This is a review for the james barone Stage 2:Black Adjustable Short Shift Plate & Shifter Bushings

Problem and Solution:
Coming from a rx8, which I think has possibly the best shifter ever, I missed the extremely short throw. I also had a short throw shifter installed in that as well. So i was looking for a similar experience in the mazdaspeed3. I did not want to go with a full shifter system replacement but just a small upgrade that would change the geometmity of the shifter linkage. I found jbarone that had a shift plate that you install in the engine bay where the linkage meets the transmission. This reduces throw from 20% to 40%. I also replaced the shifter bushings that are installed inside the cabin to reduce play of the shifter housing when shifting.

Information on james barone:
I went with james barone racing because his prices are competitive, the installation instructions are very complete and he was very responsive to communication. He has a couple other items that I have or will be purchasing. RMM, oil catch can, heavier shifter ****. He also offers rear camber adjustments that might serve me down the road.

Pictures:
Here are some pictures of the motor mount and from the installation.
From jbarone's website

Pic of installation


Thoughts:
The short shifter mount was not that difficult to install and provided some great results. Shifting is a lot shorter. I would say that I might go and get the heavier **** because there is a little more effort involved while shifting. It isn't much and I could live with it going forward, might just be a nice to have. i'm very happy with the result and would recommend this item to anyone looking for a better shifting experience. I didn't really notice any difference with the bushings, I don't think it has hurt anything. I didn't notice any extra noise or vibration because I already have the RMM from jbarone, sorry I can't really add anything there. I'm sure it doesn't hurt and provides smoother shifts. A couple things to take note is that when you install the plate, you need a little clearance for the intercooler cover. Jbarone recommends some grommets you can get at any hardware store. If you install the bushings you can use 2 of the rubber grommets you replaced. The other thing is that i set mine up for a 40% throw reduction and this was to much. I would sometimes miss a second gear shift, or get a little bit of bite. I reduced my plate to be in the middle, 30%, and this solved that problem. You can also adjust the shifter from inside the cabin but I chose to not mess with that.

Cost $95

Other options:

You can get the shift plate in black, blue or red and with or without the bushings. You can also buy the full kit that includes the heavy weight shift ****.

Also note that I am not affiliated with jamesbaroneracing, just a happy customer trying to add information to the community.

 

Really nice write-up man. I will be looking into the bushings and shift plate for my 11' ms3 very soon.

 

Great, let me know if you need any help. Once you have it installed, post a response here with some thoughts.