14T6MT
New member
I installed my Sparco shift boot and knob today. As promised, here is a detailed DIY. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions. If you're only installing a new knob, you only need to read step 2 and step 4. If you're an idiot like me and want to make life hard by installing a new shift boot, read all of the following...
NOTE: If you are only installing a shift knob it's really easy and will take about 10-15 minutes total. I you are also installing a new shift boot it will take a while and it's difficult and frustrating. If I could do this again I would probably just install the Sparco knob and leave the stock shift boot.
IF INSTALLING A NEW SHIFT BOOT, you begin by pulling up on the front of the silver trim piece surrounding the shift boot, just like you were installing the DDMWorks shifter bushings. This silver trim has a black piece of trim inside it, the boot is sandwiched between the two pieces and stapled together.
Step 1) IF YOU'RE ONLY DOING A KNOB, SKIP THIS STEP. Remove factory shift boot. The top of the factory boot is held on with a zip tie to the reverse lockout collar:
Cut the zip tie:
And the bottom is sandwiched between the two trim pieces and stapled through:
Remove the staples using needle nose pliers. There are two badass staples going through both trim pieces, and about six holding the boot to the inner, black trim piece.
Now you can pop the two bottom trim pieces apart. It's kind of a pain but you can do it. The stock shift boot is now unattached.
Onto the knob...
Step 2) BUY ONE OF THESE!!!
With this tool you can remove the stock shift knob in approximately 20 seconds. Just spin it around while pulling up lightly. Done.
Here is the stock knob removed, the spring for the reverse lockout collar that was underneath it, and the shift boot:
Keep the spring handy, you will be re-installing that.
Here is the knurled rod that was under the shift knob:
Here is the adapter for the Sparco knob.
Other knobs should have something similar, you will attach this adapter to the knurled rod and then screw the new knob onto the adapter.
Now onto the new shift boot...
Step 3) IF YOU'RE ONLY DOING A KNOB, SKIP THIS STEP. Attach the new boot. It's just the opposite of removing the old shift boot. I had to trim the Sparco boot to size, it was WAY too big. Then you pull it over the black inner trim piece and staple it on. I ended up cracking the black trim piece in a few spots by stapling it, and I broke it in one spot. Try it at your own risk, it would be way easier to just install a new knob and leave the factory shift boot. I finally managed to staple the Sparco boot to the black trim piece, using some duct tape to mend the break in the trim piece. Now you snap the black trim piece back into the silver, outer trim piece. Then you push the new shift boot inside out, down through the bottom. You do this so that you can tie/zip tie it on to the reverse lockout collar and the knot or zip tie won't be visible on the outside. The Sparco boot came with a waxed leather string because Sparco is badass, so I tied that tightly to the lockout collar with many knots and then trimmed off the extra string. Now you pop the boot back up and are ready to pop the completed boot and trim back into place.
Step 4) Now we can attach the new knob. This is me testing the Sparco knob adapter for fit:
NOTE: install the reverse lockout spring under this adapter. I threaded the little set screws loosely into the adapter and then slowly and evenly tightened them. The Sparco adapter has a little arrow stamped into the top that you point forward. This aligns the Sparco logo on top of the knob with the rest of the car. Awesome. Now you can attach the shift knob.
AND YOU'RE DONE.
NOTE: If you are only installing a shift knob it's really easy and will take about 10-15 minutes total. I you are also installing a new shift boot it will take a while and it's difficult and frustrating. If I could do this again I would probably just install the Sparco knob and leave the stock shift boot.
IF INSTALLING A NEW SHIFT BOOT, you begin by pulling up on the front of the silver trim piece surrounding the shift boot, just like you were installing the DDMWorks shifter bushings. This silver trim has a black piece of trim inside it, the boot is sandwiched between the two pieces and stapled together.
Step 1) IF YOU'RE ONLY DOING A KNOB, SKIP THIS STEP. Remove factory shift boot. The top of the factory boot is held on with a zip tie to the reverse lockout collar:
Cut the zip tie:
And the bottom is sandwiched between the two trim pieces and stapled through:
Remove the staples using needle nose pliers. There are two badass staples going through both trim pieces, and about six holding the boot to the inner, black trim piece.
Now you can pop the two bottom trim pieces apart. It's kind of a pain but you can do it. The stock shift boot is now unattached.
Onto the knob...
Step 2) BUY ONE OF THESE!!!
With this tool you can remove the stock shift knob in approximately 20 seconds. Just spin it around while pulling up lightly. Done.
Here is the stock knob removed, the spring for the reverse lockout collar that was underneath it, and the shift boot:
Keep the spring handy, you will be re-installing that.
Here is the knurled rod that was under the shift knob:
Here is the adapter for the Sparco knob.
Other knobs should have something similar, you will attach this adapter to the knurled rod and then screw the new knob onto the adapter.
Now onto the new shift boot...
Step 3) IF YOU'RE ONLY DOING A KNOB, SKIP THIS STEP. Attach the new boot. It's just the opposite of removing the old shift boot. I had to trim the Sparco boot to size, it was WAY too big. Then you pull it over the black inner trim piece and staple it on. I ended up cracking the black trim piece in a few spots by stapling it, and I broke it in one spot. Try it at your own risk, it would be way easier to just install a new knob and leave the factory shift boot. I finally managed to staple the Sparco boot to the black trim piece, using some duct tape to mend the break in the trim piece. Now you snap the black trim piece back into the silver, outer trim piece. Then you push the new shift boot inside out, down through the bottom. You do this so that you can tie/zip tie it on to the reverse lockout collar and the knot or zip tie won't be visible on the outside. The Sparco boot came with a waxed leather string because Sparco is badass, so I tied that tightly to the lockout collar with many knots and then trimmed off the extra string. Now you pop the boot back up and are ready to pop the completed boot and trim back into place.
Step 4) Now we can attach the new knob. This is me testing the Sparco knob adapter for fit:
NOTE: install the reverse lockout spring under this adapter. I threaded the little set screws loosely into the adapter and then slowly and evenly tightened them. The Sparco adapter has a little arrow stamped into the top that you point forward. This aligns the Sparco logo on top of the knob with the rest of the car. Awesome. Now you can attach the shift knob.
AND YOU'RE DONE.
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