Here is what I have thrown together for installing the UUC shifter in our e53’s. I think this is a relatively easy job and should take about an hour I’m long winded and thorough so do not be intimidated by the length of this- I am writing it so that an idiot can do it. All told UUC’s instructions are very good but some things may not apply and aren’t specific.

Tools – Needle nose plier, flashlight and or wearable light, 13mm socket / socket wrench, flat head screw driver, some soap.

kit includes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I...-no/image.jpeg

1. To get started use whatever method you prefer to get access under the car (ramps, jacks, or if you skinnier just slide right under). It should go without saying to be safe anytime you are going underneath a car.

2. Now take a look at the diagram below as well as the picture (for location reference) which shows the shifter lever removed from the selector rod. Note on the diagram the position and rotation of the clip, mk’d 11 (opening facing down). Grab your needle nose pliers and flashlight and go under the car. Rotate the clip so that the opening is down and now, with the pliers vertical, set the points of your pliers on the bottom of the clip (they sit nicely in between the clip and the rod). Give the pliers a forceful bump up and the clip will pop right off.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f...419-no/196.png

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5...55B3%255D.jpeg


3. Take the needle nose pliers, flat head screw driver, flashlight, and socket / wrench in the driver seat with you. Remove the shifter handle -grab it with two hand and give it a swift tug upwards and it will pop off, do not twist it! Be careful because it is super easy to smoke yourself in the face (there is a lump above my eye to prove it).

4. Now remove the leather shift boot. See the picture below for the location of the clips. Start by pulling up on the ones by the cigarette lighter and then work your way around. To be honest mine just required a lot of force – maybe there is a trick to it, I dunno. Flat head screw driver may come in handy here but don’t tear or crack anything (the piece itself is plastic and could break if your not careful but it is pretty tough! Now pull the big loose foam piece out to expose the rubber boot and two bolts for the shifting arm bearing, mk’d 5.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-o...55B1%255D.jpeg

5. Now lift up the rubber boot, mk’d 8 and pictured, from the perimeter where it is affixed to the transmission tunnel but do not attempt to remove it from the shifter all the way - just enough to get clearance. Then grab your needle nose pliers and insert the tips into whatever two diametric gaps in the white bushing, mk’d 7, that suite your fancy. Rotate the bushing clockwise and you can now pull the shifter lever up and out. UUC’s instructions are good for this. Take the shifter lever inside and load up the rod with soap and then slide the boot off (it may take a little finagling).

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-m...55B2%255D.jpeg

6. Using your socket wrench, remove the two nuts securing the shifting arm bearing, mk’d 5.

7. The next step is to secure the metal sleeve, supplied by UUC, into the shifting arm, using the 6 supplied screws. Review this narrative and proceed – securing the 6 screws requires getting additional clearance around the arm than the tunnel allows and must either be done inside the car (option 2) or with the shifting arm removed (option 1). On the e53 the bearing pins are actually really easy to release as there is adequate physical and visual access. Go under the car and slide a foot towards the front of the vehicle from where you were looking up to the shifter and you can see them on either side (see pic). All you have to do is slide a flathead under the clip to release it and then push up - should take 30sec. Pull the pins out and the arm comes out. Now you can place the black bushing in (ensure proper orientation) and then set the collar in and secure the allen screws using supplied wrench. Trouble is that my driver side pin was stuck in place and after unclipping it refused to slide out or rotate at all. The passenger side took 30 sec. That being the case there is option 2 which is kind of bulletproof and this is what I did. Go under the car and slide, mk’d 5 shifting arm bearing, off of the shifting arm and set aside. Now go back into the car and you will see that the shifting arm can now be pivoted up just enough to for it to peak above the tunnel so that you can use the wrench to secure the allen screws. This is not going to be as easy as if it were out of the car but it is very doable. (see pic) I would advise to attempt option 1 and if the clips are stuck cut your losses and do option 2 rather than waste the time. As advised by UUC apply locktite to the threads (supplied), and secure the bolts – do not overtighten them.

clip / pin is center of the picture right below the big flash spot.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K...55B4%255D.jpeg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-d...55B5%255D.jpeg

8. Once you have completed step six re install the pins or shifting arm bearing (mk’d 5), also bolting mk’d 5 back in place at this time. Now go back in the driver seat, grease the pivot ball using the supplied grease. Remove the twist tie holding the bushings into the bottom of the shifter and remove the bushings (set aside). Set the shifter in and install the c clip.

9. Ensure the proper orientation of the shifter, it will be obvious. Go beneath the car with the bushings, the washer (supplied), and the new clip mk’d 11. First set the washer on the shift linkage pin and then the one half of the bushing. Slide the shifter onto the pin and bushing (bit of a juggle) . Now slide the other half of the bushing in and then place the clip (very easy). You are now done down below. Go up top and verify that things are moving properly.

10. Then grab the rubber boot mk’d 8. Ensure that it is positioned properly per the real oem diagram then give it a little soap and slide it on. Secure it to the tunnel. Set the big foam piece in. Set the leather boot in place and snap it down.

