BMW Shifter Guide
One of the biggest benefits of the manual transmission is the way the mechanical connection feels while driving, which can be made exponentially more rewarding with a series of upgrades. This article will help the enthusiasts among us who insist on driving a manual transmission understand the benefits of performance-oriented short shifters, how the adjustments affect driving feel, and will cover the mechanics behind direct-linkage type shifters like the CAE and IRP racing shifters.
It's no secret that the percentage of new vehicles sold in the US with manual transmissions continues to fall. BMW is one of the few companies which offers most of its lineup with a manual transmission as an option. Unfortunately, even with their fantastic driving experience, only 3% of vehicles sold new in 2017 were equipped with standard transmissions. This figure can be particularly surprising to those of us who prefer driving a stick shift, as many enthusiasts can hardly imagine driving anything else. Driving a manual transmission used to be a rite of passage. For many, that experience was a brief but frustrating struggle that offered a reward unlike any other. The feeling of being in complete control of the car naturally trained us subconsciously to be more aware of our surroundings, how the vehicle transfers weight, and even changes the way we think about braking into corners. The extra focus and connection are why driving a manual is so much fun and so rewarding, since nothing feels as exhilarating as banging through the gears perfectly and squeezing every ounce of acceleration from your car.
Enthusiasts, however, are often left unsatisfied by small aspects of individual components in their cars. For the manual transmission BMW driver, those complaints are generally the length of shift throws, the sloppiness of factory bushings, and the weight of the shift knob itself. While changing a shift lever, bushings, and knob are not exceedingly difficult on their own, there are a few things to consider when you are looking to upgrade your gear shifting experience.
BMW Shift Levers
The shift lever is what you physically engage to move the selector rod and gear selector when you change gears. The angle of the shift lever pivot point where it connects to the selector rod determines the length of your shifter throws. That angle can be narrowed by lengthening the lower half of your shift lever, which provides an actual reduction in shift throws. The 'short shifter' gives you more precise gear changes and a sportier feel by taking out some of the distance your hand travels. While it can be argued that the reduction translates to faster shifts and quicker acceleration times, the difference in the hands of a professional driver is nearly negligible. What it does offer, however, is a critical element in creating the most precise and most engaging gear changes by having a more direct and snappy feel.
BMW Shifter Bushings
Worn or soft shifter bushings can be easily noticed and incredibly annoying immediately. The symptoms of worn bushings range from sloppy shift feel to an inability to select gears in extreme cases, if there is that much play in every direction.The extra play from worn or soft bushings can really take away from the overall experience, so we highly suggest addressing them in any used car or during shifter upgrades. Replacing your shift bushings and carrier bushing with OEM or upgraded Turner Motorsport options will return the factory shift feel or improve upon it by reducing extra deflection found in softer rubber mounts. This stiffness is where many enthusiasts find their preferred shifter feel since the resistance and rigidity offer feedback to the driver and a greater sense of connection.
BMW Shifter Bushing 1987 - 1993
BMW Shifter Bushing 1992 - 2015
Popular BMW Short Shift Kits
The Z3 and Z4 OEM shift lever kits are well-liked upgrades to E30, E36, E46, and E9x manual transmission cars because they offer factory quality and fitment while reducing the shifter angle for drastic reductions in shifter throw length. These kits are most effective with upgraded bushings and provide one of the most rewarding and engaging modifications to all applicable models. One major benefit of using the OEM retrofit option is that comfort and accuracy are retained. Many aftermarket BMW Shirt Shifter Kits make gear changes slightly more difficult, which can be beneficial or detrimental depending on your preference.
Weighted BMW Shift Knobs
OEM BMW shift knobs are not weighted and have a light feel. It is not an extreme amount of effort, but weighted shift knobs are preferred for shortened throws. The weighted knob is better for a short throw shifter as it makes engaging each gear less difficult by letting gravity and inertia take care of some work for you. Weighted knobs also add a measure of satisfaction with each shift by amplifying your movements. For these reasons, we highly recommend selecting a weighted knob should you decide to upgrade to a short shifter and stiffer bushings.
Turner Motorsport's Exclusive Ultimate Adjustable Short Shift Kit
While we love BMW’s original shifter feel and are even more excited by popular shifting upgrades like Z3/Z4 retrofits and direct linkage shifters, we had to go out on our own to have something that takes the best qualities of all those options and gives them to you with one package. The Turner Motorsport Ultimate Adjustable Short Shift Kit does just that by offering the same kind of connected feel from a direct linkage with a more traditional styled setup that leaves your interior unmodified. As an added bonus, it accepts the OEM push-on style shift knobs as well as threaded options. Additionally, the USSK has both height and throw adjustability. This means you can adjust the throw distance as well as the shifter height independently for the best look, feel, and engaging driving experience possible. Using our knowledge of BMW racing and street driving, we developed this kit in-house to meet our desires for how our own cars should feel. With that complete, we are now happy to offer the kit for almost every manual transmission BMW to experience the best shifts with precision and an engaging feel.
CAE/IRP Direct Linkage Shifters
Direct Linkage Shifters, like CAE and IRP shifters, are primarily used for competitive racing vehicles or recreational vehicles, as they are more involved than a standard shift linkage. Where a traditional shifter is suspended by bushings, is self-centered, and has a lever that sits inside a shift arm and connects to the selector rod. With direct linkage setups, the shift lever is directly connected to the selector rod. The shifter assembly is a sprung unit that usually requires multiple springs to center the shifter due to its height and weight. This assembly is mounted directly to the transmission tunnel inside the vehicle and does require some modification for fitment. This linkage is the most direct form of shifters and offers incredibly tight throws with zero deflection. Being that it will not move around with the motion of the drivetrain as it torques, without completely solid drivetrain mounts, this shifter setup is not desirable. You will miss gears and possibly cause damage due to the inability to select the correct gear as the drivetrain torques while the shifter assembly remains static. We only recommend using one of these shifters if your drivetrain is secured with solid mounts.
Takeaways
The manual transmission offers the most rewarding and connected driving experience possible in "the ultimate driving machine". Short shifters and direct linkage shifters offer an easy and satisfying upgrade to your BMW and can help to sharpen an already precise action. The sporty feeling and added resistance will give your trips to the grocery store or hot laps around the track a new element of fun while improving your shift times and reducing the possibility of error in miss-shifts. Pick up everything you need to refresh and upgrade your shifter right here at Turner Motorsport.
