Drivetrain: How to install B&M Shifter (56k beware)
How to install B&M Shifter (56k beware)
Total Time: 1hour 30min
Follow the TWM Instrucions to take your plastics off of the center console. You only need to un-pop 3 of the pieces from the center console. The one where the e-break is, the rear cup holder, and the one with the shift boot (this piece you have to unsap the cigarette lighters for it to come out).
For the shift knob it's really easy to get off too. If you have a 2005 SS S/C you just need to take a rubber mallet and just hammer the lip underneath lightly but firmly and it will come off. You use a rubber mallet so you don't mar the plastic just incase you want to go back to stock.
The 2006 are a little bit different supposedly underneath the grey and black shifter emblem on top of the knob there is a small screw that you unscrew for the knob to come off. I guess you just unscrew it then it will slide off. If you want to keep the stock knob for anyreason you need to becareful when removing that emblem because the prongs break pretty easily. You'll need to carefully pry up the emblem if you want to save it. The whole emblem is black and silver. Not just the silver piece.
You don't have to take the knob off inside the car if you don't want to. You can do it when the whole assembly is outside of the vehicle. If you do this you will have the whole assembly plus the console plastic piece.
If you take the knob off in the car you can just remove the plastic console piece in the car.
You will need to pull the piece up to cut the original zip tie that secures the leather shift boot to the old shifter, cut it then pull the big end out, and the whole thing will slide out of the shift boot. The console piece will now slide off. Once you have the knob off. (done either inside the car or outside the car)
If you dont remove the knob in the car you will need to pull the console piece with the shifter boot up and twist it so you can get underneat it to unbolt the shifter assembly and mark the cables and unhook the shifter from the shift rods.
If you have removed the console piece because you took off the knob in the car you just do what's next.
Make sure the shifter is in NEUTRAL.
****THIS IS IMPORTANT IN KEEPING THE STOCK SHIFT POINTS****
You will then take a permenant marker and mark the shift rod where the cable links meet the rods. This is useful to re-align the shift points of your new shifter. Then you will carefully pry the shifter cable links so they unclamp from the shift rods. They will just be opened up more so the rod will beable to slide out of the shifter.
Then you will carefully pinch the tabs and pry out the shft cables from the shifter assembly. This is in the front of the shifter assembly. They will just pop out. You cant pull out the shifter if these arn't unsecured.
Finally you take a 12mm according to B&M. I swear I used a 13mm ratchet and extention. But anyway you remove The four bolts in the bottom of the shifter assembly That's securing it to the vehicle. Now you just pull the shifter assembly out. You may think you don't have enough room to pull it out. You do, and it will come out without a problem. Lift the back of the assembly out then the front. The rods will slide out of the cable links.
Now the assembly is out of the vehicle. If the knob is not removed look at the previous instruction to remove it.
Once the knob is removed you will pull all the original shifter pieces off of the stick.
Now take a T-15 Torx Driver and unscrew the four forx bolts on top of the shifter assembly. Set the screws aside for safe keeping. You then can pull out the original shifter. Keep the top shift retaining plate(aka top plastic pice that holds the shifter ball in place), also you need to keep the pivot holder and cable link (the one thats on the original shifter).
Disconnect the cable link from the bottom of the shifter it will unsnap. The pivot holder will slide through the bottom of the original shifter It may look like it won't slide over the plastic hunk on the original shifter it will. You need to twist it so it aligns corner to corner. Then it will give enough to pop off.
To assemble your B&M shifter you do this from the bottom up. Slide the shift retaining plate on to the shifter stick. Then slide on the shifter ball. Apply locktite to the 10mm set screw and screw it in to the shifter ball all the way to the little indent onto the stick, once that's tight, Apply locktite to the 4mm set screw and screw it in right where you just put int the 10mm set screw it will stop when it cant go any further. It should almost be flush with the shifter ball. Then finally install the spiral locking ring (this thing is kinda a bitch) on to the shift rod. It will lock inplace right under neath the shifter ball. Don't be like me and realize after you snapped it in place that you forgot to put the shift retaining plate on first.
