Uh, this has been covered before...

Mazda has designed the stock shifter lever with two noise isolation elements.

1) The stock shifter lever is a two piece design.
There is a rubber isolation "center" the helps prevent vibration from traveling to the shift **** in addition to heat isolation.

2) The Kouki shifter levers have a nylon(?) insert where the large pivot ball groove meets the dowel.

I have never seen any shorter shifter kit that uses either design element.


-Ted