After market shift knob

Michael Czeiszperger · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:35 am **Posts:** 861

The OEM replacement shift knob on my E36 M3 wore out in just 2 years. Any recommendations for an after-market shift knob? I love the look of the metal knobs, but I'm sure they'd burn my hand in the NC heat.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:22 am

Michael Czeiszperger wrote:

The OEM replacement shift knob on my E36 M3 wore out in just 2 years. Any recommendations for an after-market shift knob? I love the look of the metal knobs, but I'm sure they'd burn my hand in the NC heat.

metal knobs suck in the winter and summer. The Bullitt came w/ a nice aluminum weighted knob and that was the first thing to go. I wound up w/ nice momo knob from Amazon that was a returned item. All of the e36 shift knobs are a slip on design. Most of the aftermarket have set screws at the bottom of the knob and then is covered by a trim ring. There's a ton of crap out there if you do a search. Just depends on what you want to spend. They can go anywhere from 19-150 bucks.

I have a cheap faux carbon fiber and chrome plastic one if you want it.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 9:15 am

I think it depends on the shift knob. The metal knob on my e30 (spun aluminum) doesn't get overly hot, even in direct sunlight/heat. - AB

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 9:19 am

Aaron Buckley wrote:

I think it depends on the shift knob. The metal knob on my e30 (spun aluminum) doesn't get overly hot, even in direct sunlight/heat. - AB

Aaron yours must be magic because I have a custom billet aluminum one in the Miata and it will burn the sh*t out of your hand in the summer! The M-edition Miata came with the Nardi wood knob and wood inside a car just wasn't VK-approved. The one is my Mustang is a Hurst, white plastic, with no such issues.

BTW, IMO the set-screw method of securing the aftermarket knobs SUCKS. In our Prelude, I simply welded a bolt onto the shifter and used a proper screw on knob.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 9:23 am

Vincent, Vincent, Vincent....you of all people would know that BMW doesn't use threads or set screws....it's like a suction/vacuum effect with a little 't' at the top of the shifter so that the knob doesn't spin about the shift arm

.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 9:27 am

JamesShort wrote:

Vincent, Vincent, Vincent....you of all people would know that BMW doesn't use threads or set screws....it's like a suction/vacuum effect with a little 't' at the top of the shifter so that the knob doesn't spin about the shift arm

.

I'm not surprised that BMW has something unber-German-complicated, but there aren't too many cars these days that use threaded knobs. My old Z-24 uses a spring clip kind of like the ones that hold on window cranks on manual windows.

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

JamesShort wrote:

Vincent, Vincent, Vincent....you of all people would know that BMW doesn't use threads or set screws....it's like a suction/vacuum effect with a little 't' at the top of the shifter so that the knob doesn't spin about the shift arm

.

I read this and was confused for a second, since I've been reading all about Mercedes vacuum powered everything. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Mercedes did have a vacuum pump to hold on the shift knob, though. GERMAN ENGINEERING

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:24 am

It's sort of exaggeration, but when you put a BMW shift knob on, it kind of 'pops' the last 1cm. And then when you remove it, you just pull on it and it pops like a bottle of champagne when it finally comes off so there is a very tight seal with the plastic such that it has a vacuum effect.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:56 am

The stock knobs are like that James, but this particular one has a set screw. If you have one of those, just put the knob where you would want it, screw in the set screw, then remove the knob and drill a small indent to keep the knob from spinning and use blue loctite on the set screw.

Never, ever use red loctite. I tried that on my STi with less than fantastic results... I couldn't get the "pull up" to go into reverse as it dripped onto the cable. - AB

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

You must spend a lot of time stroking your knob. Maybe you should keep your hand off it unless necessary.

:lol:

Charlie Guthrie · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 8:14 pm **Posts:** 832

James wrote:

Quote:

It's sort of exaggeration, but when you put a BMW shift knob on, it kind of 'pops' the last 1cm. And then when you remove it, you just pull on it and it pops like a bottle of champagne when it finally comes off so there is a very tight seal with the plastic such that it has a vacuum effect.

After throwing the E30 shift knob in the rear seat during a fast 1-2 shift for the last time at Cherry Point, I applied a worm gear hose clamp to the base of the knob and elegantly wrapped it with tape. That sucker stayed put at CMP in the heat. I had seriously considered a light coating of RTV to the shift arm to allow the knob to stick but not be permanent, but the clamp was guaranteed and fast.
That "better idea" of BMW's shifter retainer does not age well. (This "Better Idea was not brought to you by Ford).
Charlie G

Michael Czeiszperger · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:35 am **Posts:** 861

Thanks for all of the tips. I ended up just getting a stock non-lighted BMW shifter since it wasn't too expensive and the leather is good for our weather. Its just I had hoped it would last more than a couple of years before the leather came off. (My current shifter is a stock BMW and it only lasted a little over two years.)

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:02 pm

Michael Czeiszperger wrote:

I ended up just getting a stock non-lighted BMW shifter

Wait, non-lighted? BMW has a *LIT shift knob? Is that for those geniuses that can't remember the shift pattern at night?

*For the record I think it's cool since everyone knows I love lights, but really it just seems like another over complicated, wait for it to break, german engineered component.

Michael Czeiszperger · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:35 am **Posts:** 861

Vincent Keene wrote:

Michael Czeiszperger wrote:

I ended up just getting a stock non-lighted BMW shifter

Wait, non-lighted? BMW has a *LIT shift knob? Is that for those geniuses that can't remember the shift pattern at night?

*For the record I think it's cool since everyone knows I love lights, but really it just seems like another over complicated, wait for it to break, german engineered component.

From what I've read the M3s come with a lighted shift knob. Yes, it is overly complicated, which is why I'm not paying $100 for one!

http://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-Leath ... Shift+knob

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

And you have to go to the dealer on occasion to get your CSKL (check shift knob light) reset.

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