I didn't think I could do it. Ratchet shifter in a a4.
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One day quite a while ago I got a great deal on a B&M mega shifter and I thought "Hey I bet I could make it work.". I bought it without even ever looking under the center console.
When it finally arrived at my house I got all excited and ran out and tore apart my center console only to be met with a jungle of wires/metal/linkages. 3 linkages? What for? I did a little research online and eliminated 2 of them and set to work trying to install the shifter. I got the old one out and mounted the new shifter and looked at the center console and thought this will never fit.
I left the console off for about 2 weeks just to enjoy the shifter until it went up on ebay. Buuuhhhhttttt since I'm now gainfully unemployed and have nothing but time on my hands I gave it the old college try. It took all day (well about 2pm - 8pm) but I got it in and it looks semi stock. I've got some finall adjustments to get it to fit how I'd like it to but it looks pretty good right now. I wish someone before me had a guide on doing this because I swore more times in those 6 hours than I have ever sworn in my life.
PICS!
![](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jm8881/shifter.jpg)
![](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jm8881/shifter2.jpg)
I have to get some kind of boot for the shifter and I want to mess with how the PRND321 thing lines up but I'm pretty happy with it right now.
When it finally arrived at my house I got all excited and ran out and tore apart my center console only to be met with a jungle of wires/metal/linkages. 3 linkages? What for? I did a little research online and eliminated 2 of them and set to work trying to install the shifter. I got the old one out and mounted the new shifter and looked at the center console and thought this will never fit.
I left the console off for about 2 weeks just to enjoy the shifter until it went up on ebay. Buuuhhhhttttt since I'm now gainfully unemployed and have nothing but time on my hands I gave it the old college try. It took all day (well about 2pm - 8pm) but I got it in and it looks semi stock. I've got some finall adjustments to get it to fit how I'd like it to but it looks pretty good right now. I wish someone before me had a guide on doing this because I swore more times in those 6 hours than I have ever sworn in my life.
PICS!
![](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jm8881/shifter.jpg)
![](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jm8881/shifter2.jpg)
I have to get some kind of boot for the shifter and I want to mess with how the PRND321 thing lines up but I'm pretty happy with it right now.
#2
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dude taht looks damn good.. give me some info.. are u manually shifting it ect.. i posted a thread asking questions about this very thing.. i like the t shaped handle as well. what part # is this shifter? and what do u mean 3 linkages? please explain a lil bit further, and congrats again, looks awesome.with a shifter cover thing it would look nasty!
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Originally Posted by LS1_PNYTAMR
dude taht looks damn good.. give me some info.. are u manually shifting it ect.. i posted a thread asking questions about this very thing.. i like the t shaped handle as well. what part # is this shifter? and what do u mean 3 linkages? please explain a lil bit further, and congrats again, looks awesome.with a shifter cover thing it would look nasty!
The stock shifter has 3 linkages, one being the actual cable that shifts the trans. The second being a linkage connected to a solenoid that doesn't let you shift the trans until you press the brake. And the last one I believe goes up to the ignition so that you can't take the key out unless in park.
You can manual shift it to hold on to 1st and 2nd longer but it's not a imediate shift. You need a transgo kit for that.
The thirdgen b&m shifter comes with a monting plate that needs to have the bolt holes opened up a little to get the holes to line up with the stock shifter mounting plate holes. Also you need to move the holes on the b&m shifter mountin plate about 3/4" forward to center the shifter in the console.
To get the actual shifter to fit under the console you have to cut off the lip around where the shifter comes up through. Also you need to notch out some of the plastic inside the ashtray compartment. You also need to cut some of the metal on the shifter itself. When you ratchet the shifter there is a couple "arms" that raise and then go back down torwards the rear of the shifter. You have to trim some of them off so that it doesn't push the console up.
A lot of this probably doesn't make sense so when I dig back into it I'll get some pics and a quick how to up.
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I used a dremel with a reinforced cutoff disk for the console and to cut some of the metal on the shifter itself I used a 4" angle grinder with a cutting disk on it. You'll also need a drill.