Now grease the the ball and the pivot point on the shifter. Where ever the shifter will contact the original shifter assembly. Grease the pivot and snap on the pivot cup. You will need to reuse the pivot holder from the original shifter. Slide the pivot cup over the B&M shifter ball.
Insert the B&M shifter in the shifter assembly and tighten the four torx screws. Grease the pivot point for the shifter cable link. Snap the original cable link to the bottom of the shifter.
Remove the 4 rubber/metal bushings from the shifter assembly where the bolts slide through to secure the shifter to the vehicle. Pry the metal piece out with a flathead from the top and then pull the rubber bushings out from the bottom. Then take the four metal bushings that B&M supplied and place them over the bolts on the floor of the vehicle.
Replace the shifter assembly. Slide the shift rods back into the shifter links, snap the shifter rods back into the shifter assembly. Secure it with the four original bolts. Then align the shifter links with the permenant marks you marked your shift rods to align your shift points and snap them in place.
Now your shifter is pretty much ready to go. Take the leather shifter console piece and slide it over the B&M shifter then snake the new ziptie through the leather boot.and pull it to secure it to the shifter.
Install the spring on top of the shifter then screw the B&M knob on until it's secure. Place the o-ring on the B&M on the knob insert. Center the insert and snap it into place.
Snap the cigarette adaptors back in place. Replace all plastics. Enjoy!
If you feel that your shift pattern is off. You might need to adjust the shifter rods slightly. You shouldn't need to if you marked them correctly. You should beable to easily shift through all the gears and reverse.
*******
Sorry I don't have complete pictures of the installation process. But it show's pretty good below and is really self explanatory.








Follow the TWM Instrucions to take your plastics off of the center console. You only need to un-pop 3 of the pieces from the center console. The one where the e-break is, the rear cup holder, and the one with the shift boot (this piece you have to unsap the cigarette lighters for it to come out).
For the shift knob it's really easy to get off too. If you have a 2005 SS S/C you just need to take a rubber mallet and just hammer the lip underneath lightly but firmly and it will come off. You use a rubber mallet so you don't mar the plastic just incase you want to go back to stock.
The 2006 are a little bit different supposedly underneath the grey and black shifter emblem on top of the knob there is a small screw that you unscrew for the knob to come off. I guess you just unscrew it then it will slide off. If you want to keep the stock knob for anyreason you need to becareful when removing that emblem because the prongs break pretty easily. You'll need to carefully pry up the emblem if you want to save it. The whole emblem is black and silver. Not just the silver piece.
You don't have to take the knob off inside the car if you don't want to. You can do it when the whole assembly is outside of the vehicle. If you do this you will have the whole assembly plus the console plastic piece.
If you take the knob off in the car you can just remove the plastic console piece in the car.
You will need to pull the piece up to cut the original zip tie that secures the leather shift boot to the old shifter, cut it then pull the big end out, and the whole thing will slide out of the shift boot. The console piece will now slide off. Once you have the knob off. (done either inside the car or outside the car)
If you dont remove the knob in the car you will need to pull the console piece with the shifter boot up and twist it so you can get underneat it to unbolt the shifter assembly and mark the cables and unhook the shifter from the shift rods.
If you have removed the console piece because you took off the knob in the car you just do what's next.
Make sure the shifter is in NEUTRAL.
****THIS IS IMPORTANT IN KEEPING THE STOCK SHIFT POINTS****
You will then take a permenant marker and mark the shift rod where the cable links meet the rods. This is useful to re-align the shift points of your new shifter. Then you will carefully pry the shifter cable links so they unclamp from the shift rods. They will just be opened up more so the rod will beable to slide out of the shifter.
Then you will carefully pinch the tabs and pry out the shft cables from the shifter assembly. This is in the front of the shifter assembly. They will just pop out. You cant pull out the shifter if these arn't unsecured.
Finally you take a 12mm according to B&M. I swear I used a 13mm ratchet and extention. But anyway you remove The four bolts in the bottom of the shifter assembly That's securing it to the vehicle. Now you just pull the shifter assembly out. You may think you don't have enough room to pull it out. You do, and it will come out without a problem. Lift the back of the assembly out then the front. The rods will slide out of the cable links.
