Column shifter boot wear

[Nd79]

My truck has 7,000 mi and has been great. Tows phenomenal and does everything I need it to. There's only one thing I have noticed, a small thing, and is more annoying than anything.

The shifter boot on the column always folds up in a way that it shouldn't and has started to wear a hole in it already, making little small beads of rubber as it wears. I had it replaced at the dealer under warranty (I really didn't like a dealer tech messing with the shifter) as they wouldn't give me the part and let me do it myself being under warranty. The new one folds up when shifted the same way (not how it should) and I think it's only matter of time before it's worn again.

Anyways, has anyone else had their shifter boot on the column wear prematurely? This is a 68rfe truck, although I'm not sure if that matters.

 

[Will_T]

Mine has less miles than yours and I have not noticed any wear yet. BUT it has definitely annoyed me a bit in the same way you describe. It does not move or fold correctly at all. I have tried but I can not get it to behave correctly.

 

[Nd79]

Mine has less miles than yours and I have not noticed any wear yet. BUT it has definitely annoyed me a bit in the same way you describe. It does not move or fold correctly at all. I have tried but I can not get it to behave correctly.

Thanks! At least I know I am not alone haha. It definitely never folds right, and the only time I can get it to sit like it should is when it is in park. I also do a TON of shift cycles compared to my overall milage. My truck won't have an easy life!

In a quick search I think I found a new one for $10 so if it continues when I'm out of warranty I'm not too worried. Replacement is super easy too but the dealer won't let me replace it myself and just give me the part when replacing under warranty, understandably. I think just before my warranty is up I'll just have them replace it again.

 

[Brutal_HO]

They're junk. Cheap chicom rubber. My Limited HO/ASISN is looking ratty already.

Probably sourced from Dorman. Been through that ringer with rear door wiring assemblies on my 04.5.

I'll never buy another Dorman product again as long as I live.

3 years and they were rotten. The wires sucked too. Ended up back with an OEM harness.

 

[Nd79]

They're junk. Cheap chicom rubber. My Limited HO/ASISN is looking ratty already.

Probably sourced from Dorman. Been through that ringer with rear door wiring assemblies on my 04.5.

I'll never buy another Dorman product again as long as I live.

3 years and they were rotten. The wires sucked too. Ended up back with an OEM harness.

Good to know!

Yeah that's a shame, especially on as nice a truck as yours.

 

[Catmechanic]

I've been working with an aftermarket company for about a month now designing a more durable replacement. We have a beta version but it needs a bit of tweaking prior to bringing it to market. Likely within a couple of months.

 

[C00P]

I've been working with an aftermarket company for about a month now designing on a more durable replacement. We have a beta version but it needs a bit of tweaking prior to bringing it to market. Likely within a couple of months.

I have had the same problem, with my OCD I noticed it right on the lot, next to the off set gauges. I have fiddled with mine a few times but will likely going down the same road of replacement when worn. So keep me on the list for a beta tester if that version you are working on has promise.

 

[Nd79]

I've been working with an aftermarket company for about a month now designing a more durable replacement. We have a beta version but it needs a bit of tweaking prior to bringing it to market. Likely within a couple of months.

Put me on the list for one when they are! I'll buy one for when it's out of warranty for sure. I would help test too if It is feasible. My truck gets much more shift cycles than normal for the milage with the way I use it.

 

[werard]

Add me too.

 

[Will_T]

I was looking at mine again today and what a mess. It is folded and twisted in all sorts of wrong ways. Easy to see how it would not hold up long like that.

 

[UglyViking]

I've been working with an aftermarket company for about a month now designing a more durable replacement. We have a beta version but it needs a bit of tweaking prior to bringing it to market. Likely within a couple of months.

Please respond to this thread when you do release it. I know there are a handful of us on this thread that are interested and I fear I may miss a post in the normal area. Either update or link but I'll follow this thread to keep updated.

 

[First World Problems]

I've been working with an aftermarket company for about a month now designing a more durable replacement. We have a beta version but it needs a bit of tweaking prior to bringing it to market. Likely within a couple of months.

Add me to the interested party list as well.

 

[roegs]

Same story...please add me to the list!

 

[Dave88LX]

Mine looks like absolute garbage as well.
How difficult of a replacement is it?

 

[Nd79]

Mine looks like absolute garbage as well.
How difficult of a replacement is it?

I don't think it's bad at all. Dealer replaced mine under warranty and only took them 30 min.

If you squeeze the outer edges of the boot together it snaps/slides out of the plastic steering column pieces. From there it has to slide off of the shifter and I think that is done by unbolting the shifter lever somehow but I didn't get that far before I took it in.

It still didn't want the dealer messing with my shifter, but they couldn't just warranty the part and let me put it in. I asked haha.

 

[Catmechanic]

Just a follow up post for everyone interested. Following the beta version I sent it back along with some suggested changes to how it attaches at the column as well as a new OEM boot for comparison.

In the meantime the guy working on them has been out with covid for a bit as well which has slowed things down. Now that he's returned things are moving forward. I spoke to him today and he's expecting to have an updated version shipping out to me next week for testing. I'll follow up here again with more info as soon as I have some.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Just a follow up post for everyone interested. Following the beta version I sent it back along with some suggested changes to how it attaches at the column as well as a new OEM boot for comparison.

In the meantime the guy working on them has been out with covid for a bit as well which has slowed things down. Now that he's returned things are moving forward. I spoke to him today and he's expecting to have an updated version shipping out to me next week for testing. I'll follow up here again with more info as soon as I have some.

Mine has a hole in it so i will be waiting to hear from you not letting the dealer change it out

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I'll never buy another Dorman product again as long as I live.

I hate dorman aswell the last thing i bought from them was 15 years ago i bought a set of leaf spring shackles for my 98 ram to replace the oem ones that were rotten but still holding, after i replaced them the first one snapped 2 months in (failed “weld”) i rewelded it properly, the second one failed 1 year after that i also rewelded that one both times the leafs hit the underside of the box

NEVER BUY FROM DORMAN lol

 

[IronByron]

Anyone have the part number for the shift lever boot? I’m not really wanting to drive it all the way in for warranty (unless it’s really expensive).

 

[IronByron]

Anyone have the part number for the shift lever boot? I’m not really wanting to drive it all the way in for warranty (unless it’s really expensive).

Well I found a part number finally but it only shows up under 2020 steering column parts. Since it's only around $10 I'm going to take the plunge and see if it fits. If it does I guess I will order a bunch and treat them like a consumable

68480815AA: Mopar Gear Shift Lever Boot