which engages the selector rod. This produces a larger movement of the selector rod for a smaller displacement of the shift knob, but in order to maintain the correct geometry, the height of the 'tower' (for lack of a better word) on the carrier which carries the bushing for the pivot ball has to be increased.

Therefore, I don't really see how the 128\328 kit can work without a replacement carrier? Wouldn't that move the shift lever and selector rod down some distance relative to the shift console? Perhaps this movement is tolerable and will still allow normal operation? If so, why did BMW supply a replacement carrier only for the N54 and thus increase the cost?

Just speculating without the actual parts in my hands. Any thoughts Chad?

ianc

[bNks334]

Originally Posted by chadillac2000

Installing everything at once did come with one negative aspect, and you touched on that -- not knowing exactly what part was fully responsible for improving feel. I hadn't considered that the RSFB could have improved shift feel, but it makes sense the way you put it.

You'll have to let me know how those full poly bushings work out for you. I'm not sure I want to go poly anytime soon.

SSK didnt improve "feel" for me at all, just changed the throws and the longer length gives more leverage.

The only thing that made a noticeable direct impact on shifting was stiffening the transmission bushings. I first use M3 mounts and then moved to UUC red (race) bushings. The race bushings transmit every possible noise from teh transmission and even generated gear rattle before I put in the SMFW. M3 bushings didn't feel quiet stiff enough though. UUC black seems like a happier medium.

Engine mounts and diff lockdown bracket (or stiffer diff mounts would be more ideal) also helps reduce driveline/transmission movement and therefore shift feel.

I did not notice RSFB improved shift feel at all.