Thanks for the replies. I just put my new shift **** on today, well almost, and it is amazing. However, I had a very difficult time getting the adapter down completely on the shaft. As of now it sits about 1-2 cm above the "groove" on the shaft. It was a fight to get it to that point and I'm afraid it would be tough to get it off now. Anyone else had this problem? Are these supposed to slide on rather easily? Any suggestions as to how I could get this down the rest of the way?

Thanks in advance-

 

The adapters usually slip right on.
However, I ran into a fit problem last August at MITM.
A customer asked me to install the **** he bought, and it fit very tight on his shift lever.

I ended up grabbing some emery paper and sanding a very small amount of material (we're talking maybe .001"-.002") from the diameter of the lever, and the **** slid right into place.

I would recommend doing that. It only takes a minute, and it will work like a charm.

 

Thanks for the speedy reply. However I'm still a bit puzzled. The sandpaper worked great. Now the adapter's bearings sit in the groove just fine and I cannot pull it off so it's apparently working as intended. However, the adapter spins on the shaft because the cross rod does not sit in the notch on the shaft. Appartently the adapter is taller than the shaft (from the groove up). I've attached some photos of what it looks like. The first shot shows the adapter sitting on the lip of the shaft. Second and third show the top and bottom of the adapter in place. Any thoughts?

FWIW I have a 2004 R50 with a build date from 03 (September, I believe).

Fingers crossed...

Thanks!

 

From your photo, that looks like the R56 adaptor. The one for earlier models has the cross rod further down in the adaptor.

 

Great product and service - Thanks Doug!!

I just got my "yellow billiard ball" Whalen shift **** yesterday. One of the best upgrades I've done on my MINI so far. I can actually feel the difference.

In regards to installation - only took 5mins. for my 10yrs. old nephew to install. Sorry, my nephew said not even 5mins, closer to 3mins..

10 secs. to pull off the old ****, and the remaining minutes to install the new ****. But he still charged me for 1 hour labor $25.00.

 

That's a pretty cheap labor rate! Better keep him around awhile.

 

^^ let me know if you need help with other mods

 

just ordered mine today: bead blasted with an engraving of a pissed off bumblebee and the shift pattern around the bee

 

Hey Doug,

Definitely keeping the kid around, cause know one else will put up with my sh$t but him. And he really can't charge me too much, he has no work permit.

 

came home this morning from work and had an email...**** is finished up and ready to go
BEHOLD ZE PISSED OFF BUMBLEBEE!lol

 

That looks soooooooooooo cool. I love it!!

 

Sweet!!

 

tks...thats a nice looking classic in ur sig

 

Thanks a lot everyone. You just made me spend $150 on a shift ****!

 

well did u get a custom one?