My 2015 6MT S4 currently is a Stage 2+ IE with upper SC pulley, Merc Rx, Southbend Stage 3 Daily clutch w LWFW. Since the clutch install there was a ticking or noise in the transmission (think of baseball card in bike spokes. A couple months ago noise in the transmission started getting louder. The sound was becoming more like a gravel truck....then gravel truck dragging metal on the ground. The sounds were most noticeable when in gear and in the 1k-4k range. With clutch pedal depressed...the sound went away. We were pretty confident it was the input shaft bearing. Once the transmission was removed there were thousands of metal shards with most stuck to the magnetic drain plug....looked like a bush.

While the transmission was out we inspected everything. Gears are all perfect...but we replaced 10 bearings as the transmission was already out.

Once reassembled and driving the transmission feels factory smooth....just the way this car should be.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jnWQZkp9Vfs