Originally Posted by 4Crawler

The later model shifters are a lower and upper part. The upper part is flared and filled with a rubbery material into which the lower shaft is inserted. They are thus bonded together. The rubber gunk is there to absorb the vibration and noise from the transmission. Usually you don't want to separate those two pieces as it is hard to get them back together firmly. You can heat up the lower part to soften the bond and pull it out. But then you have to find a way to adhere is back in place.

For the lower boots, try slitting the top ring just enough to let it stretch up and over the fat part of the shifter. Or first try heating up the rubber with a heat gun to soften it up to be stretchier and see if that helps. And if the bottom boot is still in decent shape, like it just has a simple tear, try using a flexible adhesive on the tear, maybe with some mesh tape to reinforce it and call it good.