Short Shift Kit & Clutch Delay Valve fix

[Ricky Bobby]

For what its worth, I emailed Rob today although I know UUC is down with the ice storm, wanted to let him know in case he didn't know already about the difference in linkages between pre- 9/03 and 9/03 onward production.

Also wanted to know his thoughts about adding Delrin in the shift arm bushings, and perhaps a benefit when adding in the earlier style shift arm, as opposed to the negative effects he said in the later style shift arm. Will report back when he emails me.

[Ricky Bobby]

OK well I can confirm that I have the earlier linkage as shown above which says up to 9/2003, only one bitch clip in my application, but still 2 bushings on the shifter arm. So it turns out all 5-speed users will have the older linkage as mine is about 2 weeks before end of 5-speed production, for all I know it was one of the last 5 speeds off the line.

Since I have two new oval bushings from BMW for the shifter arm, I will remove the shifter arm from the car, and install 2 fresh bushings, not Delrin since Rob @ UUC apparently does not recommend it, but I would look into replacing with fresh stock bushings at least, when installing the SSK, its only a few extra minutes of work.

I think Rob is aware of the differences between 5-speed and 6-speed linkage, bc he includes a washer #10 from this diagram, which is not needed in 6-speed kits, and he includes 2 bitch clips in the kit, when only one is needed for 5 speed.



It's friggin freezing on my floor right now but the bitch clip is easily in sight, however the "rod joint" below the shifter arm is definitely blind to get to. I hope mine isn't worn. It looks like the design of the #12 rod joint is now universally made without washers, as the part # has been updated, so you would just need #12 and #11 if you were to replace it. However, with Riggo having higher miles than me I'm not worrying about it too much. If for some reason I can get it off blindly I might replace it, but otherwise I won't worry about it.


NINJA EDIT: There is a definite issue with the way the UUC kit is packaged, depending if you have a 5 speed or 6 speed. You need THIS BITCH CLIP or "Retaining Pin" if you have a 5 speed, 1 of them, you'll see its different.



BMW E53 X5 M54 3.0L Search SiteSearch 25111222375 ES#46772 Shifter Carrier Pin - 25111222375

Rob includes 2 of these in the kit, these are from the 6-speed linkage, note there is a different part number as these are a different orientation in left and right sides.



Note that the 6-speed pins are much shorter, this makes a huge difference on my 5-speed. I will not be able to install the UUC kit without the proper bitch clip. Will be calling Rob on this and hopefully he will start asking whether you have a 5-speed or 6-speed when ordering, to supply the proper securing clip for the shifter arm. This is why I check, double check, and triple check my install procedure and parts before starting a job!

UPDATE (4:39 PM): Just spoke to Rob and told him about the difference in retaining pins/bitch clips from 5 to 6 speed, he thanked me for letting him know and told me that if I was careful I could get mine off without breaking, but I'll just get a fresh one from the dealer as I don't like reusing hardware lol. And YES, he also said "no one believes him" but Delrin bushings is a waste of money on our dual mounted shifter arms. He told me they just simply don't wear like the old style arms from E30, E36 etc, obviously putting fresh stock bushings in for $9 isn't a big deal but he said there is absolutely no reason to spend $60 on 2 sets of his Delrin bushings when you won't see any obvious benefit.

There you have it, I'll get a new clip from the dealer and update when it is installed, and GD, my stock shifter is yours as I'm sure I won't be going back to stock lol!

[Ricky Bobby]

Well I decided to start the install tonight, just to see if the bitch clip would give me any trouble, and it came disattached from the top of the trans easily enough, however, either I'm doing things in the wrong order, or the retaining pin is seized in the carrier, bc no amount of pulling the retaining pin/clip out has loosened it yet.

The small metal piece attached to the clip that "latches" on the trans is loose on the pin, so it rotates freely, but the pin itself does not rotate. Will have to thank 10 years of salt exposure for the weak pin most likely.

I have a small C-clamp so I might try to press the pin out from the other side, I find it hard to believe that just because the linkage is still attached inside the car that it is putting some sort of "pre-load" on the shifter arm and not allowing the pin to be slid out. Must just need some extra persuasion.

The rod joint doesnt seem like it would be hard to remove and replace with the shifter arm out of the way, you're just doing it blind is all, I may pick one up (since I need a new clip anyway), if I'm breaking my back to get this stupid friggin retaining pin out and get GD aka Ryan the measurements for a DSSR, then I might as well do the joint too. One things for certain, this isn't a job you want to do multiple times, I have small hands which actually pay for themselves for once, but the space is extremely tight.

[Green Dragon]

RB, I'm not gonna say I told you so... Just Kidding buddy.
Good luck with everything. I find that cussing and working on cars go hand and hand, especially on the blind stuff. A small c-clamp or a long slender punch rod if clearance allows, should do the trick on that upper clip.

