UUC EVO3 SSK with DSSR in and Rogue SSK/WSR out - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

M Macht · 6th December 2005, 06:44

As promised in other threads, it's a long story. Like those of you with SSK's, I did not like the slop and long throws of the stock setup. Consequently, two years ago, I had my dealer install the Rogue SSK with the WSR (weighted selector rod). It was a significant improvement over stock. About a year ago, I was left stranded long the side of the road with my Beast stuck in 2nd gear when an improperly installed circlip feel off and the shifter became disconnected from the transmission. I had to have her flatbedded to the dealer to make the necessary repairs. In doing so, they managed to hit my left front tire on a cart destroying the tire which they replaced (but that's another thread). Unbeknownst to me at the time, the tech. somehow mangaged to pull the shifter lever apart which he attempted to glue back together. These shift levers are composed of two parts: the lower shaft with a ball on it that sits in the carrier and it in turn inserts into an upper shaft upon which the shift knob sits. It would appear that these two parts in the Rogue are held together by friction and glue. Anyway, after awhile the upper shaft became loose allowing itself to rotate on the lower shaft. The two shafts easily came apart and I was able to take the upper shaft completely off of the lower shaft. I uninstalled the shifter and tried to secure the two shafts together and then I completely reinstalled the shifter and WSR with new bushings, circlips, synthetic grease etc., but to no avail. The original feel of the Rogue SSK was lost. It had developed an unsatisfactory sloppy feel with increased vibration in the handle and less precise shifts plus the shift knob and upper shaft freely rotated on the lower shaft. I couldn't stand it any more. I had read about the favorable reactions to the UUC SSK and decided to go in that direction. It would have been simpler just to buy another Rogue SSK (and cheaper too) but I was concerned that the Rogue shifter might come apart again. I was and am impressed by the robustness and engineering of the UUC EVO3 and I decided to buy it with the DSSR.

The installation of the UUC SSK is significantly more involved that the Rogue. I ran the car up on 24 inch high ramps to gain access to the transmission. With the UUC setup, one needs to remove the carrier and modify it to accept the UUC EVO3. Getting the carrier out in an M5 means lowering the transmission about an inch since the carrier on my M5 is larger and wider than those shown in the installation photos. This means that you need to support the tranmission with a jack as you will need to completely drop the transmission support crossmember to lower the tranny to make enough room above it to get the carrier out. Once I figured that out and modified the carrier, then the installation went much more easily. Still, working blindly by feel at the transmission end of the installation was a challenge to say the least. So as I mentioned on another thread, if you can follow directions, improvise a little, have the tools and the time (4-6 hours...hey I'm slow and a perfectionist), don't mind laying under a 4000 pound machine (and under a partially supported transmission whatever that weighs

), and enjoy working blindly by feel with your hands in a tight space the volume of a small coffee can, than this is definitely a do-it-yourself project. In all seriousness, given my bad experience with the dealer twice and my perfectionist tendencies, I feel a great sense of satisfaction doing the installation myself...especially since it came out well.

Well, how do they (the UUC EVO3 and the Rogue SSK) compare you ask? Before my dealer destroyed my Rogue, I liked them both. The length of throws was similar with the UUC in its lowest setting. The UUC feels slightly more precise with even less play than the Rogue which itself was much better than stock. The shift effort is noticably less with the UUC and gear engagement seems smoother too than the Rogue. The UUC feels lighter, more agile while the Rogue seems heavier, more balky. I suspect this is due to the fact the UUC uses bearsings to connect to the selector rod while Rogue uses bushings. The most difficult gear to engage with a SSK in my M5 is fifth and where it seemed to "hang up" a little with the Rogue, it engages much more smoothly with the UUC. Both feel "notchy" in a positive way...you definitely know and can feel that the selected gear is engaged. I liken it to the feel of engaging a rifle bolt. Both shifters do not introduce new harshness or vibration. The UUC engages with a barely audible "snick" or "click" for lack of a better description and the Rogue even less so. I don't notice the sound unless I am listening for it.

Having owned, installed and used both SSK's I must give the edge to the UUC EVO3. It seems to perform even better than the Rogue SSK. The UUC EVO3 and the DSSR are better engineered in my opinion and seem more robust. I really don't want to install another SSK and I believe that the EVO3 should last the life of my M5.

Bottom line: Is the UUC EVO3 worth the price premium over the Rogue? In my opinion, yes. I just wish that I had purchased the UUC EVO3 with the DSSR in the first place and that I had never asked my dealer to do the original SSK installation in the second place!

VancouverM · 6th December 2005, 07:29

Thanks for your valuable input (and bummer hearing about you being stranded). There are obviously not too many people who have experience with BOTH the RE and UUC SSKs! Those are the two I was considering. Because of the comments on the board (and experiences such as yours) I am most likely going for the UUC Evo3 with DSSR.

