Gear Knobs for the Zed...

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Robin82
Joined: Fri 28 May, 2010 02:04
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Robin82 »

Being curious I tried to remove my gear knob for the hell of it. I *assumed* it twisted off. So I twisted and something went snap then a load of plastic crap fell out the bottom. So yeah it doesnt twist off it pulls off...

Anyway its now like a spinning top and I am looking for anew gear knob... I like the look of a Storm Moterwerks V2 but sadly cant justify the £60 currenly..

So what would be the next best thing or something mid range? Something that fits/goes well with the Zed...?
Last edited by Robin82 on Thu 30 Apr, 2015 11:39, edited 1 time in total.
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
Posts: 2225

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by BladeRunner919 »

I assume it was only the knob that broke, not the bushing that the gear stick locates in at the bottom? In other words, you I assume you can't rotate the shaft that the knob came off.

I'll avoid any obvious knob/shaft gags here!

In terms of what goes well with the Zed, that's a personal choice. Obviously a BMW knob will look the most 'right' - I bought a stubby BMW one from ebay when I bought my Zed.
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Robert T
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  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Robert T »

I am trying hard to phrase this delicately, but what does the end of the shaft look like now? There is a forked piece on the end that mates with a tongue on the inside of the knob and prevents it rotating. Is this still intact? I seem to recall this being plastic on mine, but the photo below and RealOEM/BMWFans seem to confirm that it is metal.

Image
Image borrowed from Zed Carer. Hope you don't mind, Bill.

The only cheap solution I can think of to repair your own is by putting a pin (screw, wooden dowel, etc) through the top of the plastic core to replace the plastic tongue if that has sheared off. Whether you can neatly remove the central core to do this is another matter, as I suspect that it will be glued pretty firmly, and drilling a hole though the side of the knob in the right place is likely to be quite tricky and won't be an invisible fix.

And there will be no mention of Prince Alberts in relation to the last bit!

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Mike Fishwick »

Yes, both portions of the gear lever are metal - here's mine being cut down:

Image

A new knob from Chrom-Design of Germany can be bought for 29 Euros - see http://shop.chromdesign.de/product_info ... rome-.html - and I'm sure that UK suppliers of shiney bits do the same. Just look around.

The Storm or Whalen knobs are the best, adding weight to the gearchange, and also reducing travel. They are certainly worth the money, but I shortened my gear lever by 1.5 inches for about 50 pence.

Have you thought about drilling through the base of the knob, and then through the lever? You could then pass a dome-headed M6 stainless steel cap screw through it, with a stainless dome nut loctoted ontothe other end of it. For about 20 pence you will have a - dare I say it - rigid knob again.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
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Captain
Joined: Thu 28 Jun, 2012 06:43
Posts: 520

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Durban

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Captain »

Best to buy a new knob :grin:

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tom_sk
Joined: Sat 14 Nov, 2009 20:47
Posts: 91

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Laceby, near Grimsby

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by tom_sk »

As Ben Elton used to say in his stand-up ( oooeeer missus! ) routine "Everyone likes a good knob joke" :lol:
2001 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver/Blue Leather (left home :bawl: ) and his big brother 2002 e39 2.2 Titan Silver/Grey Leather (leaving soon :bawl: :bawl: )
Robin82
Joined: Fri 28 May, 2010 02:04
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Robin82 »

BladeRunner919 wrote:I assume it was only the knob that broke, not the bushing that the gear stick locates in at the bottom? In other words, you I assume you can't rotate the shaft that the knob came off.

I'll avoid any obvious knob/shaft gags here!

In terms of what goes well with the Zed, that's a personal choice. Obviously a BMW knob will look the most 'right' - I bought a stubby BMW one from ebay when I bought my Zed.
Ah no its just the 'knob' that came loose... The shaft stayed firmly in its place. So basically the knob is spinning on the shaft.
Robert T wrote:I am trying hard to phrase this delicately, but what does the end of the shaft look like now? There is a forked piece on the end that mates with a tongue on the inside of the knob and prevents it rotating. Is this still intact? I seem to recall this being plastic on mine, but the photo below and RealOEM/BMWFans seem to confirm that it is metal.

Image
Image borrowed from Zed Carer. Hope you don't mind, Bill.

The only cheap solution I can think of to repair your own is by putting a pin (screw, wooden dowel, etc) through the top of the plastic core to replace the plastic tongue if that has sheared off. Whether you can neatly remove the central core to do this is another matter, as I suspect that it will be glued pretty firmly, and drilling a hole though the side of the knob in the right place is likely to be quite tricky and won't be an invisible fix.

