Install Shifter Bushings and a Shifter Stop Together

By Custom Shift Knobs & Interior Mods | Published: 2026-10-14

Category: How-to Guides

Pair a brass shifter bushing with a shifter stop in one job to cut cable slop and lock out side-to-side play. Here is the exact order and the mistakes to avoid.

Quick answer

Do the shifter bushing install first, because the brass bushing removes cable-side play that would otherwise hide how much side-to-side gap your shifter stop needs to close. Once the bushing is seated and the cable is torqued, set the shifter stop gap to roughly the thickness of a credit card, then road-test and fine-tune. Trying to adjust the stop first usually means adjusting it twice.

Why order matters more than parts

A shifter has two separate sources of play: slop in the cable end where it mounts to the transmission shifter plate, and side-to-side travel inside the shifter assembly itself. A brass bushing addresses the first; a shifter stop addresses the second. If you set the stop while the worn rubber bushing is still flexing, you are measuring a moving target, and the gap you dial in will feel wrong after the bushing swap.

Work on a cold engine and disconnect the negative battery terminal if you are not comfortable working near the starter and transmission harness. You will need ramps or jack stands, a 12mm and 14mm socket or wrench, a torque wrench, and a clean rag. Have the new bushing and the stop hardware on the bench before you go under the car.

What to check before you buy

Confirm your chassis and year before ordering. The Billetworkz Shifter Bushing fits 2015+ Subaru WRX and 2018+ Crosstrek, and it will not fit STI. If you drive an STI, you need a different bushing solution, so do not force this one. Also check whether your car uses a cable-actuated shifter or a direct-linkage setup; the bushing in this guide replaces the soft factory rubber piece in the shift cable that mounts to the transmission shifter plate.

If your engine bay caps are also faded, that is a separate cosmetic job and not part of this install. Keep the two projects apart so you are not chasing two sets of fasteners at once.

Step-by-step install order

1. Lift and secure the car: Raise the front, set jack stands under the pinch welds or drive onto ramps, and chock the rear wheels. Mistake to avoid: working under a car held only by a hydraulic jack. Checkpoint: give the car a firm shake before you go under. Stable car first, tools second.
2. Locate the cable end at the transmission shifter plate: From under the car, find where the shift cable mounts to the transmission shifter plate. Mistake to avoid: confusing the shifter plate with the transmission mount or the pitch stop. Checkpoint: trace the cable by hand from the shifter end until it terminates at the plate. If you cannot identify the plate, stop and look up a diagram for your chassis.
3. Remove the factory rubber bushing: Unbolt the cable retainer and pull the old rubber bushing out. Mistake to avoid: prying against the cable housing or bending the bracket. Checkpoint: the cable should move freely by hand once the bushing is out. Keep the hardware; you will reuse the bolt and washer.
4. Install the brass bushing and torque the cable: Fit the Billetworkz Shifter Bushing into the cable end, reattach the retainer, and tighten to the factory spec for your chassis. Mistake to avoid: over-tightening until the cable binds. Checkpoint: the cable should pivot smoothly with no in-and-out play. Snug, not gorilla-tight.
5. Set the shifter stop gap: With the bushing done, move inside the cabin and adjust the stop so the gap on each side of the shifter lever is about the thickness of a credit card. Mistake to avoid: setting it to zero gap, which preloads the lever and causes wear. Checkpoint: the lever should still move freely in gear with no side rattle. Equal gap left and right.
6. Road-test and re-check: Drive through all gears, including reverse, then re-check the stop gap and the cable bolt. Mistake to avoid: skipping the re-check after heat cycling. Checkpoint: crisp engagement with no new vibration or binding. If it feels notchy, open the gap a hair and retest.

Parts that fit this job

Billetworkz Shifter Bushing – Subaru WRX 2015–2025 / Crosstrek 2018+: Billetworkz Shifter Bushing for 2015-2025 Subaru WRX and 2018+ Crosstrek; replaces the soft factory rubber bushing in the shift cable that mounts to the transmission shifter plate. It will not fit STI. This is the first part to install because it removes the cable-end flex that makes a shifter stop adjustment unreliable.
Billetworkz Engine Bay Caps - Subaru Outback 2015+: Billetworkz Engine Bay Caps for Subaru Outback 2015+ are direct factory replacements CNC machined from 6061 aluminum with an anodized or powder coated finish, available in several colors. A separate cosmetic upgrade for Outback owners who want the engine bay to match the interior work; it does not affect shifter feel.