Try the MOMO Anitomico Short shift knob (more) (archive)

I have the UUC EVO (bearing) Street in my '97 540i/6 topped off with the MOMO Anitomico Short shift knob (it's pretty heavy) in conjunction with the UUC Clutch Stop v2.0.

The shift action is pretty smooth (although notchier than the factory setup, it's not nearly objectionable) and obviously short and sweet.

The Derlin bushings are actually for the aluminum carrier to prevent rocking movement of the carrier (and are not necessary for the E39s). I believe that the standard shifter uses generic urethane bushings instead of the cartridge bearings. The cartridge bearings allow for smooth movement from Day 1 - no need for break-in and they don't wear out like standard bushings do.

The nice thing about the MOMO Anitomico Short is that it's quite heavy and the leather matches the Montana Leather grain. It's also ALL leather so that no parts (well except for the aluminum ring that hides the set screws) get extremely hot or cold.

One thing to double check - the shifter uses a dual-boot design. It has an inner boot that seals against the shifter and an outer boot that seals against the car itself. If the inner boot was not properly re-installed (which is quite easy to do) it can interfere with the shift action. The best thing to do is install the boot with plenty of lubricant to ease the installation. You can feel the inner boot through the outer boot - just visualize in your head what you need to be doing and then you will feel the inner boot slide into position.

Hope this helps!

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