Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums - Camaro5.com - DIY: Removing V6 Camaro centering springs

When installing your new shifter into your V6 Camaro (Mine was a Hurst short throw for instance) You will run into this side note in your directions:
"On V6 Camaros, it will be necessary to remove the centering springs in order to drop the stock shifter."

At least with Hurst, their directions are "This is done by flexing them free..."
Well thanks.... :thumbdown: That is useless....

When installing my shifter, I got to the point where I had to drop my shifter, but obviously couldn't do it because of the springs... After reading the vague direction for the process a million times, I was lost... So no big deal, just go on C5 and search for this topic, which has to be quite common... well.... Needless to say directions on this topic are quite sparse :der:
So after a frustrating ordeal, I had to put everything back to stock because I couldn't figure it out and my car is my DD... frustrating and discouraging especially when one is a beginner like me :frusty:

I called hurst and after waiting 2 days for Frank, the "specialist" to call me back, all he told me was that I have to remove the inner dust boot to reveal these springs, and it was as simple as just "pulling it up and jiggling it free."
Of course that didn't work as planned, and I felt the only way I could get the boot off was to cut it out, which is a no no... (Lol I didn't do it)
So off again I went, scouring the forums, and taking a different approach this time. I looked up every "How To" on the subject (best was courtesy of TagUrIt ) and began messaging every V6 owner inquiring how they accomplished the task... 95% of them told me that you HAVE to remove the dust boot, and some said that it's best to cut holes in it to remove the springs... All of their time they took to reply to me was MUCH appreciated, but then one member I asked told me the easy was to do it, without removing the dust boot. I'd like to thank an awesome V6 owner who is no stranger in the V6 world, UCantCME, for supplying me with the best input.

He told me that what you have to do is wedge your finger in between the upper part of the dust boot (The cylinder hose like piece that runs up the shaft of the shifter) and stretch the top of it towards either 6 o clock or 12 o clock, and by doing so, you will reveal 1 of the bolts of the springs. If you stretch it far enough, you can have it grab on the back side of the bolt so that you don't have to hold it while you unbolt it. Once you remove the bolt, you can pull the spring straight upwards and remove it, and then continue with the other spring. Now those blasted things are out! :clap2:
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO INSTALL THESE BACK IN, AS I'M SURE IT WILL BE A PITA... THE SHIFTER OPERATES FINE WITHOUT THEM, AND I WOULDN'T WASTE THE TIME IF I WERE YOU OF REINSTALLING THEM. But to each their own, if you want to, go for it!
I made this post because no one else covered the topic to a good enough extent in my book, so I hope one day some poor bastard like I myself did will fall into this problem, and will be able to use this thread as a reference. I love my Hurst shifter, and am Happy I put it in!
Now go get em!