2004 Pontiac GTO Short Shifter - Low-Buck, Quick Shift Solution - Pontiac Tech

The bezel is pulled up until the four remaining bezel clips (two in the middle and two on the front sides) are free of their mounts. These clips will be very tight the first time they are removed, so consistent upwards pressure is applied until each clip pops loose.

Once the bezel is free, the back of it is lifted up to gain access to the electrical switches. The power-window switch harness is disconnected by gently pushing in on the center retaining button and pulling straight down. This procedure is repeated on the traction-control switch directly behind the window switch, and the connection is removed as well. The bezel is lifted out of the console and stored in a safe location.

To remove the shift boot, the back of the shift-boot retainer (upper console trim) is pulled up until the two retaining clips come free. Pulling up around the retainer continues until a total of seven clips are unsnapped (two at back, left, and front, and one on the passenger side).

The shift boot is pulled upwards until it is completely inverted, making the stock shifter handle and base visible. After the "black, cotton-based, shifter-noise isolator" is pulled up, the two 10mm bolts that attach the shifter handle to the shifter are revealed.

A 10mm wrench is used to remove the two bolts from the shift handle. They are set aside, and the shift handle and boot are removed.

The shifter handle is mounted in a vice, and a pair of wire cutters is used to carefully snip the plastic zip tie that secures the shift boot. It is then pushed down and out of the way.

After grasping the shift knob, a strong tug separates it from the shift handle. While a vice isn't an absolute necessity to remove the shift knob, it does allow for more leverage than an in-car yank.

A close look at the attachment points of the shifter knob and handle reveal that rather than threads, the knob is held on by compression using four edges that lock in place on a ridge on the shifter handle when the knob is pressed onto it. A common complaint on '04-'06 GTOs is that the shift knob rattles. After repeated 2-3 shifts, the edges that retain the shift knob begin to fracture, leaving behind just enough clearance to squeak when the car is in motion.

A side-by-side look at the stock shift handle and shift knob at right and the LSS and white, six-speed, Hurst shift ball (PN HUR-1630016, retail $29.95) at left provides perspective on the overall length of the two shifter packages. When the height of the stock shift knob is taken into consideration, the entire new assembly is 2-inches shorter than stock. Since the LSS has M16x1.50 threads, a wide variety of shift knobs can be utilized, including the Hurst leather shift knob (PN SLP-60081, retail $24.95). The Hurst ball knob can also be purchased in black (PN HUR 1630116; retail $24.95).

The LSS is lined up to the factory shifter-handle holes with the flat stem of the shifter handle toward the driver's side. In addition, the top of the shifter handle should be angled toward the driver's side as well. Lock washers are slipped over the bolts, and thread-locking compound is applied to the threads.

A 13mm wrench is used to tighten the bolts. Using a permanent or semi-permanent thread-locking compound and making sure the bolts are very tight is important so that the handle doesn't work loose at the most inopportune moment!

The shifter boot is slipped over the shift handle and then inverted after slipping the "noise insulator" over the shifter handle. A tie wrap is applied to secure the boot to the LSS handle. Once complete, the boot is inverted, and the shift-boot retainer is snapped into the console. Before installing the white Hurst six-speed shifter knob, the supplied Hurst shift-ball retaining collar is threaded onto the LSS.

A socket wrench and 71/48-inch-deep socket is used to run the collar down approximately 11/42 inch. The shifter ball is then threaded onto the shift handle, and once it is in the proper position so that the shift pattern reads correctly, a 71/48-inch wrench (or adjustable wrench) is used to tighten the collar against the shift ball. The electrical switches will be reinstalled, the center console bezel will be snapped back into place, and finally, the Phillips screw will be screwed in under the radio. Once complete, it's obvious that the shifter is shorter and oriented more toward the driver, both of which are helpful for spirited driving.