[luperox22]

I recently purchased an m235i that was missing the left paddle shifter. When looking for replacements and watching diy tutorials. I learned that there is an imperative spring within the paddle shifter unit that is needed when replacing/upgrading.

Would an OEM kit come with the spring needed? I really don't want to spend $500 on them, but will if absolutely necessary.

[Kernel Kurtz]

A spring you could probably source easily enough on its own, but there is also a little plastic piece that you are probably missing as well.

I can't answer your question though. I know you can buy the whole assembly including the switch, but I'm sure they are pricey. You could try RealOEM and see if they list those parts separately.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/

[luperox22]

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

A spring you could probably source easily enough on its own, but there is also a little plastic piece that you are probably missing as well.

I can't answer your question though. I know you can buy the whole assembly including the switch, but I'm sure they are pricey. You could try RealOEM and see if they list those parts separately.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/

Thank you for your reply. I believe I have the switch.. correct me if I'm wrong. This is what the paddle area looks like

[Kernel Kurtz]

Yes, you have the switch. There should also be a spring, and a little plastic plate. RealOEM diagram does not show it. You can see it at about 2:10-2:20 in this video.

I assume it is there for a reason, so I don't know if the paddle will work without it, but would not hurt to try. You could also disassemble the working one so you can look at it. Might not be hard to make one with some plastic stock and a Dremel or such. While you have the other one apart you can use it to find an appropriate spring as well - you can buy boxes of assorted small compression springs on Amazon for cheap.

(edit) Looking closer at that photo, it looks like the paddle may have been broken off and one of the hinge tabs is still attached. Is the hinge pin still in there?

[luperox22]

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

Yes, you have the switch. There should also be a spring, and a little plastic plate. RealOEM diagram does not show it. You can see it at about 2:10-2:20 in this video.

I assume it is there for a reason, so I don't know if the paddle will work without it, but would not hurt to try. You could also disassemble the working one so you can look at it. Might not be hard to make one with some plastic stock and a Dremel or such. While you have the other one apart you can use it to find an appropriate spring as well - you can buy boxes of assorted small compression springs on Amazon for cheap.

(edit) Looking closer at that photo, it looks like the paddle may have been broken off and one of the hinge tabs is still attached. Is the hinge pin still in there?

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

Yes, you have the switch. There should also be a spring, and a little plastic plate. RealOEM diagram does not show it. You can see it at about 2:10-2:20 in this video.

I assume it is there for a reason, so I don't know if the paddle will work without it, but would not hurt to try. You could also disassemble the working one so you can look at it. Might not be hard to make one with some plastic stock and a Dremel or such. While you have the other one apart you can use it to find an appropriate spring as well - you can buy boxes of assorted small compression springs on Amazon for cheap.

(edit) Looking closer at that photo, it looks like the paddle may have been broken off and one of the hinge tabs is still attached. Is the hinge pin still in there?

Hey man sorry it took forever to reply. Busy week. The hinge pin is still there! Given this, I'm thinking I should be able to order a spring and just throw some aftermarket paddles on!

[Kernel Kurtz]

Originally Posted by luperox22

Hey man sorry it took forever to reply. Busy week. The hinge pin is still there! Given this, I'm thinking I should be able to order a spring and just throw some aftermarket paddles on!

No worries, busy is good. You still may need that little plastic piece in the video though, but having one functional side you can take apart and compare should guide the way.

[luperox22]

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

No worries, busy is good. You still may need that little plastic piece in the video though, but having one functional side you can take apart and compare should guide the way.

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

No worries, busy is good. You still may need that little plastic piece in the video though, but having one functional side you can take apart and compare should guide the way.

Appreciate the input 👍🏼

[Dr. Indiana Jones]

I've been wanting to swap-out the dreaded OEM paddle shifters on my 2017 M240i for a long time. The OEM shifters are too short (too hard to reach them with your fingers because they are too far away from the steering wheel, and supposedly designed with the mindset for ladies with long nails?).

Although you can buy add-ons that glue to the existing shifters to extend them, I'd prefer a cleaner solution. Although I'm leery about opening up the steering column, the above video shows just how easy it is to add OEM upgraded shifters. A few newbie questions...

1) I presume my 2017 M240i qualifies as an F22 for which this video is appropriate?

2) I presume it's necessary to disconnect the -ve terminal of the battery for safety reasons, or can it be omitted? Will disconnecting the battery affect onboard systems, or require any reprogramming afterwards?

3) The video showed a carbon-fibre shifter upgrade. Is this an expensive OEM option, or where else can you buy them? I know they are much taller, but are they also longer than the OEM shifters (i.e., do they extend closer to the steering wheel), otherwise they offer no improvement over what I have.

4) Although unclear, I presume you need a special T-bolt to unscrew the paddles?

Thx for sharing the video Kernel Kurtz! Any comments are most appreciated!

[Kernel Kurtz]

1) Yes
2) You really should especially when working with airbags. Had no effect on any of my custom coding, onboard memory settings, or anything except the clock, and the airbag pops out easily without any worries.
3) AutoTecknic are probably the best rated and highest priced. My GoldenWrench ones are a bit cheaper and working fine for me. Even lower cost generic options on Amazon may work perfectly fine too, it is a simple part really, but YMMV.
4) It is a standard Torx driver bit, don't recall what size. The car is largely put together with them, so you should have a set in any case. As you are in Canada Princess Auto is a good source for basic stuff like that.

Cheers!

[Dr. Indiana Jones]

Thx Kernel! I think I might experiment with some cheap add-ons from Amazon if they have decent, sizable ratings. Most stick on existing OEM paddle with 2-sided 3M tape that you preheat with a blow dryer or hot air gun or God forbid lighter. The main reason I'm even considering these aside from low cost, is that they appear to be the only option that actually extends the reach of the paddles closer to the steering wheel. Replacement paddles or later OEM variants don't seem to do this? Everyone talks about the paddle needing to be longer from top to bottom, which is true, but no one seems to focus on the need to extend them closer to the steering wheel. I dunno, I'll check out your brand and some others.

[Kernel Kurtz]

Originally Posted by Dr. Indiana Jones

The main reason I'm even considering these aside from low cost, is that they appear to be the only option that actually extends the reach of the paddles closer to the steering wheel. Replacement paddles or later OEM variants don't seem to do this? Everyone talks about the paddle needing to be longer from top to bottom, which is true, but no one seems to focus on the need to extend them closer to the steering wheel.

Indeed more reachability around the wheel was what I was looking for, and the ones I mentioned are good for that. Closer to the rim I can't comment on, but there are certainly various designs out there to play with, and they all attach the same way so easy enough to experiment.

Enjoy!

[Dr. Indiana Jones]

Originally Posted by Kernel Kurtz

Indeed more reachability around the wheel was what I was looking for, and the ones I mentioned are good for that. Closer to the rim I can't comment on, but there are certainly various designs out there to play with, and they all attach the same way so easy enough to experiment.

Enjoy!

Thx bro!