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Rogue Engineering transmission mounts are made of
Neoprene rubber that is 20 percent stiffer than the stock rubber mounts.
However, it is the cylindrical shape of the performance transmission mounts
which has the greatest impact on keeping lateral transmission movement under
control. The hourglass shape of the stock mounts allows them to
deflect too easily and contributes to sloppy shifting.
Installing these mounts will improve the crispness
of your factory or aftermarket shifter without introducing additional
noise into the cabin. The improvement is especially noticeable on cars
with aftermarket short shifters. Installation is easy and can be done by most
shade tree mechanics with jackstands and a floor jack in under an hour. A professional shop should be able to perform
the swap in about 20 minutes for a 528i or 530i and slightly longer for a
540i or M5. Other BMW models may require removal of plastic access
panels.
Each order includes two mounts and four Grade 8, locking nuts with built-in washers
as well as an instruction sheet. The
hardware is zinc plated and the mounting plates and studs are cadmium plated
to prevent corrosion. Torque specification for the fasteners is 21 N-m
(15.5 lb-ft). These mounts do have a top and a bottom. A notch
on the bottom of each transmission mount mates with a matching bump on the
top of the aluminum cross brace that holds up the transmission. Be
sure to point this out to your installer, especially if they don't tend to
read instructions!
Zeckhausen Racing recommends replacing your manual transmission fluid with
Royal Purple Synchromax at the same time that you upgrade your transmission
mounts. This will further improve your shifting, especially when the
car is cold. Royal Purple is available at many auto parts stores.
See:
http://royalpurple.com/dealers/dealers.html
A fluid transfer pump, such as the one sold by Sta-lube for about $6.00 at
most auto parts stores, is effective for transferring the Royal Purple
Synchromax into the transmission. Most BMW manual transaxles require
1.8 quarts or less of lubrication. The fill and drain plugs have
tapered threads and do not require copper crush washers. BMW states
that the plugs should be tightened to 50 N-m (37 lb-ft). You should use a
17mm 6-point socket and a long ratchet handle or a breaker bar, since the
plugs are very tight from the factory. (Size may vary between
different BMW models. Check size before starting.) When changing the
fluid, make sure you can open the fill plug before opening the drain plug! |
