You bought the manual on purpose. Then you notice how far the stock lever travels between gears, and how vague it feels when you are working through second and third on a good road. The gearbox is fine. The throw is just long.
The Dinan Billet Short Shifter Kit shortens that throw by 20% to 25% on manual BMW E82 135i, E9X 328i and 335i, and E60 550i models. It is built for these cars specifically, not adapted from a universal kit, so shifts get quicker and more precise without turning notchy or hard to find.
How the Dinan Billet Short Shifter Keeps Factory Refinement
Plenty of short shifters get their throw reduction by swapping in metal pivots, and you feel every bit of it through the lever. Dinan keeps the OEM-type nylon pivot ball and adds a dampened pivot cup with a self-lubricating ball, so the shifter stays smooth and quiet. The two-piece stick combines 416 stainless steel and aluminum in a counter-balanced design, and rubber isolation keeps vibration out of your hand.
Lower pivot bushings are polymer Iglide T-500, which need no maintenance. That is the point of the whole kit: a shorter, tighter shift you can live with every day, not a race part you put up with. Dinan part number D550-1005. Sold by AutoTecknic, an authorized Dinan dealer.
Will It Fit Your Car?
This is for manual transmission cars only, and it is not compatible with xDrive. Dinan limits 128i fitment to 2008-2010. It does not affect emissions and is legal on street-driven, emissions-controlled cars. Dinan rates the install at about 1.1 hours.
What's Included
- Two-piece 416 stainless steel and aluminum shift stick assembly
- Dampened pivot cup with self-lubricating pivot ball
- Polymer Iglide T-500 lower pivot bushings
- Installation hardware
Key Features
- 20% to 25% shorter shift throw, per Dinan
- Counter-balanced, two-piece 416 stainless steel and aluminum stick
- Keeps the OEM-type nylon pivot ball for smooth, quiet shifts
- Dampened pivot cup and self-lubricating pivot ball
- Iglide T-500 lower bushings, zero maintenance
- Rubber isolation to cut vibration at the lever
- About 1.1 hours to install
Vehicle Fitment
Fits the following BMW models with a manual transmission (rear-wheel drive only):
- BMW 1 Series / E82 Coupe and E88 Convertible (2008-2013): 135i
- BMW 3 Series / E90 Sedan (2006-2011): 328i, 330i, 335i
- BMW 3 Series / E92 Coupe (2007-2013): 328i, 335i, 335is
- BMW 3 Series / E93 Convertible (2007-2013): 328i, 335i, 335is
- BMW 5 Series / E60 Sedan (2004-2010): 530i, 550i
Not compatible with xDrive or automatic and DCT transmissions. 128i fitment is limited to 2008-2010.
Installation Notes
A DIYer with basic hand tools and a way to reach the shifter from under the car can do this. A shop will take about 1.1 hours. Follow the Dinan instructions included with the kit.
- Remove the shift knob and the shift boot from inside the cabin.
- Safely raise and support the car, then remove the heat shield and disconnect the shift linkage from the factory stick.
- Remove the factory shift stick and transfer or replace the pivot components as the instructions direct.
- Install the Dinan stick assembly and lower bushings, then reconnect the shift linkage.
- Reinstall the heat shield, boot and knob, then check every gear with the engine off before driving.
