DIY: Shift Tower Boot for 5-Speed
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DIY: Shift Tower Boot for 5-Speed
The shift tower boot on my 1996 Ram w/ a 5-Speed had pretty much dry rotted in place and I blame it in part for my NV3500 transmission going out at 200,000 miles. Because this boot is actually attached to the shift tower (mounted under the cab), it keeps out road mud and grime from going into the top of the transmission by way of the stick shift.
I tried to get one from Dodge and they only sell it with the rest of a replacement shift tower (that really really pisses me off). I resent that I need a $10 boot and I have to buy a $200 assembly to get it.
I tried every parts shop on the internet. Next I tried a half dozen shift boot manufacturers with no luck. Then I called a few manual transmission rebuild shops and they said there is no such place to get one. ManTrans out of Florida suggested I try to find a CV boot that might fit.
So off to NAPA I go b/c the discount parts stores freaked out when I tell them I want a CV joint boot and don't have a car model for them to reference. They just couldn't handle it.
Anyway, here is a picture of the CV joint boot that I used (NAPA No. 686-2107 and costs $17). It worked really well. Much better than I expected even though the old one is rectangular and the new one is round. You just need 2 hose clamps. Also, the broken off ring part of the old boot (pictured on the left) will be needed b/c the new boot hole that fits around the stick shift is too big. The old boot ring will take up the slack perfectly. Don't worry at all about the new CV joint boot being alot taller than the old boot, there is plenty of room for it to fit.
Anyway, this is my first DIY. Just trying to repay for all the help I have received over the years.
Jason
I tried to get one from Dodge and they only sell it with the rest of a replacement shift tower (that really really pisses me off). I resent that I need a $10 boot and I have to buy a $200 assembly to get it.
I tried every parts shop on the internet. Next I tried a half dozen shift boot manufacturers with no luck. Then I called a few manual transmission rebuild shops and they said there is no such place to get one. ManTrans out of Florida suggested I try to find a CV boot that might fit.
So off to NAPA I go b/c the discount parts stores freaked out when I tell them I want a CV joint boot and don't have a car model for them to reference. They just couldn't handle it.
Anyway, here is a picture of the CV joint boot that I used (NAPA No. 686-2107 and costs $17). It worked really well. Much better than I expected even though the old one is rectangular and the new one is round. You just need 2 hose clamps. Also, the broken off ring part of the old boot (pictured on the left) will be needed b/c the new boot hole that fits around the stick shift is too big. The old boot ring will take up the slack perfectly. Don't worry at all about the new CV joint boot being alot taller than the old boot, there is plenty of room for it to fit.
Anyway, this is my first DIY. Just trying to repay for all the help I have received over the years.
Jason
Last edited by JasoninBRLA; Aug 28, 2012 at 11:16 PM. Reason: Added some more info