JHM Solid Linkage and Cross Rod Upgrade for B8 A4-A5-S4-S5, 2008 - on
While Audi has improved on their OEM shifter setup since the days of the incredibly sloppy B5, they still use primarily plastic and rubber components in their B8 linkage. This contributes to the vague and somewhat rubbery feel you experience while shifting your B8 Audi and makes the linkage alone worse than previous generations. Furthermore, as plastic ages it gets brittle and tends to break easily. Click to enlarge picture
If you are looking for the ultimate shifting experience with precise feedback allowing for confident gear changes, the JHM B8 Solid Linkage and Cross Rod Upgrade is what you need. Our JHM B8 Linkage and Cross Rod setup is the ultimate upgrade for increasing the durability and longevity of your linkage components while dramatically improving the shifting experience of your B8 Audi. Adding our JHM Linkage and Cross Rod or a JHM Solid Short Throw Shifter alone won't bring much noise or vibration into the cabin due to Audi's ultra-silent, rubber lined shift knob. However, if you're looking for the ultimate shifting experience with more of a race inspired setup, we recommend our Linkage, Shifter, and Shift Knob which can all be found in the same section as this product. NOTE: Adding in our shift knob and other variables like your exhaust setup, other lightweight/performance components (crank pulleys, flywheels, etc...), and factory tolerances may affect how much of an increase in interior noise, vibration and/or harshness you experience. Remember, Audi designed these components with lots of plastic and rubber to hide normal noises that the engine and transmission make so removing them can reveal some of those noises. This linkage and cross rod upgrade is a direct replacement for the OEM components. Our JHM Linkage and Cross Rod replaces the OEM plastic socket assemblies on both the linkage and the cross rod with 2 spherical steel bearings and one graphite impregnated, polyurethane bushing. JHM Linkage
On the linkage, we put a steel spherical bearing in a custom race at the end of the shift rod or selector shaft. JHM Cross Rod
Matching exactly the OEM dimensions, we attach our Cross Rod upgrade to a cage on top of the race using another, smaller spherical rod end housed in a bronze race for more rigid side to side feel. On the other end of the Cross Rod at the selector shaft cap on the transmission, we use a heavy duty, graphite impregnated, polyurethane bushing. Not only do these spherical and polyurethane bushings offer much more precise shifting while delivering more feedback than stock but they are also much more durable than the OEM plastic setup. Our JHM B8 Solid Linkage and Cross Rod Upgrade will deliver the ultimate shifting experience when paired with our JHM B8 Solid Short Throw Shifter. However, it will also dramatically improve your shifting performance if you only have a stock or aftermarket shifter. PARTS INCLUDED
- 1x JHM Solid Linkage and Cross Rod Assembly
Due to the design of the OEM cross rod and linkage setup, the most cost effective way to upgrade the shifting experience was to combine our JHM Solid Linkage and JHM HD Cross Rod Linkage into one "Solid Linkage and Cross Rod Upgrade."
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Make | Model | Chassis | Engine |
---|---|---|---|
Audi | S4 | B8-B8.5 (2010-2016) | 3.0t V6 24v SC |
Audi | S5 | B8-B8.5 (2008-2017) | all |
Audi | A5 | B8-B8.5 (2008-2016) | all |
Audi | A4 | B8-B8.5 (2009-2016) | all |
- Fantastic upgrade
- Better than stock. Shifts are crisp and precise. (Posted on 7/25/2022)
- Incredibly direct and precise shifts
- Crisp shifts and a more direct, gated shift feel are the two prominent things that stand out about the JHM Solid linkage. The rubber "loose" feeling that is normally associated with VAG shift assemblies is gone. This is how the shifter should have been from the factory - like a gated R8! (Posted on 4/22/2020)
- Well worth every penny
- This product is absolutely fantastic. The stock shifter linkage is pretty weak. Before I started taking the factory out I had a friend move the gear lever around while I looked at the linkage. I was easily able to see a significant amount of play in it. Replacing it wasn't too bad. To aid, I did support the transmission and remove the transmission mount and cradle. This made the process a lot easier. Installation is pretty straight forward, it's about three bolts and took maybe an hour or hour and a half to do. JHM supplies a new bolt for the smaller stabilizer arm. All I can say is this product is worth absolutely every penny. There is no more hunting for gears. There is no more vaugeness when shifting. You know exactly where everything is with strong, smoother, and crisper feedback. It feels better than any other manual car I've ever driven now. I'd buy this again if I had to. (Posted on 2/21/2018)
- Great PRODUCT!!! When paired with the JHM short shifter, enjoy the sensation of a crisp/solid shifting experience. I have the JHM light weight crank pulley, JHM solid linkage rod, and JHM short shifter installed on my 2008 Audi S5, and I can honestly say," THESE MODS ARE EVERYTHING!!!". All 3 play a significant role when increasing drivability and they make the car even MORE enjoyable to drive!!!! AWESOME PRODUCT!!! (Posted on 4/19/2016)
Warning: This product may contain a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
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