Technical Stretching a rubber shifter boot

I need to put a new rubber shifter boot over a Corvette 4Speed shift lever which has the T bar for a reverse lock out. I do not want to attempt to take it apart to fit the rubber on it. Does anyone have an idea or have experience with softening a new rubber boot so that it will stretch without tearing or staying stretched out?

 

I would think warming it would help a lot. You might put it in a closed car out in the sunlight for a while to soften it up. With the current weather around here, it looks like it's fixing to get colder instead of warmer!

 

suggest coating the inside with vaseline ...

 

Hair dryer....

 

Don
Some time back, I posted a similar question about softening up a new (old stock) Mr Gasket boot that has gotten extremely stiff.
3W Larry(RIP) responded that there is a product but I don't remember the name.
My concern is not being able to control the process without ruining the shift boot.

I know you don't want to but in my opinion; taking the handle apart is the only way you will pull this off. I assume because you are asking you've found the rubber too stiff not to mention it's like trying to put a large square peg in a very small round hole.
I've had a lot of the oem shifters like the Corvette uses, I currently have an original one for my 67 Nova with a mint original 4 speed shift boot and there is no way I would consider what you are proposing.
They aren't that hard to R&R but the original reverse lockout cable is probably what you're more concerned about, nearly impossible to feed the frayed end back through the hole, I've tried it with no luck.
Fortunately I found an NOS cable but I'm pretty sure the cables are being reproduced and available through places like Classic Industries, Ecklers, etc.

 

I've done just what you want to do with a Ford 4-speed, same type reverse lever. I pulled the boot over the lever one side at a time, taking my time. A bit of lubrication won't hurt, I just used spit... LOL. No issues...

Maybe Ford used better rubber...

 

I’ve had luck softening them with Armor All after getting them warm.

 

Thanks for the ideas. I was thinking some petroleum product would help. Maybe that and the hair dryer will help. I am not going to try to take it apart because I have tried to deal with the reverse lock out cable before and it was a nightmare.
Spit? Hmm

 

There are a lot of "leak stop" additives that basically contain plasticizers to soften rubber seals. I used this to seal an out put shaft seal on a front wheel drive transmission. It really worked.

 

Well if it tears, maybe go with a lace on leather one, if it goes with the car.

 

NAPA Rubber Boot stretcher in the spray can.

 

NAPA told me that stuff was for the kind of rubber boots you wear when fly fishing.....