11. Now it is time to put your shifter knob back in. I believe there is supposed to be a tab on the top to keep is positioned straight but mine is gone (this is why you shouldn’t rotate it). I am not positive what all keeps these tight but someone had wrapped a piece of duct tape around my OEM shifter rod and then pressed the shifter on. This sounds chincy but it honestly works really well. I elected to do the same and I gave it a wrap or two with electric tape and then pressed the knob on. It holds every bit as secure as it would originally and there is no point in wasting money doing anything else.

Enjoy the new shifter!

mcurcio1989, I love that you installed the EVO in the middle of the night! I would have done the same. It's like Christmas morning. Excited for the write up and pics, etc. I'm living vicariously through you guys.

My Schmeidmann SSK project is in progress. Just got the piviot ball polished. It had a coating that was kinda flaking off, so I said the hell with it and had it polished. I may down the road have it coated in Teflon. It's over kill, but I believe in craftsmanship.

If any of you manage to pull your selector rod out and can take some rough measurements and pics for me do so. I'm trying to get a jump start on the DSSR Replica project. I'm chin deep in the books with school, but need a break here and there. Excited for you guys.

mcurcio, you are an inspiration to amateur car geeks everywhere! I particularly like your working duct and electrical tape into the 'loose shifter knob' problem. Certainly cheaper than the fancy $135 engraved aluminum UUC knob I sprang for [though UUC Rob did install it for me ....] Now, if you had just done the install under a streetlight, in 0 degree wind chill, with icy slush clogging the rollers on your creeper, you would have a story to tell the grandkids.

Green Dragon, on the other hand, is trying to make this project as hard as he possibly can ..... :)

Nice writeup mcurcio!

It looks like Rob gives extra clips for the end of the selector rod, items 3 and 4 in the diagram, were those not used in your install?

^ I used 1 of them. If you read through step 6 you'll see that I was unable to get one of those off and since it doesn't need to be replaced I said screw it and then pulled of the shift arm bearing so I was able to attach the 6 litte socket head screws from the inside of the vehicle without taking the arm off. You do not need to take the pins 3 and 4 off in which case you don't need them but as long as your pin isn't frozen in place I would recommend it. It is tricky lining the screws up inside the car. As long as they aren't frozen it should be very easy to pull the pins off.

One thing which I would recommend is that Rob supplies the kit with at least one extra of those tiny little socket head screws. I guess you probably don't need all of them anyways but as cheap and easy to loose as they are, it would be nice. I guess that isn't specific to the e53 tho.

Ahhh i gotcha, I'm sure it will make more sense when I get to work on it. Nice writeup man I'm sure it won't be too bad.

Hey GD, what measurements do you need? I was planning on taking my shifter arm out of the car to install the height adapter, so no problem I can take some measurements for you. Also, if you really want to play Frankenstein and take some more precise measurements, you can get a new arm from BMW for about $30, might be worth it.

Also mcurcio, I think I might pick up a pair of replacement shifter arm bushings (Marked #2 in the parts diagram) as they are $8 for the pair, since I'm taking the arm out I might as well replace the 10 year old bushings while its out.

Home Page ES#47268 Oval Shifter Arm Bushing - Priced Each - 25117528407

I assume Rob left them out of the Evo3 kit for us because of the dual mounting points and added cost to the shifter, if he included 2 sets of the delrin bushings it would be $50 added cost to the shifter. But, I believe if you were so inclined, you have the option to use the UUC Delrin oval shift carrier bushings on our E53's arm:

Delrin Carrier Bushings - OVAL

However at $9 for new OEM as opposed to $50 for 2 sets of Delrin I'm sure new rubber bushings will be nice enough for the next 71k miles, and perhaps when I make it to 140k I'll do the delrin bushings and replace the #12 rod joint at that time.

I believe (and this is more or less what I was told by UUC over the phone) he left them out because they do not need to be replaced as they won't wear. They plan on you taking the arm out to secure the 6 little socket head screws and that is why the two clip / pins are included. It makes sense that with the old style that just had one attachment point on the trans the bushing is going to wear much much more than when you have two.

It is up to you but it is probably not worth it.

Makes sense and like I said im sure spending 50 on Delrin bushings isn't worth it. 9 bucks for 2 fresh rubber bushings is ok with me since like my contraceptives, I enjoy new rubber.

Since I'm going to take the arm off and I'm in ecs ordering a cart of CCV and other parts it's no biggie for me to get 2 fresh arm bushings.

Hey buddy, I need the total length from pin to pin (as the crow flies) , and also a measurement of each segment, as the selector rod as a few clearance bends (about 4). Also need the measurement of the pin lengths. They don't need to be perfect, just close. Snap a picture so I can see the actual profile of the rod. Do this for me and I will have a nice machined and polished weighted steel DSSR at your door step in May, courtesy of the Ry-man.

Also, If you want to loan your OEM shifter, I'll pay shipping. That way I can keep my X on the road.

I will buy the selector rod anyways, but I want a head start on plugging info into my design program.
Thanks Dude.