Hello.
I purchased new gaiters off ebay, and they didn't come with any instructions. Done a quick search on here and the net and couldn't find much. Had some time so put together my first "how-to"... so go easy on me.
Disclaimer: This shows how I went about changing the gear stick gaiters on my disco 1. I'm not a mechanic (land rover or otherwise) so don't take anything I say as being correct or appropriate. It may be different on your landrover.
This is how mine looked before I started.
Bought these on ebay and are Italian leather - they came without fittings or instructions.
Gear / Hi-Lo Stick
Starting with the gear stick, carefully lift the collar holding the gaiter off the centre console upwards. There are six clips - mine came off by hand.
Next, twist the gear knob anti clockwise unscrewing the knob from the thread.
Once you have removed the knob and existing gaiter from the vehicle, turn the gaiter inside out and you will see a rubber o-ring holding the gaiter to the knob. Remove this o-ring and set aside.
The existing gaiter is glued to the plastic clip that holds the gaiter into the centre console. Peel the gaiter from the plastic, taking note of the orientation of the seams.
Position the new gaiter over the plastic clip, with the seams orientated in the same direction as the original. Apply a bead of glue to the underside of the plastic clip. I used Shoe Goo as it is ideal for bonding leather.
Apply pressure to ensure the glue bonds the leather to the plastic. I used some clothes pegs.
Turn the gaiter inside out, position the gear knob so that is approx 1 inch from the edge of the gaiter and then reposition the rubber o-ring over the gaiter.
Return the gaiter outside out and then you have a recovered gear stick. Return the gear stick to the disco and screw back on, taking care to rotate the gaiter along with the knob. Reclip to the centre console to finish.
The Hi/Low shift stick is the exact same procedure as the gear lever.
Handbrake
Unclip the cover plate from the window control switch panel and set aside.
Unscrew the four cross head screws.
With the control panel set aside, you have more room to unclip the retaining bracket for the handbrake gaiter. Push down and prize out. Take care not to pinch any wires.
Unscrew the handbrake grip. This is not screwed in (there is no thread) there is a bead of glue that landrover have placed there, to stop it from sliding out. By rotating, you are trying to break this bead of glue. Now you can remove it by pulling it clear of the handbrake.
Handbrake removed from the vehicle. The grip is secured in the same way as the other levers by a rubber o-ring. Remove this first.
Prise the material from the metal clip, taking note of positioning of the material. Also note what is the top and bottom of the clip.
Apply glue to the new gaiter and reposition, using clothes pegs to hold in place.
Once the glue is dry, reinstall in disco, and then reattach window control panel in reverse order of how you took to bits. Job done - nice new shiney leather gaiters!!!
I hope this proves useful to someone. The leather gaiters look better over the original landrover ones in my view.
Taking the window switches out may not be necessary but I think it gives more room to get the gear stick gaiter out without damaging the cubby box.
Cheers
Italian
I purchased new gaiters off ebay, and they didn't come with any instructions. Done a quick search on here and the net and couldn't find much. Had some time so put together my first "how-to"... so go easy on me.
Disclaimer: This shows how I went about changing the gear stick gaiters on my disco 1. I'm not a mechanic (land rover or otherwise) so don't take anything I say as being correct or appropriate. It may be different on your landrover.
This is how mine looked before I started.
Bought these on ebay and are Italian leather - they came without fittings or instructions.
Gear / Hi-Lo Stick
Starting with the gear stick, carefully lift the collar holding the gaiter off the centre console upwards. There are six clips - mine came off by hand.
Next, twist the gear knob anti clockwise unscrewing the knob from the thread.
Once you have removed the knob and existing gaiter from the vehicle, turn the gaiter inside out and you will see a rubber o-ring holding the gaiter to the knob. Remove this o-ring and set aside.
The existing gaiter is glued to the plastic clip that holds the gaiter into the centre console. Peel the gaiter from the plastic, taking note of the orientation of the seams.
Position the new gaiter over the plastic clip, with the seams orientated in the same direction as the original. Apply a bead of glue to the underside of the plastic clip. I used Shoe Goo as it is ideal for bonding leather.
Apply pressure to ensure the glue bonds the leather to the plastic. I used some clothes pegs.
Turn the gaiter inside out, position the gear knob so that is approx 1 inch from the edge of the gaiter and then reposition the rubber o-ring over the gaiter.
Return the gaiter outside out and then you have a recovered gear stick. Return the gear stick to the disco and screw back on, taking care to rotate the gaiter along with the knob. Reclip to the centre console to finish.
The Hi/Low shift stick is the exact same procedure as the gear lever.
Handbrake
Unclip the cover plate from the window control switch panel and set aside.
Unscrew the four cross head screws.
With the control panel set aside, you have more room to unclip the retaining bracket for the handbrake gaiter. Push down and prize out. Take care not to pinch any wires.
Unscrew the handbrake grip. This is not screwed in (there is no thread) there is a bead of glue that landrover have placed there, to stop it from sliding out. By rotating, you are trying to break this bead of glue. Now you can remove it by pulling it clear of the handbrake.
Handbrake removed from the vehicle. The grip is secured in the same way as the other levers by a rubber o-ring. Remove this first.
Prise the material from the metal clip, taking note of positioning of the material. Also note what is the top and bottom of the clip.
Apply glue to the new gaiter and reposition, using clothes pegs to hold in place.
Once the glue is dry, reinstall in disco, and then reattach window control panel in reverse order of how you took to bits. Job done - nice new shiney leather gaiters!!!
I hope this proves useful to someone. The leather gaiters look better over the original landrover ones in my view.
Taking the window switches out may not be necessary but I think it gives more room to get the gear stick gaiter out without damaging the cubby box.
Cheers
Italian
