I mounted it up to measure, and with only 1" off the end I would have had some contact. Not sure if the arms vary or the car pivot points are a little different...

I did try to pry it open, but couldn't get it to budge. Broke the tip off a stout screwdriver in the process. The last picture is with the arm slid back into the modified end piece. I ended up cutting the giblet into tiny pieces (see picture where it is clamped into the vise before I started dremel work). I started with one pass down the center (just deep enough to cut the arm, but not to cut into the end piece you are working to free).

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David.X5
2001 X5 4.4i Sport
SOLD! at 160k miles