If you haven't installed the UUC shift rod yet, could you compare/measure it to the picture below? I'm curious as to the length of UUC's rod from the bottom of the pivot to the lower bushing and the inverse measurement from the top of the pivot to the top of the shifter rod. Just wanted to see the proportions. Seems like I read somewhere that you get about a 30% percent reduction in throw. I wanted to see if I can get an approximate "sweet spot" with my Schiedmann set-up to start with and go forward from there. I'm about two weeks out on my short shifter. Adding a 2" extension and about an additional 15 degrees of bend on the Schmiedmann shifter to approximate the stock shifter height and position.

[Ricky Bobby]

Hey bro, yeah I can take some measurements but don't have a caliper for precise by the mm measurements, might pick one up from harbor freight for that.

Remember my 5-speed linkage is slightly different, including the selector rod, I'm actually theorizing one of the DSSR's he sells might work on my 5-speed, will have to measure the length though, there does not look to be any issues with clearance of a DSSR on the 5-speed, but the shape of the revised shifter arm on the 6-speed might be.

I'll get some measurements for you man, and work on that clip later. I tried using an 8 mm allen wrench and pushing with Hulk strength last night, no dice, c-clamp will have to do it, worst comes to worst I'll take to the indy and let him figure it out, but I don't think it will come down to that. One thing is certain there is barely any flex at all in that arm after 10 years and 71k miles so Rob is correct, Delrin in the shifter arm is completely unnecessary!

[Ricky Bobby]

I'll have my new clip on Thursday, just called the dealership, wish me luck getting it out tonight, my problem might have been that I was using PB Blaster on it last night and since it makes rubber swell, it might have tightened up the bushings on the retaining clip of the shifter arm, but either way I'm sure its rusted up pretty good.

If you live in a snowy/salty region, anytime you work on your X you should be using this on EVERYTHING, no doubt my new linkage will go together with some of this:



Oh and since I have the updated "rod joint" which has no washers on it, I'm literally going to just leave it as is. There is no play in the joint as I was wiggling it blind last night, the play comes from the selector rod itself, and honestly with my clip being seized up I'm sure that pin that is in the selector on the trans is probably rusted in there good too, so I'm just going to leave it for another day.

[Ricky Bobby]

ok so you definitely need a 2" c-clamp to get that pin loose, my 1" mini clamp isn't enough to get on the other side of the shift arm. just spent an hour prying again tonight on the clip and its not loose yet, but by now I'm going to get that arm out come hell or high water because with all my prying i'm sure I have loosened the bushings somewhat and they definitely could use to be replaced. A 2" clamp from Harbor Freight should do it.

Limited space to pry is the biggest pain by far to get this "bitch clip" to slide out, I also need to pick up some WD-40 as well to lube up that area a bit.


probably a stupid question as well, but is it possible I need to place a jack under the transmission to take any pre-load of the shift carrier bushings and subsequently the clip itself? It's literally ridiculously hard to press out or pry out, hasn't moved a mm but yet I can flex the shifter arm slightly, so I don't think its totally stuck.

[Riggodeaux]

Maybe UUC Rob's charging six hours' labor for the install isn't so bad after all ......

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by Riggodeaux

Maybe UUC Rob's charging six hours' labor for the install isn't so bad after all ......

That was your total labor bill for the driveline fluids change and CDV delete as well right Riggo? If so that's not bad, I paid a few hours labor when my driveline was done.

I'm going to call Rob this AM and pick his brain about the DSSR one more time (my 5 speed selector rod is different shaped than yours), and as well ask him if I'm doing something wrong or get some tips, I find it hard to believe I'm the only person on the forums (and I searched google) to have a seized retaining clip on top of the trans that wont simply pull out. I only jacked my car up on one side and put a jackstand under it, so my theory is that somehow the load is shifted and preventing the pin from being pulled out, whereas if both sides are in the air, or up on ramps, perhaps the weight of the trans is evenly distributed? Idk, I've been working on cars for the past 10 years and never had something so stubborn. Its not even like the clip is visually rusted/seized, its still silver on the other side of the trans.

In all honesty once that clip is out (and it was easy to pry up by the way), you could have the whole install of the SSK done in 1 hour. There is plenty of room in the tunnel with driveshaft, etc in place.

And also, if you have nimble hands, you probably could do the whole install of the SSK in the car, including installing the height adapter on the shift carrier with the 6 small screws. No need to remove shifter arm from the car itself, unless you can't get the tiny screws threaded, or are replacing the bushings in the arm like I am. Rob is right however, the arm is definitely tight, with the two bushings in the arm and dual mounts on top of the trans.


Got another surprise for my manual E53 brethren to fully update my X to a true sport model, stay tuned for another thread...

[Green Dragon]

Originally Posted by Riggodeaux

Maybe UUC Rob's charging six hours' labor for the install isn't so bad after all ......

No kidding. It's no longer a bitch clip, it's a straight up man-hating, lesbian/feminist leader, hell-bent on making your life miserable.