All I've heard about installing shift ***** from Whalen is that they're a quick & easy breeze. But I am having a hell of a time getting my new shift **** from Whalen to sit on my shift stalk.

I can get it down about 1cm (pretty far from where it should be), then it hits a wall and won't budge. I think this ridge inside the neck of the **** may be impeding the movement, but that's just a guess.

Here are a couple pictures showing how far it will go and which ridge I'm suspecting may be causing the problem.
http://fishbert.imgur.com/AA02F

I've emailed Whalen directly for some help, but as it's Sunday and a number of others around here have one of his fine shift *****, I figure I'd toss it to you folks as well...
Has anyone else experience similar installation difficulties?
Does everyone else's Whalen **** have this same ridge?
Anyone have any ideas on how to get past this road block?

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I found this video of another **** online, and while it shows the same ridge, it doesn't appear to be quite as severe as mine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hchrIcO040A

 

Did you move the bottom locking collar upwards, then try and seat the **** ?

 

Yes. It stops cold whether the collar is pulled back or not.

 

hmmm, well when looking straight down into the ****, is that ridge higher than the edge of the 6 ball bearings inside ? Or is it even with them ?

 

They look pretty close to even with the ***** when the collar is relaxed... maybe the ***** protrude slightly more?

 

That should be the correct ID then.

Is it possible the collar is not fully retracted when trying to seat it. Only other possiblity I can think of right now.

 

even if you let go of the collar after starting it, the ***** will stay in because the metal of the shifter stalk is pushing them in. There's no groove yet for those to pop out and catch in (like there is further down the shaft).

 

The Whalen for my R53 I had to get that collar back just another 1/16th of an inch before it would lock down and seat.

If that doesn't work, guess it will have to wait until tomorrow. Sorry.

 

I went out and gave it another shot just in case. Same story; no dice.

 

Heard from Whalen this morning. It seems that there's more variance in shift lever diameters than there is the machining he does to the *****, and that he's seen it a couple of times before that the lever on a customer's MINI will be slightly fatter than most and the **** won't fit properly. But he's offered to ream out the hole a slight bit more if I ship the **** back his way. So, problem (to be shortly) solved; yay!

 

It seems the shift lever is expected to be 0.545 inches in diameter.
Mine is a little bigger than that.

 

If the shifter stalks are wider on a few MINI's out there as he purports, then how does the stock MINI ***** fit them ?

If yours ends up being a custom fit, will it not fit tightly on another MINI if you decide to sell it some day ?

Curious.....

 

Well, the stock **** is plastic, and really goes on pretty easily. I think what might hold it still the most is the tight connection to the boot and collar piece, rather than a snug barrel inside the ****.

Here's what I understand in the emails I've had with Whalen on this issue:
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The typical shift lever diameter he designs for is 0.545", and to be sure he accommodates this, he sizes the hole in his ***** to around 0.548".

My shift lever appears to be 0.549" in diameter. He's come across a small number of MINIs with a larger diameter lever like this in the past (in fact, the one he mentioned specifically before I took my measurement was also 0.549" ... new spec? different supplier? coincidence?). To remedy this, he said he'd ream the hole out to 0.550" (and is considering using this measure for all ***** in the future).

Now, my lever was off the design ideal by 4 mils (0.004"). But the expected change to the ****'s hole inner diameter will only end up being around 2 mils. The end result will be that my **** will sit more snugly on my shift lever (1 mil clearance) than the standard **** on the design ideal lever (3 mils clearance). But if you take my reamed out **** and sit it on a design ideal lever (if I sell it, move it to a new MINI, etc.), it will go from 3 mils clearance to 5 mils clearance... which I would not expect will be noticeable, as this 2 mils change is about half the width of a human hair (4 mils).

EDIT:
I must have really skinny hairs, as I just measured two of them off my head with the micrometer (this thing is bloody cool!) and they are only 2.3 & 2.7 mils. This piece of standard printer paper on my desk, though... that's exactly 4 mils thick.

 

Fishbert and others, how did you slide the locking collar up on the Whalen shift ****? Instructions from Doug and the experiences of everyone here just say to pull it up, but I don't see how to push it up into the **** or pull it in the other direction. It doesn't seem to want to budge.

I have a new 2012 clubman with a stark naked shift lever and I should really get it dressed up before taking it outside in the morning.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNYnQLuGk-I

 

Thanks! I figured I was being dense and this confirms it. And it helps a lot. Cheers.

 

No problem. Couldn't leave you to drive with a naked lever tomorrow, could I?

 

Fish your awesome !