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      01-30-2020, 08:21 AM   #133
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gphung View Post
Read this thread multiple times, as well as the other one in the M2C section (albeit this thread is in the S55 section). So much great information and reviews, that I've placed an order with Ronald with the following specs:
  • 20% reduction
  • OEM height (will mate with the M240i MP shifter, we'll see if I have the amplified whirring noise)
  • 80a+ upgraded bushings

Like others have mentioned, Ronald was very responsive and provided great information. I let him know that the M2 is my only car, living in Toronto Canada, doing maybe 3-4 track days a year, and he suggested without a doubt to stick with the 80a+ bushings. I challenged a bit saying that I likely wouldn't mind the slightly increased NVH of the 80a, and whether he could provide insight on pros and cons of 80a vs 80a+. He flat out said the following:


Like some others said, $449 to start, and an added $49 for the bushing upgrade if ordered at the same time as the shifter. $16 to ship to NY.

He doesn't have any shifters with my configuration in stock, so he'll likely be shipping out end of the month. Just contemplating on whether I should do the CDV delete or not.
I have ordered the exact same shifter. Have you received yours yet. Are you doing the install yourself?
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      01-30-2020, 08:50 AM   #134
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief1richard View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by gphung View Post
Read this thread multiple times, as well as the other one in the M2C section (albeit this thread is in the S55 section). So much great information and reviews, that I've placed an order with Ronald with the following specs:
  • 20% reduction
  • OEM height (will mate with the M240i MP shifter, we'll see if I have the amplified whirring noise)
  • 80a+ upgraded bushings

Like others have mentioned, Ronald was very responsive and provided great information. I let him know that the M2 is my only car, living in Toronto Canada, doing maybe 3-4 track days a year, and he suggested without a doubt to stick with the 80a+ bushings. I challenged a bit saying that I likely wouldn't mind the slightly increased NVH of the 80a, and whether he could provide insight on pros and cons of 80a vs 80a+. He flat out said the following:


Like some others said, $449 to start, and an added $49 for the bushing upgrade if ordered at the same time as the shifter. $16 to ship to NY.

He doesn't have any shifters with my configuration in stock, so he'll likely be shipping out end of the month. Just contemplating on whether I should do the CDV delete or not.
I have ordered the exact same shifter. Have you received yours yet. Are you doing the install yourself?
I have not received the shifter yet. Ron let me know that it'll likely be ready by month's end. I'll give it another week before I reach out again. I have not been charged for anything yet. I'll update the thread once I hear more.

