"stiff" shifter when it's freakin' cold outside?

[ace3]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but searching for "stick" "Manual" "shift" "tough" and the like, wasn't working.


'94 YJ, stock 5spd shifter, no body lift, 2.5" RE lift.

when it's cold outside, and the jeep has been sitting outside for a while (like when i'm at work), it's a HUGE pita to shift into 2nd or 4th gear. and if i let off the gas or push in the clutch, the stick immediately jumps out of gear.

I'm assuming this is because of the rubber 'boot' around it, and it's inability to flex when it's cold, because once it heats up inside, it shifts just fine.

Any remedies for this? I thought about cutting the boot, but i'm not sure how well that will work.

[Dwest]

Take the boot off completly.

[Dwest]

Forgot to say that the one you want to take off is under the boot that surrounds the shifter, there are actually two boots. Take off the lower one.

[ace3]

no kidding? two boots?

interesting. i'll check it out tonight. Thanks, man. :)

[NomadJeep]

My hard one is the top one.....

[mudmonster61]

yea mine is hard and i already took the lower boot out like three years ago

jeremy

[mrclean]

When I park the Jeep during cold weather, I just put it in second gear. Never have a problem getting second or fourth.

[stonedworm]

Mine is super stiff when its cold out, but once i drive it a bit it loosens up.

[Jeeper_Dan12345]

I pulled out my lower boot a few months ago, best thing in the world, makes it shift much better, especially into 2nd, 4th, and reverse. although here is doesn't get too cold, and when it's cold outside, it's usualy in the garage

[crawlin'YJ]

Anyone have pic or instructions to do this on an ax-5? ('93 YJ) Do you just take off the top boot so you can see the bottom one, then take that off?

[chrisbernhardt]

Those rubber boots can get like that when cold. If you have the t-case drop on there cause of your lift, then that adds to making it tough.

[ace3]

-=- originally posted by chrisbernhardt -=-
Those rubber boots can get like that when cold. If you have the t-case drop on there cause of your lift, then that adds to making it tough.

yep, got the tcase drop on there as well.

never had the jeep in the winter before i put the lift on it, so i don't know that it was the problem. But, that definitely makes sense.

maybe i'll make my own boot or something... :puzzled:

[Jeremy74]

It was so cold here monday morning that even my turn signals were really stiff on my 88,every bone in her body was making noise.