TobyZ28

I'm having real difficulty getting a grommet to fit in a hole under the car. Tried for hours last Saturday and had to give up. Here is a couple pictures of what the old grommet looks like from both ends (the new one is identical). This is on the transmission shift cable under the shift assembly.

Top Side:

Bottom Side:


Grommet has to be installed from under the car, so that whole top side needs to squish through for it to seat right. It LOOKS easy, but there's actually a rigid plastic Ring on the inside of the grommet (about the same diameter as the hole), so although the floppy stuff around the outside is soft rubber, the ring on the inside under the rubber makes this really really difficult!

The grommet looks like it should be installed from the top, but there was no way I could get int in from up there without taking the whole shifter/ebrake assembly mechanism apart (and it's a bit late for that now)

I would greatly appreciate any ideas/tips on how to get this guy in! I've tried lubing it up, twisting, inching the edges in with a screwdriver... no luck so far and my knuckles are getting pretty beat u from this!

RamAir95TA

There isn't much we can help you with over the internet on how to put a grommet in, but all I can tell you is you can try heating it up with boiling water (obviously don't use an open flame) to see if it will be a bit more pliable.

shoebox

Vaseline on a grommet usually works for me.

TobyZ28

Yea I realize there's not much you guys can do to help was hoping there was some clever trick to it that i wasn't aware of. I'm not the most clumsy person but i do know there is a lot of skill involved when i see good mechanics effortlessly do things in seconds that i would take ages to figure out

Next chance i get to get the car up i'm going to lube that guy up real good and see if i can also get a good angle under the car.. Not sure how i can get boiling water on it though, it's attached (sliding) on the trans cable - definitely wouldn't use a torch under the car but i'm sure someones done just that so thx for the tip

I'm really hoping i don't have to resort to cutting it, that would defeat the purpose of the grommet I was on the verge of doing a duct-tape job last sat, something i swore id never do to this car lol.

Z28SORR

Use your wifes/sisters/girl friends hair dryer. Or as ShoeBox said use some di-electric grease or silicone spray they wont damage the rubber.

TobyZ28

Great idea!! Hopefully she doesn't object too much to me using her hair drying for "car stuff" I have some silicone spray to try on round 2, just need to find some time to get to doing it!

Appreciate all the replies, thank you.

rngilliland

I put mine in from the top. It doesn't take long to remove the console. I don't remember if I had to remove the shifter. If you do it's only a few bolts and the whole assembly lifts off.