As for install, I think this job is likely beyond my capability as a DIY hobbyist, and I'd also like to do the CDV delete at the same time. So, I'll likely take it to an indy BMW specialist to do the work.
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      01-30-2020, 10:37 AM   #135
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So I'm about a week in after my ssk from Ron. Had a 20% reduction at oem hight along with the bushings. Wow! This I must say is a must do mod on day one. I loved the stiffness of my gearbox so much I wish I went 25-30% it's just so precise. Along with this mod you have to go with a weighted shift knob to complete the overall feel. I ordered the sceptor shift knob copper translucent to match my interior stitching and color from raceseng. Love to shift!
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      01-30-2020, 10:49 AM   #136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bimmer28312 View Post
So I'm about a week in after my ssk from Ron. Had a 20% reduction at oem hight along with the bushings. Wow! This I must say is a must do mod on day one. I loved the stiffness of my gearbox so much I wish I went 25-30% it's just so precise. Along with this mod you have to go with a weighted shift knob to complete the overall feel. I ordered the sceptor shift knob copper translucent to match my interior stitching and color from raceseng. Love to shift!
I have ordered same 20%, OEM height, and 80A+ bushings, and am waiting for it to be shipped. However , after talking to Ron, he convinced me not to go with a weighted shifter as it would put 5x shifting strain on the transmission, and would shorten the life of the transmission. I decided to keep the original knob.
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      01-30-2020, 12:00 PM   #137
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief1richard View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bimmer28312 View Post
So I'm about a week in after my ssk from Ron. Had a 20% reduction at oem hight along with the bushings. Wow! This I must say is a must do mod on day one. I loved the stiffness of my gearbox so much I wish I went 25-30% it's just so precise. Along with this mod you have to go with a weighted shift knob to complete the overall feel. I ordered the sceptor shift knob copper translucent to match my interior stitching and color from raceseng. Love to shift!
I have ordered same 20%, OEM height, and 80A+ bushings, and am waiting for it to be shipped. However , after talking to Ron, he convinced me not to go with a weighted shifter as it would put 5x shifting strain on the transmission, and would shorten the life of the transmission. I decided to keep the original M knob.
I wasn't aware it causes issues to the transmission. Bunch of us are using weighted knob. Will give me a call.
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      01-30-2020, 12:07 PM   #138
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief1richard View Post
I have ordered same 20%, OEM height, and 80A+ bushings, and am waiting for it to be shipped. However , after talking to Ron, he convinced me not to go with a weighted shifter as it would put 5x shifting strain on the transmission, and would shorten the life of the transmission. I decided to keep the original M knob.
Interesting that Ron would say that. Resting your hand on the shifter has much more force than a 1-1.75 lb knob. I'll chk with him as well
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      01-30-2020, 04:10 PM   #139
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief1richard View Post
I have ordered same 20%, OEM height, and 80A+ bushings, and am waiting for it to be shipped. However , after talking to Ron, he convinced me not to go with a weighted shifter as it would put 5x shifting strain on the transmission, and would shorten the life of the transmission. I decided to keep the original M knob.
Hmmm... This would be the first time I've heard of a weighted shift knob causing tranny problems. I would need data to be convinced otherwise not worrying about it.
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      01-31-2020, 12:12 AM   #140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bimmer28312 View Post
So I'm about a week in after my ssk from Ron. Had a 20% reduction at oem hight along with the bushings. Wow! This I must say is a must do mod on day one. I loved the stiffness of my gearbox so much I wish I went 25-30% it's just so precise. Along with this mod you have to go with a weighted shift knob to complete the overall feel. I ordered the sceptor shift knob copper translucent to match my interior stitching and color from raceseng. Love to shift!
Feel comfortable you went with 20%, it's the sweet spot imo for our transmission in a daily/track car. Initially I was a little greedy and went 25%, the 1-2 shift was a bit too notchy and made me hesitant to let the clutch out quickly in case I hadn't fully engaged 2nd. It was great on track because you don't do 1-2 shifts. Anyway Ronald provided great customer service and I changed to a 20% shifter and haven't looked back.
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      01-31-2020, 04:42 AM   #141
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief1richard View Post
I have ordered same 20%, OEM height, and 80A+ bushings, and am waiting for it to be shipped. However , after talking to Ron, he convinced me not to go with a weighted shifter as it would put 5x shifting strain on the transmission, and would shorten the life of the transmission. I decided to keep the original M knob.
Just for info the oem knob is 195g & the M Performance 155g (the F22 dry carbon/alcantara one), those weights are the knob removed from boot.

I was using the M Performance one prior to getting the AS SSK, being smaller/shorter than oem I felt it gave a more direct feeling to the shift.

With the 25% AS SSK there was no benefit with M Perf knob, for me it was actually a negative with the extra shift effort in particular the 1-2 shift so I went back to the oem knob.

With the 20% AS SSK the M Perf knob was OK with the reduced shift effort but it offered no performance benefit over oem (though it looks better imo). On track I actually think the small size of the M Perf knob is a negative.

I've ended up with a Raceseng Circuit Cylinder 100 as I prefer sidearm. I also tried a Status Gruppe Delrin Race shift knob, the Raceseng has a much nicer feel.

Last edited by David.m; 01-31-2020 at 04:48 AM..
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      01-31-2020, 07:43 AM   #142
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David.m View Post
Just for info the oem knob is 195g & the M Performance 155g (the F22 dry carbon/alcantara one), those weights are the knob removed from boot.
Wait. Hold on.

The OEM knob weighs *more* than the ZHP knob, which is 5.4 oz/153g and sits 3/4"/19mm lower??

