Group buy on AKG Stage II shifter

[yeaseth]

Ok cool, yea I did my guibo,and shift bushings along with a cheap short shifter I got for free in about a year ago. The shifter is definitly crap so I want to put this setup in. Is there still a group buy or any deals on it?

[Ranger]

Nice start! I wasn’t necessarily suggesting that the AKG unit was only a short shifter, but at the end of the day everything in the tower exists only to twist and translate the shift rod on the tranny. And the only real adjustments that you can make are to the lever arm ratio that does the twisting and translating and elimination of other extraneous movements (soft and broken bushings). The AKG looks like it works well because it eliminates most of the compliance points in the system. I would expect, but defer to those experienced, that any combination of replacement low or zero compliance bushings along with a better shift lever ratio should provide better shift performance and feel. I’ve got delrin bushings on order and am thinking about the Z3 lever. I don’t think the bushing kit replaces the rubber in the back of the console, so I’ll have to sort something out for that. But it seems like this combination ought to also provide a good precise feel and shorter throws. Is my logic wrong?

Logic not wrong, that’s the way it all works.

One wear item that people miss is the piece on the tranny that the shifter rod connects to. Part 13 here: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=1113&mospid=47309&btnr=25_0074&hg=25&fg=05

Note that that there’s an early version and a late version but I don’t know that it makes a real difference.

[RRhodes]

I’ve been toying with the idea of trying to fab some kind of nylon replacement for the rubber bushing in the shift arm bearing. I’m pretty limited on fab tools so will likely hose it up. Part of my education.

[Ranger]

[quote=“Ranger” post=70571]
One wear item that people miss is the piece on the tranny that the shifter rod connects to. Part 13 here: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=1113&mospid=47309&btnr=25_0074&hg=25&fg=05

Note that that there’s an early version and a late version but I don’t know that it makes a real difference.[/quote]

I just put in an AKG shifter. It’s pretty slick. Which it better be since it cost a pretty penny. I also put in AKG’s DSSR shift rod.

Bimmerworld makes a similar shifter. My preference would have been to buy BW’s version, all else being equal, but the AKG base plate seems a more elegant solution and BW recommends using the OEM shift rod, not a DSSR. I didn’t want to use the OEM shift rod because I wanted to lose the little plastic washers.

I replaced the part 13 referenced above. I had the “old” one and the AKG shifter requires the “new” one. Once you’ve got them both in your hand the difference is pretty obvious. Removing the part took a while. If a person wasn’t quite sure how the tension ring comes off of the widget, archaeologists will find their bones before they get it off. It’s like the bitch clip…if you don’t know how it works, you’re doomed.

Once I got my “part 13” off I was able to see just how much it had worn. It was definitely contributing to shifter slop.

Both ends of the DSSR fit nice and tight. One end to part 13 and the other to the shifter. No nylon washers to add slop.

The base plate of the shifter requires 3 holes. My car had only 2 of the square holes, so I had to make the 3rd one. I thought that making a square hole might be a little tricky but the right size drill bit and a file made short work of it.

It’s going to take a little time to get used to the new shifter. The throws are short, notchy and perfectly precise. I think it’s going to be a big win. No more missed shifts.

[RRhodes]

Had a friend fab the missing rubber bushing piece which is now available from Garagistic. The final piece of the puzzle, as you point out Scott, is widget 13. For this I pushed out the old bushing in a bench vise, drilled the bushing hole out to 31/64 then pressed in a piece of .500 nylon rod stock with a hand press. Drill the center of the rod stock to match the shift rod diameter and voila. I got to drive this combo at ACC and it is tight, short, and very notchy. I haven’t concluded whether it’s actually an improvement or not yet.

[Ranger]

Had a friend fab the missing rubber bushing piece which is now available from Garagistic. The final piece of the puzzle, as you point out Scott, is widget 13. For this I pushed out the old bushing in a bench vise, drilled the bushing hole out to 31/64 then pressed in a piece of .500 nylon rod stock with a hand press. Drill the center of the rod stock to match the shift rod diameter and voila. I got to drive this combo at ACC and it is tight, short, and very notchy. I haven’t concluded whether it’s actually an improvement or not yet.

Ah so. Cool idea.