I got my relinegoods shift and ebrake boots in, in the mail a few days ago. I looked at the insatllation instructions they give online and it says you need to use the factory metal rings that are in the bottom of both the shifter and ebrake boots. Is this what everyone does? Or can you use a coat hanger? I am wonndering because I would rather not cut good boots up.

 

I used the factory rings on my shifter and my E-brake boot. Both were so far gone and ripped it really didnt bother me to cut them up. Isnt that why you bought new ones ???

-matt

 

You could probably use the coat hanger, but it would be a bish to bend them correctly. I just used the stock metal ring from the ebrake.

 

yes, but I cannot find the ripped up ones that I took out of my 95. The plan is to put the new leather boots in my 98, and then put the boots that are in the 98 in the 95. I do have an extra ebrake boot that I could cut the metal out of, but I would rather leave it in. I do not have an extra ring for the shift boot, but I do think this one will be easier to do since it does not have that funky angled bend like the ebrake. Just trying to see if anyone has done anything other than using the factory metal.

 

i cut the originals in one place b/c that's what the instructions say, but i couldnt get the rod through the seams, so i ended up cutting the thing into 4 pieces. it worked okay for the shift boot, but for the ebrake boot you need the rod to actually form a shape to keep it in place so it didnt work. the next day i tried to push the rod through with a little force and it worked. you can use a coat hanger and form a new ring. it will be a little thicker, but you should still be able to get it through the seams.

 

I got one from the junkyard from a ford taurus SHO, i took the metal ring out cause it didn't fit my auto shifter trim, and i just crazy-glued it to the bottom of the shifter trim. it's actual leather, and it looks really good...especially cause it was free.

 

I am going to try working on this again tonight. I plan on reusing the metal ring out of a perfectly good ebrake boot. for the shifter boot I am going to try a coathanger since I do not have an extra boot to canabolize for this. Ill report back as to how it goes.