I'm looking for some suggestions and pics of some shift knobs. Lets see them!

i really like the hamann aluminum/leather knob. here's the link:
http://www.hamann-motorsport.de/pictures/c16.jpg
sorry i couldn't find a bigger pic!

The factory one is the best in terms of ergonomics and performance. Unless you are trying to create some sort of visual effect, I say leave it alone.

<img src="http://www.aatuning.com/AASignatureLine/grfx/Shiftknob.jpg">

Very nice IMHO...

Kevlar, that looks like a UUC knob..........does it transmit heat or has UUC managed to isolate the knob from the shifter with a bushing of some kind?
Mike

Hot as a mo'fugger in the sun, cold as hell in the winter.

Originally posted by badbadm
The factory one is the best in terms of ergonomics and performance. Unless you are trying to create some sort of visual effect, I say leave it alone.

actually, i found that when you replace the shiftknob, you replace it with something that is easier for you (personally) to hold and control. in my case, i have driven the car (not my own M3 but two of my friends' cars) with the stock knob and with an aftermarket, and i found that with the aftermarket i had more control over my shifts and the "throws" came alot easier. this was because the knob was smaller and MUCH more ergonomic than the stock one.

I agree....size and functionality come into play here, so does the aesthetics of fit/finish/materials. That said, one of the most important ergonomic aspects of a shift knob is actually being able to toletrate holding it.....they get damned hot and cold:atom as badbabm pointed out. I have removed the metal knob from my car after burning my hand on it a few weeks ago.
That's why I asked Kevlar if that was a UUC knob......but, upon closer inspection of the picture and also looking at UUC's site it clearly is not......so it's probably ACS instead.
Anyway, the reason I asked the question is that I was told the UUC knobs have Delrin inserts and insulate the knob from the shift lever. I was looking for a first hand opinion.....anyone with a UUC knob know....does it get heat-soaked from the exhaust when you park?
Mike

ACS knobs aren't polished like that.

it does look nice....and painful too. :)

Check out the Z8 knob. It looks nice with the Aluminum trim for '03.

Hmmm...thanks, aus. Anybody know if that Z8 knob comes in a lit version like the M3?
Mike

Originally posted by 98///M-DROPTOP
Hmmm...thanks, aus. Anybody know if that Z8 knob comes in a lit version like the M3?
Mike


one more reason to keep the OEM knob.

Originally posted by themadhatter



one more reason to keep the OEM knob.

Are the E46 M3 knobs lighted? I didn't know that... I thought the new ones were back to the non lighted setup.

Originally posted by Kevlar


Are the E46 M3 knobs lighted? I didn't know that... I thought the new ones were back to the non lighted setup.

I believe they are lit. I have a replacement knob already. I just don't know if I'm going to use it or not. :dunno

Originally posted by E462k3m3


actually, i found that when you replace the shiftknob, you replace it with something that is easier for you (personally) to hold and control. in my case, i have driven the car (not my own M3 but two of my friends' cars) with the stock knob and with an aftermarket, and i found that with the aftermarket i had more control over my shifts and the "throws" came alot easier. this was because the knob was smaller and MUCH more ergonomic than the stock one.
If your friends' cars had dumb little round balls for shift knobs, those are NOT more ergonomic than the factory knob, which BMW spent massive piles of money to develop in the early 1980s. "Ergonomic" means "designed to interface with the human body," and it's a field BMW specializes in. The factory BMW shift knob was designed to work within the natural mechanism of your hand. That's the reason it has the shape that it does. It is easier to push, and easier to pull than a plain old round ball.

Originally posted by badbadm
If your friends' cars had dumb little round balls for shift knobs, those are NOT more ergonomic than the factory knob, which BMW spent massive piles of money to develop in the early 1980s. "Ergonomic" means "designed to interface with the human body," and it's a field BMW specializes in. The factory BMW shift knob was designed to work within the natural mechanism of your hand. That's the reason it has the shape that it does. It is easier to push, and easier to pull than a plain old round ball.