And there will be no mention of Prince Alberts in relation to the last bit!

Cheers R.
The fork on the end of the shaft is fortunatly still intact its the groove inside the knob that broke :( TBH its seems almost impossible to fix the knob part. I think a quick fix would be to maybe sqeeze some filler into the end of the knob and just push it onto the shaft.. Bit of a bodge but Im sure it would hold it in place. Nice interior BTW.. looks great! Was that a mod?
Mike Fishwick wrote:Yes, both portions of the gear lever are metal - here's mine being cut down:

Image

A new knob from Chrom-Design of Germany can be bought for 29 Euros - see http://shop.chromdesign.de/product_info ... rome-.html - and I'm sure that UK suppliers of shiney bits do the same. Just look around.

The Storm or Whalen knobs are the best, adding weight to the gearchange, and also reducing travel. They are certainly worth the money, but I shortened my gear lever by 1.5 inches for about 50 pence.

Have you thought about drilling through the base of the knob, and then through the lever? You could then pass a dome-headed M6 stainless steel cap screw through it, with a stainless dome nut loctoted ontothe other end of it. For about 20 pence you will have a - dare I say it - rigid knob again.
Thanks for the links.. 29 euros was about my budget.. I guess the drawback with drilling a hole in the side is that it would be visible. Richbrook seem to have some nice gear knobs for a reasonable price too.
Last edited by Robin82 on Thu 30 Apr, 2015 11:41, edited 1 time in total.
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Robert T
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Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Robert T »

Robin82 wrote:Nice interior BTW.. looks great! Was that a mod?
Zed Carer pretty much stripped out his whole interior to tidy it up, but it is a standard dash AFAIK - you can read more about it here.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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Alfie
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Joined: Thu 29 Apr, 2004 14:28
Posts: 3312

  M roadster S54
Location: Broadchurch....

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Alfie »

Many owners have swapped out a perfectly serviceable knob for one of the heavier 'Storm' models and I don't think anyone regrets it.
And you have a genuine excuse to do it!

Seriously, save up your birthday and Christmas money and buy a Storm.
You'll be really surprised what a difference it makes to your drive.
Do a bodge-job with the old one til you have the dosh in hand.

A.
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Robin82
Joined: Fri 28 May, 2010 02:04
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Robin82 »

Alfie wrote:Many owners have swapped out a perfectly serviceable knob for one of the heavier 'Storm' models and I don't think anyone regrets it.
And you have a genuine excuse to do it!

Seriously, save up your birthday and Christmas money and buy a Storm.
You'll be really surprised what a difference it makes to your drive.
Do a bodge-job with the old one til you have the dosh in hand.

A.
Yeah you're right, superficially spending £60 on a gear knob IMO is not worth it. But if it actually improves the drive to a noticable degree then it might be worth while. Not so much I cant afford it more justifying the expense for something that lets face it, most people would think was insane.
Last edited by Robin82 on Thu 30 Apr, 2015 11:42, edited 1 time in total.
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Captain
Joined: Thu 28 Jun, 2012 06:43
Posts: 520

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Durban

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Captain »

The storm gear knob is definitely worth the cost.

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Alfie
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Joined: Thu 29 Apr, 2004 14:28
Posts: 3312

  M roadster S54
Location: Broadchurch....

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Alfie »

Robin82 wrote:.....more justifying the expense for something that lets face it, most people would think was insane. i.e my GF :roll:
:idea: Does she buy shoes and handbags?
Could be proven as equally insane maybe :?: :?: :?: :?: :lol:

A.
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Jonttt
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Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
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  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Jonttt »

Tell her your getting a new knob and she will be happy :grin:
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swamper
Joined: Thu 13 May, 2010 17:14
Posts: 1866

  M roadster S50
Location: Mossley

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by swamper »

get a new knob.....its summat new to play with...i'll show ya mine :D

Storm Motorwerks BMW V1 Gear knob V1 Weighted Short Shift Knob
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the badness makes me do it...!

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Z3cade
Joined: Sat 09 Jan, 2010 18:18
Posts: 2634

  M roadster S50
Location: Peterborough

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Z3cade »

You've got a lovely knob there Wayne :colourful:

I also have a storm works knob.. Lovely looking and great gear change
///M Roadster - Evolve Stage 3
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geordie90
Joined: Sun 18 Nov, 2012 14:10
Posts: 111

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by geordie90 »

Where do u get the Storm wroks knob from does it need much polishing and roughly how much do they cost??

