Shift boot install
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 345
Likes: 4
Shift boot install
I AM THE HAPPY OWNER OF A D SHAPED STEERING WHEEL FROM VETTE CANDY AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETING IT INSTALLED WITH JUST A FEW EXTRA APPLICATIONS OF THE PULLER.
I ALSO GOT A COUPLE SHIFT BOOTS AND AM RELUCTANT TO START PRYING IN FEAR OF BREAKING ALL KINDS OF PLASTIC CRAP. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO SHARE?
I ALSO GOT A COUPLE SHIFT BOOTS AND AM RELUCTANT TO START PRYING IN FEAR OF BREAKING ALL KINDS OF PLASTIC CRAP. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO SHARE?
Pro
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 723
Likes: 208
From: Gulf Coast FL
On a related note, I'd like the Comp Seats with the sueded inserts, but I don't want the suede wheel or shifter/boot. How hard is it to change these items back to standard leather? Seems like the hardest part of the steering wheel change is the one bolt that requires an impact wrench...?
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 238
From: Macomb MI
On a related note, I'd like the Comp Seats with the sueded inserts, but I don't want the suede wheel or shifter/boot. How hard is it to change these items back to standard leather? Seems like the hardest part of the steering wheel change is the one bolt that requires an impact wrench...?
But having gone from leather wheel/boot to suede...I love it! The wheel feels so much more comfy. But YMMV.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 238
From: Macomb MI
Ok. So for the A8 boot...
- Set emergency brake
- Put the car in neutral: hold start button for ~7 seconds w/o foot on brake to get in "run/service" mode (dash lights and chimes), then press brake and shift to neutral
- You need to pry the whole black trim ring around the boot out (including the PRNDM ring). I did NOT use trim tools like the service instructions call for. I simply pressed my fingers into the boot and got them under the trim ring and lifted up. I had luck at the rear edge. It popped free. Be careful as there's a wire connector in this ring under the PRNDM area. There's enough slack to work with, just don't yank so hard that it pull the wire out.
- Once the trim ring is free, squeeze the shifter button and pull up REALLY hard with a bit of twist. The **** will release abruptly.
- Now that the boot and trim ring is free, you can work at getting the boot ring unsnapped from the trim ring. This is the part that took me the longest. Eventually using my trim tools I got it, but it took me ~20 minutes of fiddling around since I didn't want to be too rough.
- Snap the new boot into the trim ring (easy) and reverse the removal steps (also much easier).
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 345
Likes: 4
Ok. So for the A8 boot...
- Set emergency brake
- Put the car in neutral: hold start button for ~7 seconds w/o foot on brake to get in "run/service" mode (dash lights and chimes), then press brake and shift to neutral
- You need to pry the whole black trim ring around the boot out (including the PRNDM ring). I did NOT use trim tools like the service instructions call for. I simply pressed my fingers into the boot and got them under the trim ring and lifted up. I had luck at the rear edge. It popped free. Be careful as there's a wire connector in this ring under the PRNDM area. There's enough slack to work with, just don't yank so hard that it pull the wire out.
- Once the trim ring is free, squeeze the shifter button and pull up REALLY hard with a bit of twist. The **** will release abruptly.
- Now that the boot and trim ring is free, you can work at getting the boot ring unsnapped from the trim ring. This is the part that took me the longest. Eventually using my trim tools I got it, but it took me ~20 minutes of fiddling around since I didn't want to be too rough.
- Snap the new boot into the trim ring (easy) and reverse the removal steps (also much easier).
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 238
From: Macomb MI
But as I said, getting the whole boot/trim ring out of and back into the car was easy. Probably less than 2 minutes. It was me pussyfooting around getting the boot ring unsnapped that took the time. If I were doing it again, I'm sure it would take me less than 5 minutes end to end now that I know.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 345
Likes: 4
There may be a way to get the boot ring unsnapped from the shifter trim ring with leaving the trim ring installed. I would say trying that seems riskier than the way I did it.
But as I said, getting the whole boot/trim ring out of and back into the car was easy. Probably less than 2 minutes. It was me pussyfooting around getting the boot ring unsnapped that took the time. If I were doing it again, I'm sure it would take me less than 5 minutes end to end now that I know.
But as I said, getting the whole boot/trim ring out of and back into the car was easy. Probably less than 2 minutes. It was me pussyfooting around getting the boot ring unsnapped that took the time. If I were doing it again, I'm sure it would take me less than 5 minutes end to end now that I know.
Cruising
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 10
Likes: 4
From: Newark, DE
C7 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
C7 Console removal
I AM THE HAPPY OWNER OF A D SHAPED STEERING WHEEL FROM VETTE CANDY AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETING IT INSTALLED WITH JUST A FEW EXTRA APPLICATIONS OF THE PULLER.
I ALSO GOT A COUPLE SHIFT BOOTS AND AM RELUCTANT TO START PRYING IN FEAR OF BREAKING ALL KINDS OF PLASTIC CRAP. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO SHARE?
I ALSO GOT A COUPLE SHIFT BOOTS AND AM RELUCTANT TO START PRYING IN FEAR OF BREAKING ALL KINDS OF PLASTIC CRAP. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO SHARE?
https://www.mgwshifters.com/shifters/corvettes/88
The stock shift boot was actually held up with a staple. Now I am trying to figure out if I can staple it up again.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 376
From: Millstadt Illinois
I just installed an MGW short throw shifter. Their video on the C7 console removal is good. Read the warning about removing the first side trim piece from the back first instead of the from the front as in the video.
https://www.mgwshifters.com/shifters/corvettes/88
The stock shift boot was actually held up with a staple. Now I am trying to figure out if I can staple it up again.
https://www.mgwshifters.com/shifters/corvettes/88
The stock shift boot was actually held up with a staple. Now I am trying to figure out if I can staple it up again.