I thought the whole point of the ZHP was that it was weighted heavier than the stock knob-- I'm surprised by the OEM number.

Huh. Learned something new today.

R.

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      01-31-2020, 08:20 AM   #143
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Checked with Ron, regarding SSK with heavyweight knob and his comment "deserter waiting to happen". Mine is heavy weight 1.8lb, my guess is anything close to OE weight is okay but anything more will cause issues in the future if your keep your car long term. So I took mine off last night after using it for 2 months. I will do more research but Ron has been doing this for years and if it's coming from him i will take his word for it for now.
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      01-31-2020, 09:39 AM   #144
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This is from a Rogue Engineering website:

"Why can't I rest my hand on the shift knob?

Ever wonder why people say that its bad to rest you hand on the shift knob while driving? Well, there is a reason, and good thing you listened!

Within the transmission itself, BMW has a specification of 0.004"-0.006" gap between each gear and the shifter rail in the transmission (for reference, a human hair is approximately 0.0035"). This gap allows for the transmission lubricant to acts as a barrier so that the shifter rail and gear are not directly touching, causing premature wearing of the gear (not syncros), shifter rail, or both.

When you make a 0.001" change at the shift knob and maintain pressure (like resting your hand on the shift knob while driving), the required 0.004"-0.006" gap is closed, preventing the lubricant to ride between the gear and shifter rail. Premature wear of the gear or shifter rail may hamper transmission shifting performance, gear engagement, or worse, require rebuilding or replacement of the transmission.

A recent popular fix for short shifter notchiness is the use of an excessively heavy, metallic shift knob. At only 3 oz. (approximately 100 grams), the factory shift knob is relatively light, in comparison with the available aftermarket knobs. We have analyzed the additional mass of the Rogue Engineering shift knobs (approximately 6 oz.) and have found that they're additional mass was not enough to close the 0.004"-0.006" gap. However, as we began adding more weight to the shift knob area, we did find that when the mass increased to 8 oz., the gap began to close. Using anything heavier than this would be the equivalent of driving with your hand resting on the shift knob. When considering an aftermarket shift knob, consider how much mass it threatens to add. Too much is a BAD thing for your transmission!"


Whether it's marketing or not, parts of it make sense to me.

I'm of the belief that you can add some weight, but too much can be detrimental.
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      01-31-2020, 10:10 AM   #145
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketBoots View Post
This is from a Rogue Engineering website:

"Why can't I rest my hand on the shift knob?

Ever wonder why people say that its bad to rest you hand on the shift knob while driving? Well, there is a reason, and good thing you listened!

Within the transmission itself, BMW has a specification of 0.004"-0.006" gap between each gear and the shifter rail in the transmission (for reference, a human hair is approximately 0.0035"). This gap allows for the transmission lubricant to acts as a barrier so that the shifter rail and gear are not directly touching, causing premature wearing of the gear (not syncros), shifter rail, or both.

When you make a 0.001" change at the shift knob and maintain pressure (like resting your hand on the shift knob while driving), the required 0.004"-0.006" gap is closed, preventing the lubricant to ride between the gear and shifter rail. Premature wear of the gear or shifter rail may hamper transmission shifting performance, gear engagement, or worse, require rebuilding or replacement of the transmission.

A recent popular fix for short shifter notchiness is the use of an excessively heavy, metallic shift knob. At only 3 oz. (approximately 100 grams), the factory shift knob is relatively light, in comparison with the available aftermarket knobs. We have analyzed the additional mass of the Rogue Engineering shift knobs (approximately 6 oz.) and have found that they're additional mass was not enough to close the 0.004"-0.006" gap. However, as we began adding more weight to the shift knob area, we did find that when the mass increased to 8 oz., the gap began to close. Using anything heavier than this would be the equivalent of driving with your hand resting on the shift knob. When considering an aftermarket shift knob, consider how much mass it threatens to add. Too much is a BAD thing for your transmission!"


Whether it's marketing or not, parts of it make sense to me.

