Shifter Boot

[88 Red Ranger]

I am working on an 88 ext cab with fm146 trans and t/c. Both of my boots are torn by the mount and I have found a good one at the junk yard. I have tried to heat up the shifter ball on mine to get the boot off but still can not get it off. I know that I could just cut mine off but that won't help me learn so when I get to the junk yard I can do it correctly. So what is the correct or other way to get these boots off at the junk yard without electricity?? Thank you for any help. Chris

 

[Mark_88]

Are you talking about the rubber boot inside the cab for a floor mount? I took the automatic and 2.9 out of mine and it had a floor shifter, but it was just screwed to the floor with some phillips head screws.

the manual boot that I put on had four screws to hold it on. If you have difficulty with removing the 5 speed shift knob to pull the boot up, it is just pressed on. I think I used a pair of channel locks under the ball and just hammered up on mine...it does come off, but not easily...

BTW, I actually go TO the junk yard to learn these things. That way you don't wreck your truck interior. Only damaged a few small parts that way, and I don't like damaging even the junk yard stuff because someone might want it...

 

[CHKNFKR]

It's typically easier to get the boot off from the bottom than over the top. There is a lip on the shifter just above the boot, getting the boot over that will likely damage the boot.

Unbolt the shifter and pull the boot down, the knib never has to come off. Takes all of about 5 minutes and nothing gets damaged.

 

[88 Red Ranger]

I go to the junk yard to learn alot about dismantling things before I do it on my own stuff. I do not want to learn on this one at the j/y. It is the only one they have so I do not want to ruin it.

 

[88 Red Ranger]

Where the rubber boot necks down at the shifter ball, there is a collar under the boot. Going down the shaft, the shaft gets much larger. There is no way the boot will slide down the shaft to come off of the bottom without ruining the boot. The shaft gets over 1-1/4". Actually the shfiter shaft is a two piece and I would like to get these two pieces apart.

 

[trxusrngr]

1.)Fold the top side of the boot down/slide it
2.)Place a set of needle nose vise-grips or even regular vise-grips on the stick right below the shifter knob
3.) use a broad object like a flat head screwdriver or prybar and bry against the knob using the vise-grips as your fulcrum(might have to pry the whole way around to get the knob off evenly)
Good Luck!

 

[Mark_88]

Understood...you can get the whole thing out in one piece without removing the knob...like someone said, lift the bottom plate (unscrew it) and then slide the boot up as high as it will go...then remove the shift...IIRC, it is held on by one bolt in a clamp connector...