Massive piles on ergonomics of shift knobs??? Come on now, let's not exaggerate too much here. Truth be told, in the 80's, bimmer shift knobs were about as NON-ergonomically correct as possible. With that said, I will agree that the stock shifter is "supposed" to be shaped to fit your hand, but I don't see where it's any better than say a round knob like an ACS or an AA? Gripping a round shaped knob is about as natural and easy as can be.

You want TRUE ergonomics, you go with this Momo... Notice the slot for the thumb and the grips for the fingers... :buttrock

http://www.momo.it/Momo/pomelli/grandi/anatomico/superanatpelle.jpg

Originally posted by ///M3ryder NY
You want TRUE ergonomics, you go with this Momo... Notice the slot for the thumb and the grips for the fingers... :buttrock
http://www.momo.it/Momo/pomelli/grandi/anatomico/superanatpelle.jpg
I disagree about the Momo knob. I believe their design is pure hype. There is no reason on earth that a driver should ever need "finger grips" on the shifter during any kind of driving. Anybody who grabs a shifter, in the way the Momo was designed to be grabbed, is doing it wrong.

The right way:
Your hand comes off the wheel, meets the shifter after beginning its motion from front to back or back to front, and is gone from the shifter and back to the wheel at the split-second the shift is complete. Nowhere within that process should there be enough time to "pistol-grip" the shifter. Momo's knob looks nice, and *suggests* a high level of ergonomic research, but it's really no more useable than the factory knob. Additionally, the Momo knob uses set screws which are damn likely to come loose.

To answer your question (factory vs. round ball), the factory design debuted in 1984, and is of an asymmetrical, 3D design which allows maximum contact area for the palm of the hand on top (research says most drivers are "palm shifters" rather than "finger shifters"), while providing good support for the rest of the hand to find contact (think of this as a tire's contact patch with the road).

Originally posted by badbadm

I disagree about the Momo knob. I believe their design is pure hype. There is no reason on earth that a driver should ever need "finger grips" on the shifter during any kind of driving. Anybody who grabs a shifter, in the way the Momo was designed to be grabbed, is doing it wrong.

The right way:
Your hand comes off the wheel, meets the shifter after beginning its motion from front to back or back to front, and is gone from the shifter and back to the wheel at the split-second the shift is complete. Nowhere within that process should there be enough time to "pistol-grip" the shifter. Momo's knob looks nice, and *suggests* a high level of ergonomic research, but it's really no more useable than the factory knob. Additionally, the Momo knob uses set screws which are damn likely to come loose.


Well, I respectfully disagree with you! Your "right way" of shifting is assuming balls to the wall, all out acceleration...where your hand meets the shifter and in one motion swipes it back......... Now you're talking about shifting techniques and straying from the issue of ergonomically correst shapes. Truth be told, what is most ergonomically correct is a pistol grip. Seated in a driver's seat with hands on the wheel at 10 and 2 o'clock....the most natural position is a pistol grip...

I also disagree with the apparent lack of research that you think goes into Momo's shift knobs. I happen not to even care for them myself...but don't discount momo's R&D in the racing arena.

And btw, I've had numerous knobs over my 16 years of driving cars, and i've never seen set screws come loose...

Originally posted by badbadm

If your friends' cars had dumb little round balls for shift knobs, those are NOT more ergonomic than the factory knob, which BMW spent massive piles of money to develop in the early 1980s. "Ergonomic" means "designed to interface with the human body," and it's a field BMW specializes in. The factory BMW shift knob was designed to work within the natural mechanism of your hand. That's the reason it has the shape that it does. It is easier to push, and easier to pull than a plain old round ball.

i'd appreciate it if you didn't assume that my friend "had dumb little round balls"...i was refering to the hamann knob whose picture i had posted as the second post on this thread

Originally posted by E462k3m3


i'd appreciate it if you didn't assume that my friend "had dumb little round balls"...i was refering to the hamann knob whose picture i had posted as the second post on this thread
Terribly sorry about that. buddy. And no offense to your friend's little round balls. :evil2

Originally posted by Kevlar
<img src="http://www.aatuning.com/AASignatureLine/grfx/Shiftknob.jpg">

Very nice IMHO...

isn't that an AA Logo on that knob?

