Handbrake and gear lever gaitors - How to fit.

OK, I know this is probably very basic but I think there might be a few members that would want to give this a go, so here we go (Sorry about the quality of the pictures I had the wrong setting on the mobile).

Tools:
Flat Blade Screwdriver.
Snips/Long nose pliers.
Drill.
3-4mm drill bit.
Thin wire or strong thick cotton.
New Handbrake gaitor.
New Gear lever gaitor (Ebay £9.99 for the two)

Time: Approximately 30 mins to 1 Hour.


1: GEARLEVER:
Remove the gear knob and then gently prise the bottom of the console up. The console will pop up a little (enough to wiggle out the gaitor).




2:
Wiggle out the base of the gaitor and pull the gaitor up and over the gearstick, there is a rubber ring holding the top of the gaitor in place, don't lose it!



3: The old gaitor is pictured. Turn the new gaitor inside out and insert the metal ring from the old one underneath and into the new one. Put the rubber ring around the ring at top of the new gaitor. Now turn the gaitor back out to the normal position.




4: Slide the gaitor back over the gearstick and clip into the metal holding bracket at the front, then wiggle into position at the rear. The gaitor should be held firmly in position. Clip the console back down and screw the gearknob back on. It's Done!




5: THE HANDBRAKE GAITOR:

This one is a little more involved. Use the screwdriver to lever up the rear of the handbrake cover. It is held in by two clips, one at the front and one at the rear. Then pull the cover up and over the handbrake. (This is very tight and there is a rubber ring that holds the top of the cover in place, but keep going and it will come free)




6:
The gaitor is stapled to a plastic holder, use some snips or pliers to pull out the staples.



Once all the staples are out, slide off the old gaitor.





I didn't have a stapling machine handy so I decided to 'sew' the new gaitor on using some thin wire (You could use some thick cotton/thin string). To do this I slid the new gaitor over the plastic holder (very very tight fit) and drilled some small holes through the leather and into the plastic.




9:
Turn the gaitor inside out and put the rubber ring over the end. Then slide the gaitor back over the handbrake until it drops into the handbrake ring (just passed the rubber handle (Again this is a very tight fit).



Now pull the gaitor down so it's the right way round (The top would have neatly folded it's way over). Clip the front of the handbrake gaitor in first then the rear. It's done!



The quality of the Gaitors are very good. The fit was tight and I didn't need to modify them. I hope this was helpful.

I realise it is an eternity since you kindly posted the how to. However I have just replaced the handbrake gaitor and it was exactly as you said. Some folk gave the impression it would be a mammoth job. Not so! Thank you.

Even more of an eternity, but I also found your notes helpful. One trick of the trade: if your boot is very tight to fit, try moistening the inside, for about an inch above the rim, with meths. It will stretch nicely if you fit it straight away.
An old Army trick, for getting issue boots to fit better.

I have removed the gator ok but am trying to remove the tunnel. The tunnel is unscrewed from the console, cubbies and wiring but it wont slide up and over the handbrake lever, Is there a technique for this please ?

Got it. The trick is to free off the handbrake tension on the 12mm adjuster nut. The handbrake cable can then be pulled up higher allowing enough clearance to lift the plastic tunnel trim over it.