Detaching DSG gaiter

[zayd]

Does anyone know how to get the gaiter off the stick once its pulled off the lower assembly?

[doylebros]

This may help

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=28407.0

[v4rley]

I'm also trying to achieve this task 

I have managed to remove the gaiter and top part, following the link above. Trick is the bottom 'loose part' will go up onto the main bit by about 1/2 inch, them pull upwards and it'll be free  (can go into further detail, if required)

Now the fun part, detaching the gaiter.... I haven't managed to do this yet, but searching around have found a fellow members attempt:
http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,60438.0.html

Be carful with the plastic trim around the lower part of the gaiter, as its fragile (yes I broke mine  ) will trying to free the gaiter

Keep posted with any progress!

[zayd]

Be carful with the plastic trim around the lower part of the gaiter, as its fragile (yes I broke mine  ) will trying to free the gaiter

Keep posted with any progress!

This is why I want to replace mine.  There is a thin plastic frame with 4 flimsy clips that attach the gaiter into the aluminium surround.  This is broken on mine on one side, hence why I'm trying to find how to remove the gaiter from the knob, so that I can attach a new gaiter with the frame already in place. 

[v4rley]

^^^ . Oops ok, well keep me updated if you make any progress! I'm looking to change my gaiter for a custom one, so may leave it for the upholster to figure it out 

[zayd]

What a mission, but I've done it.

Thanks to a fellow member on here, who sold me the complete shifter, gaiter and surround, I was able to undertake a mammoth task today.  I say mammoth because it was such finicky job

My plastic frame, which attaches the gaiter to the gearbox surround was broken when I bought the car a few days ago.  So I set about removing the new unbroken frame from my donor shifter by carefully prising off each of the 15 staples.  I then did the same for my broken frame, one staple at a time.

I then transferred the donor frame to my own gaiter and reattached each staple, one at a time to secure the frame to the leather gaiter.  Finally, I put the shifter back on to the spline and carefully pushed the gaiter back into the base.

Wooo Hooo, I now have a beautiful looking DSG Gearbox shifter.  

Thanks to all for their help for a bloody job that took 1 and a half hours and all this for a car I bought my WIFE!

Well, I bought it for me to drive as well.

I'm truly amazed at how much more refined this car is compared to our old MK4 Gti.

[zayd]

Since replacing the shift knob, I've noticed an initial stiffness putting the gear into Sport mode or sliding into tiptronic.

After the first stiffness, it's fine and smooth everytime.  Do you think I damaged or did something wrong when putting the shift knob back in. Here's what I did;

Ensured gear was in neutral.
Made sure shifter button was fully out, ensuring the pin under "DSG" plate was pushed forward.
Pushed shift knob down onto spline until it engaged and was secure.
Re attached gaiter.

[v4rley]

Had another attempted today at removing the gaiter, with some 'success'. I used a hair dryer to heat up around the top of the gaiter in case glue was holding it on. I ended up going for it and just pulling the gaiter down to release it from the top part. It had a fair amount of visible glue around the top of the gaiter.

I then set about trying to establish how to have to release the rectangular piece of plastic originally beneath the gaiter. It soon became apparent that it is not possible to remove this piece. Is you look on the photo below, I have circled what looks like retaining pegs to keep it on its position and would initially appear that one press in the would release it. But they don't, and if somehow they did it still wouldn't clear the bottom parts I marked with the arrows. So I assume it was put together bottom to top 

The method I'm gonna try is to push the new gaiter between the plastic rectangle and metal collar and apply plenty of glue like found on the gaiter!



Sure this will be of some assistants for future reference 

[zayd]

Since replacing the shift knob, I've noticed an initial stiffness putting the gear into Sport mode or sliding into tiptronic.

After the first stiffness, it's fine and smooth everytime.  Do you think I damaged or did something wrong when putting the shift knob back in. Here's what I did;

Ensured gear was in neutral.
Made sure shifter button was fully out, ensuring the pin under "DSG" plate was pushed forward.
Pushed shift knob down onto spline until it engaged and was secure.
Re attached gaiter.

Just an update, the stiffness was because I forgot to push the clip at the base of the knob fully down, once it was put back on the shaft.