____

Guys, enough of talking about each others tiny balls. stop using steriods and they should return to normal. :D

Originally posted by ///M3ryder NY
Well, I respectfully disagree with you! Your "right way" of shifting is assuming balls to the wall, all out acceleration...where your hand meets the shifter and in one motion swipes it back......... Now you're talking about shifting techniques and straying from the issue of ergonomically correst shapes. Truth be told, what is most ergonomically correct is a pistol grip. Seated in a driver's seat with hands on the wheel at 10 and 2 o'clock....the most natural position is a pistol grip...
That's cool. I respectfully think you totally missed my point, which is that an outright "grasp" of the shiftknob is totally unnecessary while driving. Sure, the Momo knob might fit one's hand during a total CLENCH of the shift knob, but when does a driver ever squeeze the shift lever with his/her whole hand during driving? Never! Your hand should touch the shift knob only long enough to shift; then, back to the wheel. Oh, and btw, the correct hand position on the wheel is 9 and 3, not 10 and 2. I'm sure Momo did a nice job emulating a pistol-grip with their knob design, but we ain't shooting here, we're changing gears.
And btw, I've had numerous knobs over my 16 years of driving cars, and i've never seen set screws come loose...
I've used that exact knob you posted, and several others (including other Momos), and have had the set screws loosen up on several occasions. It starts as a torsional twist, then it starts rocking back and forth, then it just comes totally loose.

Originally posted by themadhatter


isn't that an AA Logo on that knob?

____

Guys, enough of talking about each others tiny balls. stop using steriods and they should return to normal. :D
Ahhhhh DON'T EVEN TRY IT RON :laugh

AND yes, I've been thinking that was an AA logo for quite a while now.

Originally posted by badbadm

Ahhhhh DON'T EVEN TRY IT RON :laugh

AND yes, I've been thinking that was an AA logo for quite a while now.

hey, you wanna talk about each other's balls, take it to OT. I didn't start the issue...I'm just trying not to picture your balls (large or small). :biglaughb lol


we need more boobies - :boobies :boobies :boobies

Originally posted by themadhatter
hey, you wanna talk about each other's balls, take it to OT. I didn't start the issue...I'm just trying not to picture your balls (large or small). :biglaughb lol


we need more boobies - :boobies :boobies :boobies
For Heaven's sake, I was just trying to talk about KNOBS, but you keep bringing up BALLS.

(it must be late on a monday night because i never participate in this kind of crap)

I vote for the Doug Whalen knob aka Whalen Shift Machine. It is much shorter than stock and weighs in at 18oz :eek:

If you don't like ball shaped knobs or metal knobs this one isn't for you but a few days with it and the shift feel may have you changing your mind. It is so heavy there are virtually no notches at all other than a slight bump for reverse and when putting it into first at a complete stop. I'm not going to go on and on about it but for me it was the first aftermarket knob I've used that not only looks nice but really makes changes the way my car feels (much sportier).

Check it out at www.whalenshiftmachine.com

Also it doesn't get super hot for some reason and I've had my Z top down at the beach for hours and not had a problem shifting. But it doest get COLD when the weather is chilly

Originally posted by badbadm

For Heaven's sake, I was just trying to talk about KNOBS, but you keep bringing up BALLS.

(it must be late on a monday night because i never participate in this kind of crap)

great, now you want to talk about knobs?!

You really need to get out more often and away from that computer.

besides, if you don't like handling your knob while shifting....get an automatic, she'll do all the work for you - I did. :D

Originally posted by themadhatter


great, now you want to talk about knobs?!

You really need to get out more often and away from that computer.

besides, if you don't like handling your knob while shifting....get an automatic, she'll do all the work for you - I did. :D
That is disgusting, on multiple counts.