Shifter gaiter

[mo_ayman]

Hello all,

I want to take off the shifter gaiter to fix some rattling noise that comes from my shiter stick as well as make another leather gaiter to replace my existing one because its 25 years old and dead.

I have taken off the handbrake gaiter, I though don't know how to take the shifter one off. I don't want to break things.

I can't find a how to for taking the shifter gaiter off.

Help.

[Robsey]

The gaiter is stapled to a plastic shroud.
The plastic is quite thin and can be flexed a little.

To remove the gaiter, simply feel for the top of the plastic shroud at the back of the gaiter (nearest to hand-brake) and pull upwards.
It is only clipped into place.
Then work your way around the top of the shroud pulling it up out of the centre console.

There is a cable-tie holding the top of the gaiter to the gear stick / shifter.
Cut the cable tie, and the whole gaiter assembly can be pulled off the shifter past the gear knob.

[mo_ayman]

Thanks a lot.

So a simple "upwards" pull. I hope I don't break it. Thanks again.

[Robsey]

I have updated my first answer...

But yes pull up. You should not break anything that way

Do not press the plastic sideways towards or away from the shifter. It will only flex a little. Bend or flex it too far, and it will crack or snap.
The weakest points are in the corners.

[ilovedmymantas]

The plastic is 25 years old too so don't make the same mistake I did

The first time i changed one I tried to re-staple it back on.
Big mistake, it snapped the plastic clean-across one of the staple holes.

This time I used double-sided tape and, to restore a little originality , I put the staples back that I'd unpicked from the original gaiter.

If I was doing it again, although unlikely, I'd probably use the double-sided thin foam tape for a closer looking fit.

[mo_ayman]

Well,
It was a success. The removal went smooth. I though had to pull it hard from both the upper and lower plastics together. Pulling it from the lower side (closer to handbrake one) didn't work.

Looking at the staple holes, it was way more white than the other plastic. So yeah I kinda feel that it may break if I wan restaple it.

On the other side, the handbrake gaiter doesn't have holes at all. I'll have to create my own and maybe use a paper clip and do it by hand instead of a stapler.

The sad part though is that I can't still find what's making that rattle from the shifter. I was wondering what does the very lowest part of the shifter assembly look like from the other side of the shifter assembly plastic.

The horizontal part at the bottom where the stick is joined to in the middle. How is it attached to the shifter assembly. I was thinking to take off the black trim around the shifter to take a look at it from the outside. Do you guys get me?

[Robsey]

It sounds like the ball joint is worn.

Here is a How 2 about converting to Astra-G shifter.

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=1237

Of course, I am not suggesting that you fit the astra shifter,
but it shows how it all comes apart,
and how worn it can get.

I am sure you can still get linkage service / repair kits.

[mo_ayman]

Well, I don't believe it is the ball and socket thingy that is making the rattle noise.

Check this video out: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1--bK-G ... sp=sharing

It is a metal kind of noise. I tried holding that pin all the way at the bottom but that wasn't the source of the noise. Are there any cotter pins or C clips in the assembly?

I have seen that post before. I'll try to take it off and see how it goes.

[Robsey]

All the metallic bits are at the gearbox selector mechanism end.
Not the shifter end.

I understand what you mean though.

Is it something behind the lower centre dash leaning on the gear selector shaft ?.
Under the ash tray bit...

You would need to remove the centre console to get the lower dash panel out.