Dont mind the polishing as i enjoy polishing my knob
swamper
Joined: Thu 13 May, 2010 17:14
Posts: 1866

  M roadster S50
Location: Mossley

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by swamper »

mine was very expensive ...about 7 grand...came attached to an M :D

think there about 60 quid ...but i let the missus polish mine....lets her join in :D
the badness makes me do it...!

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Z3cade
Joined: Sat 09 Jan, 2010 18:18
Posts: 2634

  M roadster S50
Location: Peterborough

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Z3cade »

Can't beat a shinny knob :D

Image

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Storm works also do a handbrake handle and lighter plug.. Wicked looking set.. 8-)
///M Roadster - Evolve Stage 3
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swamper
Joined: Thu 13 May, 2010 17:14
Posts: 1866

  M roadster S50
Location: Mossley

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by swamper »

thats a useful looking knob there Liam....looks like you have been polishing it often... :D
the badness makes me do it...!

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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Southernboy »

An interim means of preventing knob rotation is a blob of decent silicone up the hole...it'll also prevent thknob being pulled off the shaft while changing gear. I had a similar issue many years ago, and it worked so well, that when I came to replacing it with new, it took some effort to remove the old one. I had to give it a fair bit of twisting to loosen up the ould silicone. I now have a collection of knobs which I change from time to time for purely climatic conditions...I like a "cool" aluminium knob in summer, a warmer leather covered job for winter, and then there's the "branded" knobs, for those days when I just feel the "yuppie flu" attack...Like ACS, Hamann, and occaisinoally the "classic" feel of an OEM BMW knob. I have the shortshift fitted, so they all look and feel similar in the change motion. I have a Victorian lead / glass cabinet, which I once used for books...now it serves as a display cabinet for my knobs, dials, small spares and the only books it houses relate to my head unit, and variuos downloaded guides on "how to" which I have come across and found to be valuable references. I also have items such as a brief history of "failed" innovations, such as my original seat lift kit, a set of padded elbow rests, and a few momentos of unusual journeys I have made in my Z3, such as a really good photograph of the front feet of a giraffe, the snotty nose of a warthog etc which I took whilst doing a trip in the Kruger Park...Top down touring in the Kruger isn't allowed, so my pics were a little restricted. Oh, and I keep a few "spares" in there too...rear shock top mounts, oil filter light bulbs for various applications, a box of small screws, and a really neat well made highly polished and comprehensive set of socket spanners with ratchet, screwdriver with interchangeable tips, torx's etc. a few USB connectors and half a dozen used mobile phones which although they all still work, have been surpassed by upgrades.
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Robin82
Joined: Fri 28 May, 2010 02:04
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Robin82 »

Alfie wrote:
Robin82 wrote:.....more justifying the expense for something that lets face it, most people would think was insane. i.e my GF :roll:
:idea: Does she buy shoes and handbags?
Could be proven as equally insane maybe :?: :?: :?: :?: :lol: A.
Very very good point! :)


Z3cade - Nice matching set 8-) Where did you get that chrome gaiter surround from? Also the chrome dials look very nice.... I was in 2 minds over adding a few chrome touches but your center console looks great :)

Southernboy - Sounds like you've had quite a few adventures in your Zed.. Like the idea of a Zed trophy cabinet that really is taking it to another level!
Last edited by Robin82 on Thu 30 Apr, 2015 11:43, edited 1 time in total.
Z3cade
Joined: Sat 09 Jan, 2010 18:18
Posts: 2634

  M roadster S50
Location: Peterborough

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Z3cade »

Robin the chrome trim around my leather gaiter and dials is standard ///M trim :wink:
///M Roadster - Evolve Stage 3
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Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Mike Fishwick »

And standard n facelift models.

I have been trying to find an after-market supplier for a chrome gear lever ring, but without success.
A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
Robin82
Joined: Fri 28 May, 2010 02:04
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by Robin82 »

Z3cade wrote:Robin the chrome trim around my leather gaiter and dials is standard ///M trim :wink:
Pffft... I shouldve known. Although your sig kinda gives it away! :roll:
ZedAintDead
Joined: Tue 12 Mar, 2013 10:12
Posts: 96

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Gear Knobs for the Zed...

Post by ZedAintDead »

Changed my standard gear knob today, what a difference to the gear change! Definitely worth investing in if you haven't done it already!

Before:
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After:
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Yes the cigarette lighter needs replacing! :roll:
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