The smallest gear is a bit trickier to remove. I’ve gone ahead and removed the remaining plastic that was still on it. That leaves a metal bushing which has been press fit onto the shaft.
I found using a set of wire cutters and needle nose pliers to be the best method of extracting the bushing from the shaft.
It’s a delicate procedure that requires twisting, pulling, and using the right amount of pressure on the shaft so it doesn’t move and you don’t score it with the cutters.
Eventually the bushing slides off and it’s now a throw away item since it wont be used again.
Start by placing the gears and shafts in reverse order of how they came off.
Install the gears in the according order and gently press them together so there aren’t any gaps.
I left the odometer gear for last but you can install it before or after, it doesn’t matter.
Put everything back together just like it came apart and your odometer will be working like new again!
And that is the complete how-to on this repair. Obviously, the install and removal of the cluster and speedometer will be different in the E30 and E24 but fixing the gears will be very similar and using this guide will give you a better idea of the process needed.
Thanks for a very useful tutorial!