Has anyone installed a short shifter without using the bmw linkage tool?I`ve tried and can`t get the linkage to come off the bottom of the shifter,the onethat pulls straight down towards the ground.Is there a trick to releasing this linkage Appreciate any feedback,thanks.

 

Yes there is..... Very carefully use a claw hammer. Slide the claws either side of the ball and lever and twist at the same time, being very careful not to break anything.

I spent a good hour trying to get it off, then thought of the claw hammer and it worked in 10 seconds.

John.

 

Hi Harvchild,


An alternative to the claw hammer (good idea Xtreem) is to just use an open-ended spanner to lever it off (I think a 3/8" fits perfectly from memory).

I took some pics at the time because I struggled for a while with this problem too.

Good Luck with it Mate

 

this is a 05 box! does the same go for an earlier box(white box) how hard was it to remove heat shields under car

 

Mine is a 02 think they are much the same. the heatshield is easy.

 

The linkage is a pain. I had to use a wrench like above and actually pry using the jaw like the claw of a hammer. I had to use so much force I thought for sure I would break something.

 

O2' O3' & early O4's are the same but that black box shown above is a O5' not the same set up as earlier model's.....

i should of done this while i had the exhaust out but for some reason i thought i would ruin the shield on its way out, im a little hyper and heavy handed at times. but if u say its easy it sure 'looked' that way to me