'09 Canyon Crew Cab RWD | Rattle from Shift Lever

Hey guys! First post here.

Came into ownership of a '09 Canyon in March w\ offroad package. Love the thing. 350,000km, but engine and tranny seem to have been very well maintained because it runs like a dream. Very little rust and we live in the salt belt - Ontario, Canada.

I have a few issues, small ones; some small rust spots on the doors and doorsills, rock chips on the hood, the like; some of the seals need to be readhered; but the most annoying issue is my shift lever on the wheel. It feels tensioned properly, but there's a little bit of play; when I hit a bump it makes a rattling sound as it knocks back and forth against it's bump stops. Is there a simple fix for this? I've looked at it briefly but I don't want to take my wheel/dash apart without knowing if it's a simple fix or if I'll need to get some parts. It's my work and personal vehicle.

Aside from that, there's a new knocking sound from the drivers side when I go over bumps. Do the sway bar links go on these things often? Or more likely control arms?

As a final note, any recommendations for tranny coolers? I tow for work, about 2k pounds on a regular basis and sometimes considerably more (up to 4-5k max on some occasions).