Rogue Engineering OCTANE Short Shift Kits

The OCTANE Weighted Selector Rod (WSR)
Rogue Engineering is proud to introduce the most technologically advanced short shift kits available for BMWs.  At Rogue, we realize that simply shortening the shift lever or moving the pivot point will not produce optimal shift feel.  The smooth action that sets the OCTANE short shift kit apart from the others comes from our unique Weighted Selector Rod.

With the RE Weighted Selector Rod, you can enjoy the benefits of a short shifter while improving shifter smoothness and virtually eliminating the gearbox notchiness and gear whine that is associated with some manufacturers kits.

Rogue Engineering E46 M3 WSR (front)

Rogue Engineering E46 M3 WSR (back)

How Does it Work?
To fully understand and appreciate the beauty and benefit of the RE Weighted Selector Rod, we must first revisit the mechanics of a short shift kit.  When a short shift kit is installed, the throw reduction is directly proportional to an increase in shift effort.  In simple terms, if a short shift kit reduces throws by 30%, then the effort required to shift into gear increases by the same amount (30%).  While some  people find this increase acceptable, others do not like the increased gearbox "notchiness" that is associated with the increased effort.  The latter group describes the increased notchiness as a decrease in gearbox smoothness, and a departure from the feeling of refinement that led them to choose BMW in the first place.

The Rogue Engineering WSR replaces the factory selector rod with a high quality, CNC'd 303 stainless version that has significantly greater mass.  This mass, added on the low side of the shifter assembly, is completely hidden from the users view, but its benefits are obvious.  Like a police battering ram, it uses it's additional mass to counteract the shorter throws, providing more energy when in motion.

 
The WSR's mass acts like a police battering ram to defeat notchy shifting

The following chart shows the differences between the BMW's factory selector rod and a RE's WSR:

As documented in the case of the 1995-99 E36 M3, adding 225g (nearly 1/2 pound) to the selector rod reduces most gearbox notchiness and improves smoothness.

Quality Construction, Made in the USA
At Rogue Engineering, we are always looking to evolve and better our products.  The current iteration of the WSR uses a 5/8" square 303 stainless steel body.  Each body of the WSR is then CNC bent according to the specific shifter design.  Once this is done, the body is then CNC Milled to accommodate the 303 Stainless Steel CNC'd pins.  These pins are pressed in place and finally TIG welded on both sides.

What about reducing shifter sloppiness?
There are those out there that will have you believe their "miracle" linkage will reduce all sorts of inherit shifter sloppiness.  This is absolutely NOT true.  If you have shifter sloppiness at the selector rod gear joint, the joint needs to be replaced.  Trying to address selector rod gear joint play by surrounding it is like trying to fix a wheel bearing by tightening lug bolts on the wheel more.  The problem is, the wheel bearing is still bad and you have not fixed the issue.  If your selector rod gear joint is bad, replace it.  At about $20 from the dealer, it's a no brainer on high mileage cars.

Just say NO to ugly shift knobs
A common "Band-Aid" to address the increased notchiness and required effort of short shift kits has been the addition of a heavy aftermarket shift knob.  Whereas a factory BMW shift knob typically weighs 3.0 ounces, some aftermarket shift knobs can weigh nearly TEN times this amount.  While this additional mass can counteract the notchiness of the short shift kit, it can also make the user feel much like they're manipulating a grapefruit.  Additionally, most metallic shift knobs (aluminum, steel, titanium, etc.) can get blazing hot in the summer and ice cold in the winter.  Most generally overlook this detail until they actually touch the knob, either searing their hand or getting frostbite. 

Another disadvantage to the heavyweight aftermarket shift knobs is that they do not match factory interiors like factory BMW knobs.  Most of our E46 M3 and E39 M5 customers love their factory BMW illuminated shift knobs.  Even with the addition of our short shift kit, they prefer to continue to use the illuminated shift knob.  Now they continue to retain their factory shift knob while benefiting from smooth, notch-free shifting with the Rogue Engineering Weighted Selector Rod.

How Much is Too Much?
At Rogue Engineering, we also know that it is possible to have too much of a good thing.  While prototyping the RE WSR, we found that adding too much mass made the shifter feel too "heavy".  By experimenting and testing various weights, we were able to find a balance between "too much" and "not enough" mass.  The end result was our current WSR.  This perfect balance allows decreases notchiness while retaining a comfortable and acceptable amount of gearbox effort.

Easy Installation
The Rogue Engineering OCTANE WSR is easy to install, even for the novice mechanic.  Since the OCTANE WSR is included with most OCTANE SSK, you simply install it when you install the OCTANE SSK!  There is no "universal" WSR since each is engineered for specific applications and not sold seperately.

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