Manual MT Shifter Boot Swap Onto Automatic AT Shifter Assembly?

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by soulstice

I'm getting a manual boot sent to me in the next couple of days. I'll try this out one of these weekends and post what I end up doing if I figure something clever out. Hard to say until I get under there and see what's going on.

So I finally got this all straightened out last week in time for 86Expo. The main issue was the PRND piece not being able to line up with the two screws on the MT shifter trim. At first I tried to velcro it under the center console, but heat lead to that failing. So I took a shot and was able to mount it to the shifter trim, with a little bit of work.
I do not take any liability for the actions you take with your car. This is merely me sharing my experience with the community.

I don't own a dremel, so I started by grabbing a hack saw. Lol

I then made my cuts. My goal was to allow the PRND piece to have the trim screws hold it in by pressure, not necessarily in a complete hole.


(Ignore the upper cut. My first alignment didn't work out like I thought. You will be cutting the smaller of the two holes, which is the hole for the peg, not the screw originally.)

I then made my second cut.



In the end, this was my result. It is a bit of a tight fit once installed, so be careful when you are snapping it into place as there is not much clearance under the shift boot itself.




This is my first attempt at a write up so if you have any more questions please feel free to ask here or PM me. I may take better pics and post this in the DIY eventually if there is enough interest. Thanks for reading and I hope this helps.

[ramiram1984]

Y'all just want people to think its MT

[Perihelion]

Originally Posted by ramiram1984

Y'all just want people to think its MT

This probably wouldn't be the case if you MT drivers weren't so judgmental :P

[itdansharpe]

Originally Posted by ramiram1984

Y'all just want people to think its MT

I plan on doing this, for this exact reason!

Why? YOLO.

[ramiram1984]

Ya I don't get that. To each their own is what I say!

[ramiram1984]

Originally Posted by soulstice

Any update pics on what you did with the prnd?

TRUE BLUE

[soulstice]

Originally Posted by finch1750

This is my first attempt at a write up so if you have any more questions please feel free to ask here or PM me. I may take better pics and post this in the DIY eventually if there is enough interest. Thanks for reading and I hope this helps.

Thanks for the pics. I haven't had a free weekend to take things apart but hopefully I'll be able to take my own pass at this too.

1.) does the AT plastic piece #17 in the diagram need to be removed to do this mod?
2. do you need the #16 piece or is that just a MT Shifter boot, can't tell if it's just the pleather or plastic
3.) do you have a link to the DIY that you can recommend that shows how to get the center console apart?
4.) So in broad strokes you're just offsetting the PRND so that the manual boot has sufficient room to clear, correct?

[soulstice]

Originally Posted by finch1750

1) The opening on the MT boot is too large for the AT. (My GF sewed a snap button in front of it to tighten it up closed)

Do you have a pic of this as well?

[Perihelion]

If you guys do this, get the JPM coachworks shifter boot

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by soulstice

Do you have a pic of this as well?

So you can do it one of two ways. The leather seperates from the plastic but they are labeled as one unit in your diagram. I just swapped my whole piece. #16 and #17 are the different mt and at pieces, so in the end it will only be one of those that is used.

Ill post a link later when Im not on my phone to an article on the center console diy. And yes, in broad terms this is to get the prnd piece to fit with the manual trim. When you take it apart and compare the mt and at it will make a lot more sense.

Ill also snap a pic of the boot when i get off work.

[soulstice]

Originally Posted by finch1750

I just swapped my whole piece. #16 and #17 are the different mt and at pieces, so in the end it will only be one of those that is used.

Crap, that means I need to find the manual plastic piece somewhere. I thought I only needed the shifter boot. Where did you get yours?

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by soulstice

Crap, that means I need to find the manual plastic piece somewhere. I thought I only needed the shifter boot. Where did you get yours?

The silver plastic piece is the same. Did your boot come with a plastic ring attached to the bottom? That is what actually screws into the silver trim piece. I can take a pic tonight for you

[soulstice]

Originally Posted by finch1750

The silver plastic piece is the same. Did your boot come with a plastic ring attached to the bottom? That is what actually screws into the silver trim piece. I can take a pic tonight for you

I'm not talking about the silver piece. I bought just the boot from another forum member who replaced their boot with an aftermarket one. At the time I didn't realize i'd need the plastic ring as well. Did you just order the whole boot assembly(shift boot + plastic ring) from a Subaru parts seller?

[Perihelion]

you can def get it separate. check out parts.com