1. Make sure the truck is not running and the parking brake is set. Remove the four screws that hold the old boot down. These are #2 phillips screws however there may be dirt in the access holes preventing a good screwdriver fit. Blow the dirt out of the holes with compressed air.

2. Pull the old boot up a bit to make sure the screws have completely cleared.

3. Next remove the shifter knob. It is pressed on. Find an open end wrench that just fits over the top of the shifter shaft below the knob (I used 11/16 inch). Hold the wrench against the bottom of the knob and tap it from below with a hammer.

4. The knob will pop off.

5. Pull the old boot up toward the top of the shaft, and use a flat-bladed screwdriver to work the boot over the lip of the shaft.

6. Once over the lip, slide the old boot off the shifter shaft.

7. There is a rubber gasket under the boot which helps seal against air and water.

8. You will want to leave the gasket in place, however if your situation was like mine this gasket was also a bit stiff and tried to pull the transmission out of 5th gear. If this is your situation, you can cut a small slit in the gasket to relieve the tension.

9. Get the new leather boot ready. Since the shaft is very wide near the bottom where the top of the boot will ultimately rest, test fit the boot first to see if it will go all the way down.

10.If you encounter difficulty in making the collar of the new boot slide all the way down, soak about 1/2 inch of the top of the boot in isopropyl alcohol for 10 minutes to soften it.

11. Prepare some soapy water as a lubricant.

12. Coat the shifter shaft with it.

13. Now just slide the new boot down over the shifter shaft to the desired position, down to the point where about 3/8 inch of boot remained above the shifter lip. The boot seals very well at this location. Going beyond the lip would be very difficult as it is quite wide.

ENJOY YOUR NEW LEATHER BOOTS!