Dinan Short Shifter?

[M3mike]

Recently came across a good deal on one of these kits. Does anyone run this? What are your thoughts?

[Speed Monkey]

My sled is fitted with one of these. The Dinan piece looks dead on like BMW’s 330D shifter, which is known as a factory short shifter. In fact, the two are identical for all practical purposes, except the Dinan shifter had a fractionally greater bend in it than the 330D unit; I actually held both in my hand and made quick visual comparison. As for Dinan durability, that piece is now some 15 years old and it is still going strong in my ‘05 E46M. As a matter of service, I’ve replaced the plastic retaining cup that the shifter’s ball portion rides in a few times, and I lube it with bottom bracket grease by Phil Wood that I use on my mountain/road bikes.

As for cost, the 330D shifter is roughly $105 dollars (see below). I can’t remember what I paid for my Dinan shifter as that was too long ago. If you can procure it for say less than a Benjamin, ehhh, do it man.

[ViN]

I do and I felt like it was worth the upgrade, especially at that price.

[sg.e46m3]

i havn't seen dinan d550-1004 for under 179.99 usd for awhile now!

[heinzboehmer]

I just recently removed my 330d lever. I enjoyed it quite a bit, especially for the price. However, as Speed Monkey mentioned, the 330d lever lacks the bend the Dinan on has, which makes it lean to the right. This is it in neutral:



I've heard/read good things about the E60 levers, but haven't tried one out personally.

[Obioban]

IMO every lever only replacement is a downgrade from stock.

[M3Gallo]

Dinan is always going to be a solid bet. Never the most aggressive, hence durability and factory warranty.. Dinan is a good product

[liam821]

My sled is fitted with one of these. The Dinan piece looks dead on like BMW’s 330D shifter, which is known as a factory short shifter. In fact, the two are identical for all practical purposes, except the Dinan shifter had a fractionally greater bend in it than the 330D unit; I actually held both in my hand and made quick visual comparison. As for Dinan durability, that piece is now some 15 years old and it is still going strong in my ‘05 E46M. As a matter of service, I’ve replaced the plastic retaining cup that the shifter’s ball portion rides in a few times, and I lube it with bottom bracket grease by Phil Wood that I use on my mountain/road bikes.

The Dinan shifter is NOT like the 330D or any OE BMW leveler, perhaps it used to be, but it's not anymore.

My car came with a Dinan (see pictures below) I did not like it and swapped it out for an e60 short shifter with all new stock bushings. The Dinan was extremely knotchy and about the same height as the e60 - but the Dinan has about 1/2 the throw because of the raised pival bearing. When the car was fully warmed up shifting was fast and quick, knotchy into gears, without much slop.

The Dinan has a pivot ball that is moved up about 15mm from the stock shifter "ball" pivot by way of a blue aluminum shaft. The bottom of the shaft fits into the stock shifter ball bushing (the white bushing looking thing) and is held in place by a black plastic bushing.









This is how it mounts into the stock shift level mount. Incidentally, my shifter did not have that black plastic piece and I designed and 3d printed my own.


Here is a better picture of my 3d printed spacer

[Obioban]

Looks like Dinan pretty significantly changed their design at some point!

[terra]

Interesting, that’s quite the difference. Could have sworn they used to just use a 545i lever.

[T.J.]

I’ve never seen that revision of the dinan shifter. Right now it looks like they are selling rebranded b&m

[liam821]

I’ve never seen that revision of the dinan shifter. Right now it looks like they are selling rebranded b&m

I think they sell both, looks like they're both $199 on their site.

Dinan D550-1004: https://www.dinancars.com/products/t...arts/D550-1004


Dinan D550-1005: https://www.dinancars.com/products/t...arts/D550-1005

[T.J.]

Looks like the D550-1005 was not intended for M3’s

[r4dr]

Dinan D550-1005: https://www.dinancars.com/products/t...arts/D550-1005

This one is marked as for post-E46 cars.

[liam821]

Looks like the D550-1005 was not intended for M3’s

This one is marked as for post-E46 cars.

Interesting, you're right. Although they do say:

PART NUMBER D550-1005

APPLICATION: 2006 325i, 330i (E90)
2007-12 328i (E90, E92, & E93; not xi)
2007-10 335i (E90, E92, & E93; N54 only; not xi)
2011-13 335is (E92, & E93; N54)
2008-10 128i, 135i (E82 & E88; N54 only)
2004-05 530i, 545i (E60; not xi)
2006-07 530i, 550i (E60; not xi)

Obviously the e60 shifter is a direct bolt-in affair in our cars so I don't see why that Dinan wouldn't work - and obviously it worked just fine as it was in my car. Although I hated it, so there's that. haha