Now the assembly is out of the vehicle. If the knob is not removed look at the previous instruction to remove it.
Once the knob is removed you will pull all the original shifter pieces off of the stick.
Now take a T-15 Torx Driver and unscrew the four forx bolts on top of the shifter assembly. Set the screws aside for safe keeping. You then can pull out the original shifter. Keep the top shift retaining plate(aka top plastic pice that holds the shifter ball in place), also you need to keep the pivot holder and cable link (the one thats on the original shifter).
Disconnect the cable link from the bottom of the shifter it will unsnap. The pivot holder will slide through the bottom of the original shifter It may look like it won't slide over the plastic hunk on the original shifter it will. You need to twist it so it aligns corner to corner. Then it will give enough to pop off.
To assemble your B&M shifter you do this from the bottom up. Slide the shift retaining plate on to the shifter stick. Then slide on the shifter ball. Apply locktite to the 10mm set screw and screw it in to the shifter ball all the way to the little indent onto the stick, once that's tight, Apply locktite to the 4mm set screw and screw it in right where you just put int the 10mm set screw it will stop when it cant go any further. It should almost be flush with the shifter ball. Then finally install the spiral locking ring (this thing is kinda a bitch) on to the shift rod. It will lock inplace right under neath the shifter ball. Don't be like me and realize after you snapped it in place that you forgot to put the shift retaining plate on first.
Now grease the the ball and the pivot point on the shifter. Where ever the shifter will contact the original shifter assembly. Grease the pivot and snap on the pivot cup. You will need to reuse the pivot holder from the original shifter. Slide the pivot cup over the B&M shifter ball.
Insert the B&M shifter in the shifter assembly and tighten the four torx screws. Grease the pivot point for the shifter cable link. Snap the original cable link to the bottom of the shifter.
Remove the 4 rubber/metal bushings from the shifter assembly where the bolts slide through to secure the shifter to the vehicle. Pry the metal piece out with a flathead from the top and then pull the rubber bushings out from the bottom. Then take the four metal bushings that B&M supplied and place them over the bolts on the floor of the vehicle.
Replace the shifter assembly. Slide the shift rods back into the shifter links, snap the shifter rods back into the shifter assembly. Secure it with the four original bolts. Then align the shifter links with the permenant marks you marked your shift rods to align your shift points and snap them in place.
Now your shifter is pretty much ready to go. Take the leather shifter console piece and slide it over the B&M shifter then snake the new ziptie through the leather boot.and pull it to secure it to the shifter.
Install the spring on top of the shifter then screw the B&M knob on until it's secure. Place the o-ring on the B&M on the knob insert. Center the insert and snap it into place.
Snap the cigarette adaptors back in place. Replace all plastics. Enjoy!
If you feel that your shift pattern is off. You might need to adjust the shifter rods slightly. You shouldn't need to if you marked them correctly. You should beable to easily shift through all the gears and reverse.
*******
Sorry I don't have complete pictures of the installation process. But it show's pretty good below and is really self explanatory.








Last edited by TommyP; May 17, 2012 at 09:47 PM. Reason: 56k warning addition
ok i must be an idoit i just got my B&M short shifter and i was almost done installing it.. when i started to put it back in the car i realized like the shifter is all the way to the left like not in 1st or 2nd just all the way to the left... what i do wrong???
Hey everyone who has a 2006, how have you been able to remove the shift knob ?!?!?
i removed the screw but it won't come off at all i've pulled and pulled again i also tried with a mallet but no luck.
Anyone has got that much trouble in taking it off ?
any advice ?
Thanks
i removed the screw but it won't come off at all i've pulled and pulled again i also tried with a mallet but no luck.
Anyone has got that much trouble in taking it off ?
any advice ?
Thanks
Hey everyone who has a 2006, how have you been able to remove the shift knob ?!?!?
i removed the screw but it won't come off at all i've pulled and pulled again i also tried with a mallet but no luck.
Anyone has got that much trouble in taking it off ?
any advice ?
Thanks
i removed the screw but it won't come off at all i've pulled and pulled again i also tried with a mallet but no luck.
