A couple months ago I got an offer to buy a perforated 3 spoke steering wheel for my car. Original equipment was a regular leather 4 spoke model. I checked with the seller who assured me this was a simple swap job. I wouldn’t have to worry about air bag or steering wheel button issues. And yes, this was a easily the quickest upgrade I’ve done to the car.
I didn’t make a video of that swap for a couple reasons. I wasn’t shooting any videos at the time and the swap is so easy it makes doing a video a bit pointless.
The seller wasn’t willing to part with the shift knob from the car where he salvaged the steering wheel. After installing the steering wheel I was sure I wanted a shift knob that would have matching perforations.
Choices of Shift Knobs
Looking online I found the higher end of the pricing spectrum at Black Forest Industries located in Germany. Their shift knob is attractive enough, but way out of my budget. Another downside was the design on the knob. I would prefer a simple shift pattern. Call me vanilla, but some things don’t need to be bling.
When adding up the shift knob and leather boot the cost would be $340 CAD before shipping. That is pretty steep for me. So much so that unless, through some miracle, I have a sudden increase in my finances, it is out of my reach.
So, I headed over to Ali Express to see what the other end of the market is priced at. If i’m going to be honest I had already looked at these shift knobs over 6 months ago, but never felt like pulling the trigger. However being now more curious, and having a steering wheel to match I dug back into it and found I could get a shift knob with boot for a total of $16.38 CAD, which includes the shipping. And it has a simple shift pattern displayed, Bonus!
So of course I bought it. This video is a review, and installation of this item in case anyone else is curious about the quality, and what is required to do the job.
Shift Knob Review
First off both the boot and the wrap on the knob is vinyl and not leather, obviously. I bought the version that has red stitching for extra fanciness. The suede seems to be of a quality that is good? Looks like it would last a few years anyway. Not sure if you are in a hot climate if that time would be shortened. It is shinier than the stock leather.
The metal piece that separates the shift knob from the boot is pretty low quality on this item. It looks like it is stamped aluminum and it has lines visible in the metal. They aren’t super obvious on a quick inspection, but anyone who actually looks at the item will easily see that its not an original Audi part.
It comes with the plastic base that clips into the gear shift surround, and the fitment was perfect. Just like stock. The only noticeable quality issue is the aluminum band that is between the boot and the knob. It obviously pressed fitted, and there are lines that show how cheap the method of attachment really is.
The knob is held in place with an ear clip. The one provided is incredibly cheap. I do not recommend using it. While technically it is made of steel, I tested with a magnet, it feels as light as aluminum.
The following is an affiliate link to Amazon. If you use the link to make a purchase they will send me a commission.
- Power steering cooler hoses
- N80 purge valve on evaporator system
- Installing my turbo boost gauge
- Various other bits
Installing the Shift Knob
Pull your shift trim up. Its held at the four corners by tabs with clips on them. There is a good chance the clips will come off the tabs and stay in the slots on the car. Carefully remove them as they will tend to drop into the space below. Might be a good idea to have a magnet and flash light ready. Yes, I have had to fish these clips out myself several times…
I find it easier to get access by putting the car into 5th gear. It gives more room to get the ear clip tool in. Cut the clip. These can be notoriously tough to cut. Sometimes you have to give it a few cuts before the clamp splits. An easier way to cut the clip is to use a Dremel tool with a cutting wheel on it.
Remove the shards of the old clip. Pull up on the shift knob and it will slide off. It may need a good tug.
When the knob is removed you can see the shift arm has a notch in it. A pin in the stock shift knob slots into this notch and prevents the knob from rotating around. The Ali Express shift knob does not have a pin to fit into this spot. This is another downside of going the cheap route. It’s possible to spin the shift knob. I generally don’t get so aggressive with my knob, so its not an issue for me.
The diameter of the shift stick is 12mm. The Ali Express page specifically mentions this even though they already say it will fit an A4 B7. However if you end up using a different knob, then make sure the base of the knob has a 12mm hole for attachment.
Slide on the new knob with the ear clip already in place. Align the knob to where you want it. Again its not a huge deal as you can always twist it once its mounted. Carefully squeeze the clamp with the ear tool, making sure it stays aligned in its position.
Reattach the shift stick surround and take the new knob for a test drive.
The final result looks great at a quick inspection. Unless someone was paying close attention I don’t think they would notice it is not a factory shift knob. The only downside is that it can twist. But its super easy to twist it back into proper position.
So is it worth a mere fraction of the cost of the Black Forrest Industries shifter? I guess it depends on your budget. Functionally the Ali Express knob works as good as any other. It looks 95% close to the original Audi perforated knob. Right now I’m not swimming in money so for me this was worth it. I can always spring for a more expensive one in the future. For now this only cost me $15 and an hour of my time to install.
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