I'm of the belief that you can add some weight, but too much can be detrimental.
Good info. Now I am thinking about replacing my transmission fluid with fresh fluid.
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      01-31-2020, 10:24 AM   #146
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My wife has a driving habit that I can't seem to break. She rests her hand on the shifter while driving.

She's had 6 BMW's over the last 20+ years and none of them ever had transmission issues. 2 of them had over 150K miles on them.

Her hand weights A LOT MORE than a shifter knob...

Chk out this article:

https://www.raceseng.com/blog/genera...n-the-shifter/
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      01-31-2020, 11:10 AM   #147
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Engineering Explained also made a video about this topic. You can find it on YouTube.
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      01-31-2020, 11:44 AM   #148
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David.m View Post
Just for info the oem knob is 195g & the M Performance 155g (the F22 dry carbon/alcantara one), those weights are the knob removed from boot.

I was using the M Performance one prior to getting the AS SSK, being smaller/shorter than oem I felt it gave a more direct feeling to the shift.

With the 25% AS SSK there was no benefit with M Perf knob, for me it was actually a negative with the extra shift effort in particular the 1-2 shift so I went back to the oem knob.

With the 20% AS SSK the M Perf knob was OK with the reduced shift effort but it offered no performance benefit over oem (though it looks better imo). On track I actually think the small size of the M Perf knob is a negative.

I've ended up with a Raceseng Circuit Cylinder 100 as I prefer sidearm. I also tried a Status Gruppe Delrin Race shift knob, the Raceseng has a much nicer feel.
Nice shifter knob. Did you go with stock height?
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      02-02-2020, 01:31 AM   #149
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief1richard View Post
Nice shifter knob. Did you go with stock height?
Yes stock height, I hadn’t planned on changing from oem knob. The Raceseng BMW adaptor (at least with the Circuit series knobs) requires the top of the shift boot to sit a little higher than with the BMW knobs but isn’t a problem with the 20% SSK.
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      02-02-2020, 02:55 AM   #150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David.m View Post
Yes stock height, I hadn’t planned on changing from oem knob. The Raceseng BMW adaptor (at least with the Circuit series knobs) requires the top of the shift boot to sit a little higher than with the BMW knobs but isn’t a problem with the 20% SSK.
Does the Circuit knob feel hot/cold to the touch like if it were made out of aluminum? I think they claim the outer part is Delrin, but curious how it feels to the touch. Never doing metal again.
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      02-02-2020, 03:24 AM   #151
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Originally Posted by chris719 View Post
Does the Circuit knob feel hot/cold to the touch like if it were made out of aluminum? I think they claim the outer part is Delrin, but curious how it feels to the touch. Never doing metal again.
No the temp of the Delrin feels pretty much stable, it's summer here (Sydney) and recently we've have a lot of hot weather with temps 35-40+C, so with those ambient temps + operating heat it's only become ever so slightly warm. The stainless steel bottom part of the knob (which screws onto the shift lever) gets very warm, my little finger wraps around and thats OK but I'd agree with you that if it were the whole shift knob it wouldn't be fun to use.
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      02-02-2020, 09:28 AM   #152
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David.m View Post
Yes stock height, I hadn’t planned on changing from oem knob. The Raceseng BMW adaptor (at least with the Circuit series knobs) requires the top of the shift boot to sit a little higher than with the BMW knobs but isn’t a problem with the 20% SSK.
Does the BMW adapter use set screws to fasten to the shifter? Is there any movement after tightening the set screws?
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      02-02-2020, 11:36 AM   #153
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief1richard View Post
Does the BMW adapter use set screws to fasten to the shifter? Is there any movement after tightening the set screws?
The Raceseng Adapter is perfect. ZERO movement on both my cars.
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      02-02-2020, 01:15 PM   #154
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SEAT TIME RULES View Post
The Raceseng Adapter is perfect. ZERO movement on both my cars.
I second that. It’s probably more secure than the OEM BMW one. And yes, it does use set screws. 4 of them, unlike most other manufacturers, who only use 3.

Also, in regards to the temp, the delrin is pretty stable. I’ve had stainless steel, and in comparison delrin is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
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