Pricey Shift Boot Alternative

[easton]

I searched and wasn't sure if this had been covered before. Apologies is it has been.

 

I was in the throes of making a new console with the non-broken parts left behind (thanks PO!), and one issue I encountered was that the little lip that holds the shift boot on was missing from the trim piece with the shifter hole in it (along with the shift boot itself). I wasn't sure if the OEM shift boot (25111206289) would work without that plastic lip on the trim, and I didn't want to gamble $60 to find out, so I measured what I needed and searched on amazon for something similar. I found quite a few but this one for a Yamaha Rhino seemed to be closest to OEM size:

 

 

 

It has extra rubber on the bottom and a retaining clip which is very easily trimmed with scissors, and once installed I gotta say, it fits pretty much perfectly. There's a rubber plate on the bottom that I pointed forward, and that sandwiches between the carpet and trim panel and holds it very securely. The hole at the top is the perfect size to grab the stick, so you can position it high or low and it will stay. It's also thick rubber and feels heavy duty, but if it ever does wear out, it's readily available and was $14 delivered the next day! Pics below show fitment. Also it looks kinda dusty and that's because it is. It arrived a normal rubber color, it's just been moved around my garage a lot lately.

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by easton
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[Mike A]

It’s installed by inserting it up through the console opening?

Edited September 17, 2020 by Mike A

[easton]

Is that the ring/lip on the console panel that the boot fits into? 

Edited September 17, 2020 by easton

[esty]

where there's a will, there's a way...good job

 

[easton]

9 minutes ago, Mike A said:

It’s installed by inserting it up through the console opening?

 

Yep, mine was missing the ring/lip. I doubt it would work if you used that ring since it already fits very snugly between the boot's bottom accordion and rubber base plate. It fits very snug. Even trying to wiggle it manually further than the shifter would ever pull it is unsuccessful. It's solid as a rock inside that panel opening.

[Mike G]

How stiff is it? I think some people have had trouble with aftermarket boots popping the selector out of gear. 

[Mike A]

Nice find

[Carlos]

The look is spot on! Let us know how it drives and it’s functionality once you are rowing gears on some twisty roads!

[silasmoon]

This was perfect! Just did the same to mine.

 

 

[silasmoon]

Also - I managed to salvage my entire plastic ring (it was broken in a few places, but super glued it back together). If anyone with a 3D printer wants the dimensions let me know. 

[tarheelbob]

5 hours ago, silasmoon said:

Also - I managed to salvage my entire plastic ring (it was broken in a few places, but super glued it back together). If anyone with a 3D printer wants the dimensions let me know. 

 PM sent.

 

- Bob

[dlacey]

Especially good as the "BMW" replacements don't last:

 

5 yrs old...original lasted 45 yrs

[Pagan]

Very nicely done!! 

Nice looking console as well

The collective ingenuity and problem solving on this board never ceases to amaze me!!

[2002iii]

Somewhere I have a box with tons of those original shift boots I used to collect from the junkyard. Maybe it's time to start selling them?

[visionaut]

36 minutes ago, 2002iii said:

Somewhere I have a box with tons of those original shift boots I used to collect from the junkyard. Maybe it's time to start selling them?

The rectangular plastic shift-boot attachment rings for the console shift surround cover are even rarer. Did you grab those too?

 

They were also used on e21 - where I sourced the one I’m using with my custom leather boot now. I don’t think it was a separate part tho’, instead coming with the cover? Or perhaps separately with the A/C version of the cover?

 

Tom

 

 

Edited Sunday at 05:01 PM by visionaut