Gear Shifter Leather Boot to Carpet Mod

Leather Boot Replacement with Black Carpet​

GOT THIS NEAT IDEA FROM HIGHERLUX
What it (roughly) looked like before:


What it looks like after:

THE MOD​

You're gonna need: your black carpet, a sharpie, razor, a staple gun, a set of pliers, a set of needle nosed pliers, a measuring tape (and/or ruler), as well as some sort of good scissors that can cut carpet easily.


FIRST cut away the leather boot that attaches to the metal rectangle guide for the plastic trim.

Here are the dimensions of my template I used (it's not pictured in the phases of this project) just FYI:




1.) You're gonna need to make an initial carpet cut out, taking the length of the sides into account (roughly 6cm):



2.) Next figure out the dimensions of the rubber boots after you have lifted the bottom up! It's smaller underneath the bottom lip of the boots:



3.) Center your template and mark where the shifters will sit:



4.) You will then cut the corners by using the metal rectangle as your guide.



5.) When you start stapling the carpet to the metal rectangle, try and use up as little carpet as possible so you will have more room to work with when you go to put your rubber boots through your 2 holes.

BEFORE THIS STEP- I would strongly suggest making sure your holes are the perfect fit for the boots before you start stapling




6.) When stapling the sides, try and work your way from the outside inward:



7.) Start on your 1 side and then work your way around until they are all getting stapled down:



8.) Half way done/in progress stapling:







9.) All 4 sides stapled:
TOP


BOTTOM



10.) When inserting into your plastic trim, use your sharpie and mark where the metal rectangle is supposed to clip into the plastic trim:







11.) Use your razor and shave off a piece of that portion of your carpet so the metal rings can grab the plastic teeth on your trim piece to attach back up there-- do this for all 4 corners and it should fit (quoting Ace Ventura) "mmm like a glove":



12.) The final fitting:

The Finished Product​

I haven't made many DIY threads but I thought this mod looked too good NOT to share it with this forum! If you have any questions about this mod then don't hesitate to ask. Thanks for looking!

 

Looks great, I like it! I've never been a big fan of the stock leather shifter boot.

 

Thanks! Yeah I was never a fan of that leather boot, all it did was get grungy over time, this looks better IMO and you can store all the same crap down there that you normally would with the leather boot

 

looks alot better than mine does, good job dude

 

That turned out great, you could also use neoprene to set it apart from the rest of the carpet.

 

Thanks! You're the brains of this mod.

Very true, it's a pretty easy mod, just very time consuming especially with the stapling. If you choose to try with neoprene be sure and post a few pictures here so we can see!

 

Good Job Bro

 

Subb'd may have to do this with my 4x4 shifter it looks good, and where did you get the new shifter covers?

 

Are you talking about the rubber boots at the bottom of the 5-speed shifter & 4wd shifter?
If so, they're currently underneath your leather shifter boots

 

An update I didn't think of: Those with the 4wd button on your 2nd shifter... you might have to figure something out with the wire that runs down that shifter from the "4wd" button. Just an issue my Dad ran into when considering this mod for his 2002 Tacoma.

Thanks, looks so much better than the leather boot

 

Bump! Just found this thread. I'm gonna try it with neoprene tomorrow if I can find the fabric. I'll post pics if it turns out halfway decent

 

Totally just did this, love it. reminds me of my 94 p/u

 

I think once I get my new black interior carpet installed I'm going to end up doing this mid.
Great write up and definitly plan on doing this.

 

Did you end up doing it?

Turned out awesome!

Thanks, so much better than the leather look! Try and post some pics when you do it, I always like seeing other people when they do it

 

San Diego area. Got done with a 2 month long school a few weeks back and now I've been in adjusting to my new unit here at Pendleton so I'll be a frequent TW user again ...... but no more WA meets for a whiiiiiiiile

 

I like this! Adding it to the list.... You have a build thread for your new truck?

 

Thanks!
Yeah, not a whole lot so far and will be a slow, newly wed build but I have big plans for it and will turn out shweet
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-builds/356195-dark-side-expo-build.html

 

Killer dude, and congrats on getting hitched!!

 

I just did this to my truck this weekend. Thanks for posting it, looks great!

 

I may do this and wrap the metal shift lever parts in paracord. That’ll make it look better since I have the push button 4x4