Audi A4 S4 B8 Billet Shifter Plate and Linkage Kit

This kit replaces the plastic shifter mounting plate and the soft linkage parts on manual-transmission Audi B8 and B8.5 platform cars. Listed fitment is 2008-2016 A4 and S4, 2012-2015 RS4, 2007-2016 A5 and S5, and 2010-2016 RS5. It includes a metal mounting plate with a short shift clamp, replacement ball joint cups, a stiffer crossrod, a polyurethane crossrod bushing and a stainless shoulder bolt.

The factory plate is plastic and the linkage bushings are soft rubber. As they age the whole shifter base moves under load, which shows up as a vague gate, a shifter that feels loose in neutral, missed 2-3 shifts, and the lever catching in the reverse gate on a quick 1-2 shift. A worn crossrod bushing is the usual cause of the reverse gate hang-up.

Install is done from inside the car and under it. Remove the shift boot and center console trim, disconnect the shift and selector rods from the lever, unbolt the factory plate and transfer the lever assembly to the new plate. Fit the new crossrod bushing and cups under the car, reconnect the linkage, and check that every gear including reverse engages cleanly with the engine off before driving. Adjust the linkage if the neutral position is off center.