I'm not much of a DIY guy, so will most likely have a dealer or indy shop do it for me. How much should I expect to pay for labor? Is 1-1/2 hours about right?

M Macht · 6th December 2005, 07:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by VancouverM

I'm not much of a DIY guy, so will most likely have a dealer or indy shop do it for me. How much should I expect to pay for labor? Is 1-1/2 hours about right?

I would think that with the UUC it would be closer to 3 hours.

willm5ad · 6th December 2005, 08:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by M Macht

I would think that with the UUC it would be closer to 3 hours.

My independent mechanic did my SSK Evo3 in 1 and a half hours and he dropped the exhaust and the transmission on his lift, so 3 hours is not an option if the mech does the job the quick way. Funny I had the same clip break on me on the road with my stock shifter and he managed to put a key ring clip on mine as a temp measure by just leaning under the car on the roadside, but then again he is Jordanian and I guess they are more resourceful and not into stitching me up for more bucks than westerners tend to be

.
I agree with the poster, the UUC EVOIII is a great SSK, especially with the DSSR and Clutch Stop installed at the same time.
WillM5AD

E55AMG2 · 6th December 2005, 08:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by willm5ad

My independent mechanic did my SSK Evo3 in 1 and a half hours and he dropped the exhaust and the transmission on his lift, so 3 hours is not an option if the mech does the job the quick way. Funny I had the same clip break on me on the road with my stock shifter and he managed to put a key ring clip on mine as a temp measure by just leaning under the car on the roadside, but then again he is Jordanian and I guess they are more resourceful and not into stitching me up for more bucks than westerners tend to be

.
I agree with the poster, the UUC EVOIII is a great SSK, especially with the DSSR and Clutch Stop installed at the same time.
WillM5AD

He knows of such a concept as repeat business

willm5ad · 6th December 2005, 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by E55AMG2

He knows of such a concept as repeat business

Exactly and considering he wouldnt take money from me for that fix as he was close by at the hospital visiting his wife who had just had a baby, he is sure to get repeat business from me, (yeah his baby got a nice present from this happy customer, dont worry

).
WillM5AD

Need4Spd · 6th December 2005, 08:56

Quote:

Bottom line: Is the UUC EVO3 worth the price premium over the Rogue? In my opinion, yes. I just wish that I had purchased the UUC EVO3 with the DSSR in the first place and that I had never asked my dealer to do the original SSK installation in the second place!

Probably when you first installed the Rogue, the EVO3 and DSSR weren't out yet! An SSK was one of my first mods and so I only got the EVO2, which I still think is fine but I'm told shift effort with the EVO3 is a bit less. I did mine myself but I found it a PITA, and that's w/o having to remove the carrier. Crawling on my back in a tight space is one of those things you only really want to do once! I really want an SSK in my M3, but that's even tighter, space-wise, so maybe it's time to pay someone (with a real lift) to do it this time.

willm5ad · 6th December 2005, 09:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by VancouverM

Thanks for your valuable input (and bummer hearing about you being stranded). There are obviously not too many people who have experience with BOTH the RE and UUC SSKs! Those are the two I was considering. Because of the comments on the board (and experiences such as yours) I am most likely going for the UUC Evo3 with DSSR.

I'm not much of a DIY guy, so will most likely have a dealer or indy shop do it for me. How much should I expect to pay for labor? Is 1-1/2 hours about right?

Now see the live video of the UUC SSK in action
UUC Short shift kit in action - video

WillM5AD

Olyar15 · 6th December 2005, 10:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by VancouverM

Thanks for your valuable input (and bummer hearing about you being stranded). There are obviously not too many people who have experience with BOTH the RE and UUC SSKs! Those are the two I was considering. Because of the comments on the board (and experiences such as yours) I am most likely going for the UUC Evo3 with DSSR.

I'm not much of a DIY guy, so will most likely have a dealer or indy shop do it for me. How much should I expect to pay for labor? Is 1-1/2 hours about right?

Just FYI, I was quoted about $1200 to install an Evo3+DSSR, or $816 to install a Rogue Engineering Octane SSK (prices include parts, labour, taxes) at a local BMW shop.

VancouverM · 6th December 2005, 11:13

Quote:

Just FYI, I was quoted about $1200 to install an Evo3+DSSR, or $816 to install a Rogue Engineering Octane SSK (prices include parts, labour, taxes) at a local BMW shop.

I'm assuming that's Canadian $ and at AutoWest? (AutoWest hasn't responded to my e-mail request for a quote, even though I linked to them through UUC's dealer links on their website)

By my math that would be roughly $1052 before PST & GST, which would put it at about $700 for parts, and 3 hours of labor? Or, they're charging way more than the exchange rate on parts.