Anyone has got that much trouble in taking it off ?
any advice ?
Thanks
HTH, just give it hell man it'll give it up eventually.
So im tryin to install the Hurst shifter and i cant pry the shifter cable off. I dont understand wat im supposed to do. Can someone please help me ASAP
Last edited by PolishPauL; May 6, 2007 at 02:28 PM.
^^^There are plastic retaining clips that need to be unlatched.

The cable is inserted into these and then latched down. Use a small screwdriver or or other small instrument to pry up lightly on (light gray or white) part. You can see where they are hinged do not pry from the hinge or top area. Just pry from beneath where the cable is and you will see the latch section release, and the cable will slide out. HTH

The cable is inserted into these and then latched down. Use a small screwdriver or or other small instrument to pry up lightly on (light gray or white) part. You can see where they are hinged do not pry from the hinge or top area. Just pry from beneath where the cable is and you will see the latch section release, and the cable will slide out. HTH
I finally install the B&M shifter.
Glad i got this how-to post because the B&M instruction were not clear at all.
The hardest part was to remove the knob (Thanks to SS33)
I lost 1 shiter assembly bolt during the process, it fell under the carpet
so i took one from the hand brake which i'll replace soon.
I'm very happy with my purchase, the car shift much smooter and much faster.
Thanks to everyone who has post in this thread it was really helpful.
Thanks Again
Rick
Glad i got this how-to post because the B&M instruction were not clear at all.
The hardest part was to remove the knob (Thanks to SS33)
I lost 1 shiter assembly bolt during the process, it fell under the carpet
so i took one from the hand brake which i'll replace soon.
I'm very happy with my purchase, the car shift much smooter and much faster.
Thanks to everyone who has post in this thread it was really helpful.
Thanks Again
Rick
I must be an idiot, I spent like 45 minutes looking for the screw to take off the shift knob so I could get the boot and plastic out of the way and for the life of me I HAVE to be looking in the wrong place. Can someone give me a little detail on which screw it is or a picture of it or something. Then again I might just be an idiot but I am trying to get it off before taking the whole assembly out of the car. Thanks in advance.
Sorry, double post.
Sorry, double post.
Last edited by leisnerr; May 28, 2007 at 04:46 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
I must be an idiot, I spent like 45 minutes looking for the screw to take off the shift knob so I could get the boot and plastic out of the way and for the life of me I HAVE to be looking in the wrong place. Can someone give me a little detail on which screw it is or a picture of it or something. Then again I might just be an idiot but I am trying to get it off before taking the whole assembly out of the car. Thanks in advance.
Sorry, double post.
Sorry, double post.
For all of you who have trouble getting the stock knob off......
Step One. Remove silver and black top. Underneath is a screw. Unscrew the screw and buy another one tha fits into the spot. Make sure it has a head on it. Take a hammer and hit the top of the screw. This will push it right off the shaft without damaging anything. It took me like 1min.
Step One. Remove silver and black top. Underneath is a screw. Unscrew the screw and buy another one tha fits into the spot. Make sure it has a head on it. Take a hammer and hit the top of the screw. This will push it right off the shaft without damaging anything. It took me like 1min.
Just installed mine. This and the B&M instructions were enough to get it done, but I have a few tips. The B&M guide looks to be for another car - probably an Ion. So some of the parts look a tad different. Also, the TWM guide shows how to take off the sides, and that would have saved my hands being scraped up so I would recommend that.
In the B&M guide where it says to pry the cables out of the assembly, I just used my fingers to squeeze the white tabs together and pulled up gently and they popped up and out no problem.
Also, since the black/gray cable end (the one on the bottom of the shifter) goes on sideways, make sure you are careful to match up to the mark you made.
Mine shifts so much faster and firmer. Willing to answer any install questions via PM.
In the B&M guide where it says to pry the cables out of the assembly, I just used my fingers to squeeze the white tabs together and pulled up gently and they popped up and out no problem.
Also, since the black/gray cable end (the one on the bottom of the shifter) goes on sideways, make sure you are careful to match up to the mark you made.
Mine shifts so much faster and firmer. Willing to answer any install questions via PM.




